Franklin, who regularly works for national television news magazines, shares techniques that can be easily used when you turn on your camera. The single most important factor in the interview is the setting. Regardless of how well crafted the questions are that will be asked, if the light is off, the sound compromised or the interview subject poorly framed in the camera, that is what will attract the viewer's attention, as opposed to what the interview subject has to say.1. Look for a space that is easy to work with and will not conflict with the audio.
2. Working indoors is usually the best option because the surroundings can be controlled. On a nice day, it's tempting to conduct the interview outside. Although this can result in a wonderful-looking set, there are all sorts of potential audio problems, such as traffic, dogs and people's voices.
3. It's best to opt for a more controlled setting indoors; look for a space that can be adapted to the needs of the interview. For this interview the dining room was chosen, since the brick / rose color of the walls complement the lighting on Johansen's face. The color makes it easy to keep him standing out from the wall, as opposed to placing him against a bright-white wall. It's also a good idea to stay away from extremely bright walls.
4. Create an intimate setting by moving excess furniture from the area around the interview subject.
5. Make sure the backdrop complements the interview setting, in this instance deep space with family pictures showing over on Johansen's right shoulder.
6. The dining room was chosen not only for the wall color but also because the room has just one window, which allows Johansen to face the natural light. The window coverings can be adjusted to provide even lighting.
Setting Up the Interview
1. The interview chair is placed in the middle of the room, about 6' from the wall. This provides the depth of field (if the background is too close, it will overwhelm the subject).
2. The type of chair chosen for the interview also makes a difference. People tend to relax and slump back in a comfortable chair, and the resulting picture makes it look as if they're being swallowed by the cushions. Couches tend to have the same effect. Since the subject needs to be alert and upright, the chair should not rock, swivel or move. You may be interviewing the subject for up to an hour, so look for a chair that will give him or her the least opportunity to fidget or move around; the best choice is a chair such as a wooden kitchen chair with a low back and a hard seat.
3. Light spilling in from the windows will have an effect on how the subject looks. This underscores the importance of placing the subject so he will face the light. If it's behind him, he will turn into a silhouette. Here, Johansen is looking into the window, so his face is illuminated from the front, with no light coming in from the side or the back.
4. When conducting a lengthy interview, it's best to enlist someone to operate the camera, thus allowing the interviewer to fully concentrate on what the subject has to say. This also allows the subject to look at you as opposed to the camera. This makes a big difference, since looking directly at a camera often makes people uncomfortable. Pauses and hem haws often punctuate the interview subject's speech when looking directly into a camera.
5. In addition to putting the subject at ease, a second person working as the camera operator efficiently divides the labor; they can watch the interview framing and monitor how much tape is left, allowing the interviewer to pay attention to the interview.
Sound
Before beginning the interview, it is important to understand sound, so the interview doesn't end up being hard to understand.
1. Although camcorders have built-in microphones, they aren't really suitable for interviews. The camcorder microphone creates a tinny, slightly hollow quality to the sound, and there is a background hiss created by the distance between the camera and the interview subject.
2. A separate microphone, such as a lavalier or lapel microphone, provides a much higher quality of audio that gives the subject's voice a fuller and more resonant sound, resulting in a tape with soundtrack-quality recording. A lavalier microphone will cost approximately $250 -- and that's money well spent if you're serious about making high-quality videos. It will free the hands of everyone involved, and since it clips on to clothing, it practically allows the subject to forget he's wearing a microphone.
3. Place the microphone as close to the subject's mouth and the center of the frame as possible. Here it's placed between the second and third shirt button. Never hide the microphone under clothing, where it will cause sound problems; it's best to put it in a place where nothing will rub against it.
4. The placement and use of a lavalier microphone will help you overcome the limits of the camcorder's built-in microphone, since proximity is the big advantage when using the lavalier compared to the microphone on the camera. The camera microphone will be 5' to 6' away; that distance allows it to pick up ambient sounds in the area, including heating and air systems and refrigerators. When the microphone is close to the interview subject, the voices dominate the sound.
5. The next step is to bridge the gap between the microphone's professional connection and the camera's consumer connection with an adapter. Attach the adapter to the microphone, then use a second adapter to keep the stereo quality audio. These adapters cost approximately $100.
6. Tape the points of connection to the tripod leg to ensure that the connection won't wiggle loose during the interview.
7. Monitor audio levels through a set of headphones plugged into the camera.
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