In this session, we talked about all of the things to consider when interviewing someone for a video project. The very first thing to do is look for a quiet room with plenty of space. It’s even better if you can have control over the A/C - the hum, while not an outright disruption, will show up in your audio tracks. You will also want to look for a room with at least some natural light, so you don’t have any problems with artificial lighting and so it doesn’t look like a dungeon.

Specifically on audio, you want to make sure you have the best sound possible when interviewing someone. Again, a quiet environment is key. We tend to avoid shooting outside because the sound environment is uncontrollable, and there will always be a mower or weed-eater roaring nearby. The other crucial element for getting good sound is to get your recording device as close to the interview subject as possible. If this is your phone’s microphone, you will need to take this into account when setting up your shots. If you have an external microphone, that will free up your phone or camera and allow you to get different shots without having to worry too much about the audio quality. If you want to look into getting an external microphone, we make a recommendation below.

Now that you have your quiet space selected and your shot is set up, it’s time to actually record the interview. Here are a few points to keep in mind that should help you get the best content possible from the interview:

• Remember that no one likes to talk on camera. It’s best to make them feel comfortable. It helps to remind them that this is just a conversation and that you are only going to be using the best bits, so they can mess up without having to worry. This should also help them to be a bit more spontaneous and off-the-cuff.

• Be sure to back up 10,000 feet and ask them a big picture question, something like, “Why do you do what you do?” You want them to talk naturally about something that is meaningful to them.

• To draw the audience in, take a chance at going down a rabbit hole with some of your questions. You may get a great and surprising response that will provide a great beat for your video.

• Try to keep the interview short. You don’t want to give yourself too much footage to sort through. A good length of time for an interview is about fifteen minutes, with the best stuff being said usually in the first five or six minutes. Also, you are the only person who knows what you need - the subject may ramble or want to talk about everything, so don’t be afraid to direct them or have them go back and cover something again. And at the end, always provide some space for your subject to say something they haven’t covered. Ask them a question like, “I think I’ve gotten everything I need, but was there anything else you wanted to talk about?” It frees them up and allows them to be spontaneous, which can be gold for the video.

ASSIGNMENT

For the assignment this week, find an interview subject and record an interview. Cut out a short clip, 30 seconds to 1 minute, and upload it to the Facebook page.

HELPFUL LINKS AND TIPS

One of the questions video creators face involves the best way to get footage from your smart phone to your computer. If you are using an iPhone and you have an Apple computer, the easiest way would be using AirDrop. Otherwise, the best way to get your video files to the machine on which you will be editing would be to use Google Drive or DropBox. Simply download the respective apps, upload the video files you wish to transfer, and then go to those services on your computer and download them from there.

Sometimes our copy writing or scripts can get too complicated, especially when making a video about a policy issue or a topic more complex. Remember, it’s important to make your video as accessible as possible to your audience. Check out this Hemingway Editor website, where you can paste your writing, and it will assess its reading grade level and highlight recommended changes to help with readability.

And as you create more videos, you may end up conducting some interviews over Zoom or other video conferencing options. This can get tricky as you’ll encounter varying levels of technological competence and framing and sound challenges. Here are a few tips that we like to send to participants who we are going to be interviewing remotely - the main thing to remember is to not be afraid to coach them:

Lighting - Lighting is key. Lights and lamps should be located in front of you, not behind you. Natural light (such as windows) look great, or multiple soft lamps directly in front and to the sides of your computer look best. If you wear glasses, angle the lights slightly higher to avoid glare.

Camera Level - Set up the computer so that the camera is slightly above eye level. You can do this by placing the computer on top of books or boxes on top of a desk or table. Be sure to wipe your camera lens with a cloth prior to logging on, this will make the quality of the video the best possible.

Distance - The computer and camera should be just shorter than an arm’s length away from you so that viewers can see your full face and shoulders.

Background - Keep it simple! Bookcases, art, awards, and office space work well. Try to avoid reflective and shiny objects in the background which may reflect light from your light source and generate glare.

Location - For the meeting itself, please make sure you are in a quiet room with as little background noise as possible.

Audio - We will be relying on your computer’s microphone to capture your sound. Again, the best way for us to capture good sound is for you to be in a quiet place.

Internet - Please ensure you close out of any unnecessary tabs, programs, applications, and processes on your computer (other than the Zoom meeting) and, if at home, ask that other members of your household to disconnect from the wifi during the call if possible.

GEAR

We talked about sound in this session, and while an external microphone system is totally unnecessary for this course, if your organization is looking to purchase some gear, we recommend something like these Rode wireless mics for their ease of use and practicality.

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