5 Ways To Prep for an On-Camera Interview

Before arriving on location and hitting RECORD there are many things to consider to maximize the time of busy executive’s schedules. Heck, ordinary people are busy too, so being prepared is key… This list is no way all-inclusive but the tips listed below should kick off any shoot in the right direction.

5.  DAYLIGHT: To use or not to use.

This aesthetic decision has implications for the technical approach to every video. Generally speaking, utilizing daylight coming through the windows, or including windows that are visible in the background of a shot, lends a clean, crisp, breezy look. We try and play up daylight when the subject is about technology, innovation or discovery.  As a general rule of thumb lighting for daylight temperatures (5600 degrees Kelvin and up) is a bit more costly for light rentals and manpower.

Just as often we may choose to block out all daylight in a scene. We may ask for a quieter room and will block out light from windows and use our tungsten balanced lighting instruments to create drama in the scene. This look is more appropriate for dramatic retellings or intense interviews. The light will warm the skin and/or create areas of high contrast.

4. QUESTIONS : The absurd help.

I like to conduct on-camera interviews in a very conversational manner. I never ask interviewees to include the context in their answer. I find this creates an unnecessary stumbling block and only increases the nerves of whomever is on camera pros and amateurs alike. Instead, I prefer to let people answer each question just as if we were having a cup of coffee.

I like to always ask people to tell me about themselves immediately after saying and spelling their name. I have been able to use people saying, “My Name is John Doe. D.O.E.” as well as comments like, “Well, I began my career 20 years ago as a plumber in rural West Virginia.” Comments like that can add incredible levity or understanding of the interviewee, especially if they are on camera to discuss a break through in microbiology. By allowing interviewees to answer the occasional question about their personal history without the possibility of a right or wrong answer puts everyone at ease. Likewise, nothing gets a nervous subject loosened up by asking them what they ate for breakfast or how long they commute to work. The point is just to get them used to the idea of talking in front of a room full of strangers.

3. WARDROBE: Sunday’s best = not really.

When preparing an interviewee for an on camera interview I like to send a few advance reminders in regards to wardrobe. I usually ask people to avoid white or busy patterns. The most important thing is to ask them to wear what they would normally wear. I always say “don’t feel like you have to wear your Sunday’s best but don’t wear a sweatshirt either”.  People generally appear the most at ease on camera when they are wearing an outfit similar to the one they wore last Tuesday. By saying no to the Sunday’s best people generally leave the tie and the coat at home and grab something a bit more comfortable. I always ask women to come with their hair and makeup already done when I am working without a makeup artist and this helps by making sure everyone will need the same thing: just a dust of powder.

2. IN BETWEEN TIME: Smiles, Laughs and Glances

If time is your friend it is always better to roll more footage than you may need. I always tell my camera guys to leave the cameras (and audio) rolling unless I say cut. So even if I am fishing for my next question I may ask the interviewee to look off to their left and then back at the lens. Or, I may ask them to look down at their lap and then slowly look up at the camera and smile. Likewise, I may try and crack them up a little bit and capture a smile or even a laugh. These little “out-takes” can be gold to an editor in desperate need of a way to cover an edit. It is always better to over-shoot -this is a motto I would tattoo to my forehead if I were in favor of this sort of thing.

1. EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH CHEESE: Being the fool.

I never act reserved or small when I am on set. It is my goal to be invisible to the viewer but with me there is never a shortage of over-aggressive head nods or looks of reassurance during one of my interviews. I try and reassure every interviewee that what they just said is the best thing I have ever heard. My crew even likes to give me hard time for constantly using the phrase, “That’s fantastic.” I do not even realize how much I am using positive catchphrases until I am in the edit suite. But, positive reinforcement goes a long way in getting you another piece of quotable magic. It is okay to be the cheesy one on set… It keeps your subject from having to be over-the –top.