My bread and butter as a videographer (especially a Chicago videographer) is filming interviews and testimonials. I have filmed hundreds of such interviews, I have worked with other videographers setting up interviews and I have seen many more video interviews all over the web. Over this time I have learned a few important keys to making a good and engaging interview.
Be Brief
First point, be brief. When I set up a video production interview I usually end up talking to my subject for 30 -40 minutes. However, an effective interview video with one subject is 1.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes. When I get a response from my subject that is long, verbose, and it feels like he/she is wondering with an idea, I let them finish, complement them on how good their response was and ask them to summarize it in 2-3 sentences. Sometimes it takes a few takes. Hence, allow 40 minutes for an interview.
Make the Video Production Interview Conversational
Secondly, make the interview conversational. There is nothing more boring and flat than reading off questions to the subject. As humans, we are social beings. Yes, the subject understands that ultimately he/she is talking to an imaginary audience and he/she is just being filmed. However, I have seen shy people open up to me when I engaged them with a conversations. They forget the camera is pointing at them and give me content that is riche and personal. At times, as videographer, you can’t engage in conversation or you don’t feel comfortable doing it, and prefer just attending to the gear. If this is the case, it is worth bringing another person to whom the subject can talk (and engage).
Use 2 cameras for your Video Production
Always use at least two cameras for your Video Production. Having multiple angles makes the editing much easier. You can easily cut the interview and jump from one camera to another during the transitions. Cutting interview filmed with one camera creates distracting jump cuts. Additionally, having multiple camera angles makes the video more dynamic. Sometimes, I even add a little slider movement like in this video to add more dynamic feel to an otherwise static shot.
Sound is Huge for Quality of your Video Production
The sound quality is huge. In my video production I use high end lavalier microphones. The lavalier mic is close to the subject and you get much more voice signal and less environment noise. Truthfully, most viewers watching these types of videos will not be able to tell difference between a video shot with a $30k camera and something shot with a smartphone. However, bed sound is immediately noticeable. Bed sound screams “amateur” video. If you don’t have a good lavalier mics you can use a shotgun mic. Ideally, you want to get the microphone as close to the subject as you can. You can mount such microphone on a stand and run the cable to the camera. Mixing of the sound is also crucial. To get that professional sound quality you always want to add a little compression to the sound, so the loud parts are attenuated and quite parts are turned up. I often use a little EQ to remove the low end of the sound spectrum. When mixed with some music, the voice that is compressed and lightly EQ will cut through the mix easier.
You will need Good B-Roll for engaging Videography
Lastly, to make a video interview engaging you need to have something visual to cut to. Often this is B-roll. B-roll shots are visuals scenes that support the story the subject is telling. However, sometimes I use photographs from the subject and build a collage that visually tells the story. When I do this type of a collage, I actually prefer photos that are not taken professionally, as they better represent the reality of the person being interviewed.
In sum, a video interviews need to be cut to about 2 minutes, they need to be conversational, recorded with good sound and multiple cameras to dynamic . When done well, they are one of the more powerful marketing tools for any business, product or service.
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This is great, what kind of gear do you suggest to get the best quality video interviews? I am just starting as a videographer and I could use some tips from a pro. thanks
Hi Chris, thank you for your question. As a professional videographer I favor Sony mirrorless cameras as they produce an high quality image and are small and versatile. However, the choice of the video camera is not all that significant. In fact, I have written a blog on this very topic. Every video camera will have its advantages and disadvantages. For example, the very high end cameras like ARRI and RED produce top level image quality, but they are big, bulky and often require a crew to operate. In addition, all support gears like gimbals and dollies will also be large and hard to move. Working with large and bulky video production gear may slow you down. If you plan to do corporate video production that entails interviews, I would suggest looking into one of the mirrorless options. These kind of video production job require you to move into an office quickly for short time with a small footprint. Hence, keep your video production gear small and mobile. Many times, I set up the corporate interview video productions by my self so small kit is a life saver. Additionally, the gap in image quality between the very top end video production cameras and the mirrorless cameras is closing in. I have recently purchased Sony a7siii and I am shocked with the image quality and improvements in auto focusing. If you are starting off, you should be able to find a full camera kit for about $1500 that will work for you. Save some of your money and spend it on support gear like dollies and gimbals that you will use for b-roll shots in your video production. Lastly, invest in a good wireless microphone set. Sound quality is one of the feature that will separate you from an amateur videographer.