How to Interview a Human Being like a human being Mr. Cabot Digital Film & Animation

Like a human? As opposed to what? You don't want me shooting a camera? I quit. What am I, chopped liver?

The essential question is this: How does human interaction make for a successful interview? Producing a good interview is actually harder than it seems.

This needs to go right the first time! Scenario: interview with the school deans for a news segment on the school's policy on student use of electronic devices. This is a pretty serious topic. The way you prepare, and the way you interact with your subjects, is going to determine your success.

Communication is Key (lessons for life) Contact your subject in person or on the phone Work out a schedule Request participation Explain what's needed Put your subject at ease

Be Prepared Being interviewed can be stressful for your subject. If you are prepared with good questions and a good explanation of how he or she can help you, you will make your subject more comfortable. "With great power comes great responsibility." (Voltaire) A relaxed subject gives a better interview.

How to Interview Your Subject (or, how to make someone enjoy talking to you) Begin your interview with warm-up questions or small talk to help put your subject at ease. Make sure your subject knows to "include the question in the answer." Don't make noise when your subject is talking. Don't say, "uh huh," or interrupt. Use visual cues, like nodding your head and smiling. Smile a lot. Listen closely. Look at your subject's eyes. Stay interested and engaged. Think on your feet. Add questions as you go. Ask emotional questions. Avoid questions that can be answered with a "yes" or "no." Don't hesitate to ask them to begin again, phrase it differently, etc. Before you finish, ask the subject if there is anything else that he or she wants to add. "Did I forget anything?"

Most of all... have fun.

Camera Setup o Camera o Tripod or steady handheld  Even the experts’ hands tend to wobble and vibrate a little. One way to deal with this is to use a tripod. Another way is to brace yourself: lean against something like a wall, or squat. Also try bringing your elbows into your body while you shoot, bracing off your own torso. Finally, when in doubt, stay wide: zooming in exaggerates every little camera motion. o Make sure focus is right and lens is not dirty o White balance (image: blue/red)

Composition Shooting: Composition o Think about background (image: bad background; good background) o Look room; rule of thirds (image: good framing; bad framing) o Direct address vs. indirect address

Lighting Shooting: Lighting o 3-point lighting in studio; equivalent on location Key and fill (image from studio; image from location using natural light)

Sound Check! Shooting: Sound o Shotgun – battery - boom pole – headphones – beachbox o Play back to test thru headphones and monitor constantly o When an amateur video doesn’t “work,” it’s usually because of bad audio. Monitor your sound: wear headphones, or even just earbuds, plugged into the headphone jack of the camera. A slight breeze can sound like thunder as it hits the microphone, or the battery could be running down and you won’t know it’s happening unless you’re monitoring audio while you shoot. Indoors, ambient sounds such as air conditioning or background voices can overwhelm the sound you want.