Filming an Interview: All You Need to Know about Filming Interviews?

If you are in the videography profession and want to film an interview, the first point is the camera setting. When filming an interview, adjust the middle shot of the person and make sure that the camera sees both eyes of your interlocutor. Because if he turns too far away from the camera in profile, you get the impression that he is talking with someone else, not with you and, accordingly, with spectators.

1. Camera Setting

Try to set the camera at eye level because if you hold the lens a little higher, your character will look weak and easily vulnerable, if lower – domineering and arrogant. If you do not have such a task, it is better to keep the camera at eye level of the person you are shooting.

 Camera Setting When Filming an Interview
Camera Setting When Filming an Interview

2. Microphone Setting

There are many ways to use a microphone when filming an interview. If you plan to take a fragment of only your character’s answer, that is, the sound of your question will not be used in the finished video material, and this interview is short.

Microphone Setting When Filming an Interview
Microphone Setting When Filming an Interview

Immediately direct the microphone towards the person, ask your question and film his answer. Or, if you use a lavalier microphone, clip it to the clothing of the person you are filming at about chest level before filming. And be sure to check in the camera if there is sound so that later it will not be excruciatingly painful for the interview without sound.

If you need your questions to be heard too, if this is a long interview – a conversation, then work with the microphone clearly: when you ask a question, point it in your direction, when you listen to the answer – in the order of the speaker, but at the same level – chest level.

You don’t have to hold the microphone close to your mouth and don’t have to put the microphone in the hands of the person you are interviewing.

If you are recording an interview with a microphone built into the camera, then find a quiet place for filming without extraneous noise, remember that such a microphone captures all sounds in the same way: the voice of your interlocutor, and the cries of passers-by, and the hum of the air conditioner.

If you plan to use only the interviewee’s answers in the future, you can ask him to repeat your questions out loud after he hears them. It will allow you to build the hero’s monologue in the order you want. Of course, you shouldn’t force a person to repeat every question, but the key ones asking a new topic will not be superfluous.

After filming the interview, try to capture the people, objects, and places your interviewee talked about. Such shots will help to tell the story more exciting and clearly.

Keys to A Successful Interview

Filming an Interview
Filming an Interview

From setting a task for an interview, because in one case we need to get precisely some information, and the personality itself is secondary here, that is, this is an informational or expert interview.

In another case, when planning a portrait interview, it is not important what the person will say. Still, his emotions, reactions to questions, behavior, manner of speaking, and so on are essential. That is, before the interview, you need to determine this for yourself.

From clearly formulating the topic of conversation so that you can voice it to the person when making an appointment.

Further, if you do not have a strong command of the topic, you need to read and understand the area about which you will talk to make a list of possible questions. Because very often, potential interviewees are asked to show them a list of questions. And it directly depends on this list whether they agree to talk with you.

What Do You Think is The Most Valuable Thing in An Interview?

Filming an Interview
Filming an Interview

A portrait interview, or personal interview, focuses on one person. It examines his life and his thoughts. It is an attempt to convey how the human soul lived all the previous years.

In a self-portrait format, this is an opportunity to talk about worries and what you dream about. It is a chance to see yourself from the outside and prepare for a new step into your future. And it’s a great way to show yourself to others from the right angle.

You may also like to read: Fashion Editorials: 3 Steps to Create Photographs for Fashion Editorials 

In addition to words, the details of everyday life, interior, clothing, and the peculiarities of the hero’s speech carry a heavy load in a portrait interview – that is, that which forms the individuality and uniqueness of each person and must undoubtedly be conveyed to the viewer.

A monologue story, a monologue-biography of a hero, is formed from a person’s answers. Based on even one such interview, if it is taken correctly, one can already create a real documentary by adding photographs and videos from the hero’s archive and remarkable footage in a certain way.

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