Planning Interviews

Planning Interviews

For this task, to start off, we had to watch three videos that gave us information on some basics on how to film an interview.

The first video gave us the basics and talked about:

- Make sure it is a quiet environment with not a lot of background noise

- Have good lighting to make the subject seem more alive and to make it more engaging

- The interviewee should never look at the camera but at the interviewer

- Send the interviewee a list of questions prior so that they can prepare

The second video explained about bounce lighting:

- Avoid harsh shadows under your eyes so that you can see the subject clearly- fix this by using bounce lighting (reflectors)

- Reflectors help disperse light and fill in the shadows, this has to be done by another person

- Play around with your reflectors to get the best angle

- You don't need to use a reflector- you can use paper, umbrellas and even pizza boxes

The third video talked about:

- Always be prepared before an interview: learn everything you can about your subject, prepare a list of questions that are open-ended to allow articulate answers, make sure you have suitable equipment (camera, tripod, lavalier microphone)

- In the interview, make sure you have thought about your shot angle (wide, medium, close-up) and your composition (rule of thirds)

- Closer shots add intensity while wider shots are more relaxed

- Try to make sure your interviewee is not directly looking at the camera lens

- Prepare your lighting set-up with a reflector

Rule of thirds in an interview and not looking directly at the camera

My next task is to create a checklist that I will be able to use to help me plan, organize equipment and the shooting I will do. 

Paperwork

- Interview questions: interviewer has read through them and knows them, remember to bring spares

- Emails with the organization that contains the address, person to contact etc.: to make sure the whole interview process goes smoothly

Equipment

- Camera: make sure it has a full battery, clean lens and it works!

- Tripod: try fitting it on the camera and that it works properly

- Batteries: bring spares and make sure they are all charged so that if one fails, we will always have another one

- Microphones: make sure they are connected/can connect to the camera and there are windshields and other accessories if needed

- Storage media: ensure that the camera has more storage (SD card) than what you actually need

- Weather protection: depending on the weather, make sure there is suitable protection for the equipment, e.g. it is raining, bring a cover for the camera

- Earphones: to check the audio during filming to make sure it is of good quality

- Phone: the backup camera if the camera fails to operate, make sure it has a charged battery and there is enough storage left to be able to take a good amount of photos and videos.