Tips for shooting the perfect interview

YOUR SUBJECT: THE INTERVIEWEE

–  Make sure your interviewee feels relaxed.

– Don’t ask yes/no questions – be curious and open about what they have to say.

– Keep eye contact with the interviewee, so they focus on you.

– Keep the camera rolling after the “official” interview is over. Often times the interviewee will then be more relaxed and more open.

– Shoot b-roll of the both of you nodding and smiling. Say things like “Ok. Yes. That’s nice.” while you are doing this. This will give you facial expressions that you can use while editing.

SETTING

– Find a setting/backdrop that helps you tell the story.

– Use the background to tell your audience something about your subject in a subtle way.

– When shooting an interview in a room, use corners of a room/diagonal lines to make videos look more dynamic.

– When shooting an interview in a real setting, blur the background if it is too distracting. The focus should always be on your interviewee.

FRAMING

– Try not to have the subject too close to the backdrop, otherwise shadows will form. Instead keep the interviewee several feet in front of the background.

– Most often you’ll want the camera at eye level. But, if you want to create a sense of command or authority, position the camera slightly up at the interviewee. And, if you want to create a sense of vulnerability, position the camera slightly down at the interviewee.

– Decide whether you want the subject facing the camera or facing the interviewer. A good rule of thumb is to have them look just slightly off to the left or right of the camera.

We’ve covered the red carpet, breaking news, press conferences, phoners and interviews with every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan, as well as other famous people such as Derrick Rose, Bono, Jennifer Hudson, Vince Vaughn, William H. Macy, Suze Orman, Buddy Guy, Kylie Jenner, Nick Cannon, Kermit the Frog and more.

We make interviewers feel confident and interviewees feel relaxed. Get matched with experienced Chicago camera crews with local expertise, advanced technical skills, and creative problem-solving. 312-829-0272