Documentary - Shooting an interview notes

Shooting an interview notes

What is an interview? To Vox or not to Vox…..

Vox pops

• Not very representative, broad-brush views. Often low production values poorly shot and do not REALLY add to the story
• Characters/ interviewees cannot be carefully chose
• Useful if the situation is engaging.

Types of interview

• The tone and style of your interview very much depend on the subject matter involved.
• As a very basic rule, if your story is a hard news story you need to tackle it in a hard’ nosed’ way
• Three basic types
• HARD EXPOSURE - Investigative
• Informational - putting the audience in the picture
• Emotional - engaging with and revealing the subject’s emotions`

Why do we need (proper) interviews?

• They add personal experience and expertise to your film
• They add colour and context
• Emotional engagement
• Evidence - personal testimony.

who do we interviews?

Experts

• E.g. scientists, doctors, lawyers - use their professional expertise and opinion

‘Ordinary People’

• Interested parties - relevant to the subject

Officials 

• Appointed representatives e.g. Politicians, company executives 

What do we ask them

Questions:

• Allow us to explore the subject we are talking
• Enable the viewer to get to know the interviewee and engage with them
• Some which create tension/drama
• The audience want answers to!

What makes someone a ‘good’ interviewee?

How we choose interviewees is dependant on the subject we are looking at. You tend to consider the following criteria:

• Their relevance to the subject/experiences
• Charisma / ‘character’
• Good talker / engaging / emotional connection
• Prestige / importance
• ‘Headline’ appeal
• Exclusivity
• Whistleblower
• Expertise 

Preparing for an interview

• Prepare your questions - logically structured - PRIOR to your shoot
• KNOW YOUR SUBJECT INSIDE OUT

Workout how / where you are going to shoot the interview beforehand:

• Its location (where the person will be standing/sitting etc)
• Props (you can dress the interview setting)
• Camera position / FRAMING
• LIGHTING and SOUND!!
• You can work this out during your research meeting/s.

Scripting interview questions

Phrase open questions rather than closed ones which would elicit “yes/no’ answers

• Do not structure rigid questions for yourself - 

Allow room for a conversation to develop naturally

• Your first question is often the simplest and least likely to cause difficulty or offence 
• Be brave - ask the questions we really want to hear

EVERY INTERVIEW NEEDS A SETUP SEQUENCE-

This should be worked out in your shooting script

• This sequence of shots introducing the interviewee visually which can sustain the time needed or introduce your character (either in voiceover/interview clip.
• You will also need to think of actuality, sequences and GVs which can literally or thematically match your interviewee’s answers - visual illustration and also t cover the many edits to their interview sync!

Interviewer - in vision or out?

• You need to decide whilst scripting whether your interviewer is going to be visible in the film or not.
• If your interviewer is visible In the film they automatically take on a role within it and you need to keep the ‘active’ throughout the film in relevant sequences
• Decide if they talking ‘into’ the lens or ‘off camera’
• If they are out of vision again decide whether the person asking the questions is also the narrator
• If they are not you will need to ensure that the interviewees give WHOLE ANSWERS which refer to the subject.
• Avoid anonymous references such as ‘it’ and ‘they’ so that your questions will not need to be left in the film

Actuality or sit down interview

Actuality interviews - 

• Conducted in situ
• Allow you to keep the action going (and thus maintain interest)
• Questions react to events 
• Help understand the subject - relevant
• Time specific

Sit down interviews

• Good for covering lengthy and tricky /. Emotive interview subjects
• Controlled environment (clean sound)
• Timeless
• Safe Bet

Shoot day - setting up for your interview

• Always get consent forms filled out prior to the interview!
• SPEND PLENTY OF TIME SETTING UP CAMERA AND SOUND: allow at least an hour.

Shoot day - the interviewer

• Just prior to beginning the interview all the interviewee to spell out their name for the tape and their job description- this is useful information for your edit!
• Whilst crew setting up, spend time with your interviewee - keeping them calm and happy - rapport important.
• Listen carefully to the answers!!! You could miss something important which changes the whole course of the interview
• Ask your questions clearly and allow time between the answer and your next question ( a couple of seconds at least) so that there is space to edit the interview - do not cross over between questions and answers.

Shooting day - the producer / Director

• Brief your camera op regarding your vision for the interview - communicate quietly during the shoot.
• All crew/cast to turn off / control all external sources of sound where possible (phones, radios, machines!) Good clean sound needed from sit-downs.
• Watch the shots as they’re recorded on a monitor.

Director cont…

• Keep your eye on your crew throughout the interview - be prepared to cut at an appropriate moment if either indicates a technical problem.
• Listen for answers which indicate shots and sequences need to shoot

Shoot day - Camera Op

• Vary the shot sizes - Do not stay on one shot size throughout the interviews as this is impossible to edit1
• Use any breaks or re-takes in the interview as an opportunity to change shot size - 
• This will allow you to edit the piece without resorting to needless cutaways which can be distracting
• Make the shots aesthetically pleasing (thirds/framing)
• MCU good size shot for interviews - needed for captioning - also more intimate and engaging than MS.
• When the interviewee is making a really good point slow zoom into a BCU/ECU

Interviews with more than one person

• Tricky to shoot and edit - essential to get good coverage
• Plan where each person sat to maximise picture and sound control
• Even trickier when in an actuality situation - continuity!