Well lit, well composed and well framed interviews form the backbone of most commercial productions, documentaries and news programs. A quality recorded interview is the core element that ties a storyline together, providing information and emotion for the viewer. When setting up for an interview recording on location, consider the following:

1. Relevance of Location – Illustrate in the composition what the interview will be about.

2. Find Your Frame – Scout your location, find suitable depth within your shot with no noticeable distractions, and be able to record three separate camera shots within this frame [wide, medium, closeup].

3. Rule of Thirds – Frame your talent to one side of the shot [one third body, two thirds location]; turn the talent with a slight body profile away from the camera lens to introduce depth into the shot.

4. Set Eyeline – Make sure the talent’s eyes are level with the interviewer’s eyes and the camera lens.

5. Set Up Lighting – Use a 3/4 backlight to separate the talent from the background. Have the backlight skim the edges of the hair and down the side of the face. Set up a soft keylight at an opposite angle to the backlight.

6. Adjust Frame Sizes – Adjust the camera’s frame size to suit the talent’s hairstyle, body build and animation [how animated the talent is during the interview].

7. Record Sound – Set up dual microphones, a shotgun mic on a boom outside the frame and a lavalier mic on the talent.

8. Record Cutaway – Record cutaway shots and room tone (ambient sound) to cover jump cuts and dead sound during editing.

Written by Kate Lee, Smith College Senior Media Producer