A rough guide for making video interviews

Dan Ridley-Ellis, Edinburgh Napier University

Requirements

• Some game volunteers
  ►Interviewee
  ►Interviewer (helps if represents target audience)
  ►Camera and sound
• A digital video camera (ideally two similar)
  ►What is the application?  Standard def?  High def? Widescreen or 4:3? Choose to suit
  ►High def takes much longer to edit but can zoom in editing if output is standard def
  ►Off camera microphone very useful
  ►Two cameras gives a lot more flexibility in editing as can cut between views
  ►Be aware of camera rotation – landscape unless you have fancy plans
• A tripod
  ►Decreases noise on the microphone
  ►Makes editing easier to have consistent framing
  ►Could use one camera handheld if also using one on a tripod
• Location
  ►Quite and disturbance free
  ►Interesting location
  ►Good light – especially on faces.  Avoid strong backlight.
  ►Steady scene for continuity in editing – be aware of clocks, windows etc
  ►No busy patterns or lots of movement if application is internet streaming
• A computer with plenty of disc space
• Some video editing software
• Some imagination

Procedure

• Permissions, data protection, H&S etc
• Discuss the questions, brief the interviewee
  ►Agree questions to be asked
  ►Leave a gap between question and answer for editing
  ►Concise answers.  Good talking pace.
  ►Don’t refer back to what was said previously (may not make the cut or be reordered)
  ►Appropriate language for audience
  ►No leaning back and forth
  ►A bit of chit chat to get them at their ease while camera set up
• Plan the takes
  ►Set up camera on tripod
  ►Frame as you would a photograph – rule of thirds etc
  ►Is the answer to camera or not?  If interview: should be looking toward interviewer
  ►Put camera in manual focus if possible so it does not refocus all the time
• Video the answers (ideally from two angles simultaneously)
  ►Questions are asked but the recording not used.  Interviewer not in shot.
  ►If person speaks with hands get them in shot too
  ►Retake any stumbles
• Video the questions
  ►Re set camera to interviewer
  ►Make sure they are facing the right way compared to the interviewee and the shot looks consistent
  ►Questions may be tweaked slightly to reflect the answers
• Video the return shots
  ►Get interviewer to chat to interviewee and record the nods and other signs of the interviewer listening
• Video background footage
  ►Anything that is useful to cover edits or reinforce the topic e.g.
  ►Interesting / relevant things in the location
  ►Interviewee doing something relevant
  ►Hand gestures (record natural ones during the interview with the second camera or during other conversation)
• Check what you have got before you pack up!
  ►Particularly sound.  Is it clear and loud enough?  Is there enough good footage?
• Edit
  ►Use return shots / background footage / angle cuts from two cameras to cover edits
  ►Trim out all the fluff...rambles / asides / ums and errs.
  ►Even good takes might benefit from cutting in other footage for variety or to reinforce / illustrate what is being said.
  ►Keep the video to the intended length
  ►Don’t go crazy with the transitions. Simple cut and fade should be enough
  ►Remember you can reorder things (as long as you don’t change the meaning of what was said!)
  ►Sound and picture can be cut together at different times so cut from the interviewer to the interviewee toward the end of the question to make it look smooth.
  ►Add captions / subtitles / additional text as required
  ►Sanity check!