The technical How-to’s of videotaping an interview
Provided by PAC 14
There are any numbers of ways to accomplish the task of videotaping
an interview for archival or televised purposes. For our purpose, let’s take
the easy route and simply record the person’s spoken testimonial. Let’s plan to hear and see the person being interviewed
– but only hear the interviewer.
What must we have?
To ensure the best quality video we recommend that you use a quality
digital video camera, a tripod, and lapel microphone.
A quality digital
video camera will offer a microphone input (to input audio) and
a headphone jack (to monitor the audio). We recommend that you ‘never’
record spoken word video with only the cameras internal microphone.
These mics are designed
for ‘natural sound’ only and will not provide
quality sound.
Can I use my own equipment?
Yes, providing it meets the needs mentioned above.
Can I borrow equipment?
If you’re a Salisbury / Wicomico resident, yes! Just attend PAC 14’s FREE
producer workshop
and you can qualify to use
the Access equipment; we have everything needed. If
you live outside this area, seek out your local Access operation.
How do I tape the interview / testimonial?
- Pick a location relevant to the topic.
For example, if the person you will interview was a notable local
waterman, a dock or marina area might
be nice visually. If weather or other issues make this impossible,
similar locations or a person’s home is fine.
- Place the camera securely on the tripod.
- Place the camera to best use the sun or main light
source.
Regardless of the location you would want to place the camera so the
sun, or main light source, is to the
cameraman’s BACK. You also want to make sure you can see some of the
background, for example, the
boats / marina setting. Regardless of where you are make sure the
background is nice, and also clean.
Note: Never place the person to be on-camera in front of an interior
window or outside in the shade.
- Place a seat for the person being interviewed and lock
down your shot.
Once you have selected a nice background for your
on-camera guest,
 with
sun or main light
source behind the camera, place a chair about 3 feet in
front of camera. Sit the guest in that chair. Then zoom in
or out to establish a nicely framed shoot. [example to
right]. The shot should offer very little headroom and not
much on either side of shot – just enough to see some
background. Now that it’s set, lock your tripod so the
camera won’t move. |
- Turn on the digital cameras automatic controls.
Most new digital cameras have a switch to turn on auto controls,
like white balance and focus, use this!
- Connect lapel microphone(s) – a key component.
Now that your camera is in place with main light source behind the
camera and your guest and shot are
set, run the lapel microphone from the camera to the guest. It is
best to hide the microphone as much as
possible as it detracts from the shot. Place the cable under a tie
or lapel, but make sure the microphone
head is ultimately pointed toward the persons chin; no more than 3
inches away.
To hear the questions asked by the interviewer, the interviewer must
have a microphone as well; placed
in the same manner.
- Tell the story from the beginning to current date -
include
who, what, where, when, why.
Now that everyone’s in placed and miced, and tape is in the camera
and ready to roll, hit the start button
to record, wait 5 seconds and start. The best suggestion is to lay
out a bulleted list of leading questions
to use during the interview. Start from the beginning and move
forward in time. Make sure both the
Interviewer and interviewee are relaxed, go slow, smile, be
conversational. Keep track of time and plan for
no greater than 60 minutes. When the interview is done the video
‘can be’ complete as is. However, see 8.
- Take the next step and edit in cover footage.
If you wish you can move your video to a computer editor and edit in
old photos or other images over the
verbal conversation, to make the final video interview more visually
appealing. Again, your local Public
Access operation will have everything you need to produce this type
of video; and more! - You can do it!
Wicomico Residents -
to attend a free PAC 14 qualifying workshop
CLICK HERE.
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