Capturing a compelling interview is more than just pointing a camera at someone and hitting record. From documentary filmmaking to corporate storytelling, interviews are an essential tool. But getting them right involves careful planning and technical know-how. This guide breaks down an eight-step process to help you achieve professional-quality interviews.

The Importance of Location

The first step to a good interview is choosing the right location. Your setting should add meaning to your subject’s story. For example, in a documentary about home renovation, filming in a home creates a natural connection to the theme.

When assessing a space, look for:

• Aesthetic appeal: Is it visually interesting? Are there textures, colours, or elements that help the composition?
• Depth: Does it provide separation between subject and background? Flat backgrounds can make your footage look dull.
• Lighting potential: Is there flattering natural light, or will you need artificial lighting?

For this setup, two spaces stood out: a kitchen and dining area with leading lines and depth, and a living room offering softer visuals. Testing these locations with a stand-in revealed their pros and cons, ensuring the final decision suited the project’s needs.

Framing the Shot

Framing, or composition, determines how your subject looks on camera. A proper frame grabs attention and draws focus to your subject. One of the most common techniques is the rule of thirds. This involves dividing the frame into three equal sections horizontally and vertically. Position your subject’s eyes on the upper horizontal third for a naturally balanced look.

For interviews, consider the eyeline. If your subject is addressing the interviewer, frame them off-centre. This creates space in front of them, making the shot feel more natural. When recording multiple interviews, alternate placement (e.g., left frame for one subject, right frame for another) to avoid awkward cuts during editing.

For effective storytelling, mix medium and tight shots.

• Medium shot: Captures the subject waist up, providing context and body language.
• Tight shot: Focuses on the face, adding emotional weight to key moments.

When using multiple cameras, space them at least 30 degrees apart to avoid abrupt visual changes.

Lens Selection

The lens you choose impacts the look and emotion of your interview. Wide lenses show more of the environment, while tighter lenses emphasise your subject.

• Medium shots: A 35mm or 50mm lens is ideal for showing both subject and surroundings.
• Close-ups: Use a 70mm to 100mm lens for polished portraits. These focal lengths keep facial features proportionate while isolating the subject from the background.

For added flexibility, zoom lenses like a 24-70mm work well. They allow you to adjust focal lengths quickly without swapping lenses.

Lighting Setup

Lighting transforms your shoot from amateur to professional. Balance natural and artificial light to create depth and texture. Here’s a breakdown of key lighting elements:

Key Light

The key light is your primary light source. In this setup, a large soft diffuser (4 feet) was used to ensure soft, flattering light on the subject’s face. Position it slightly to the side and elevated for subtle shadows under the chin and cheekbone. Experiment with techniques like:

• Rembrandt lighting: Creates a small triangle of light under the eye on the shadowed side.
• Loop lighting: Produces a soft shadow next to the nose for a bright but dimensional look.

Backlight

Also called a hair or rim light, this illuminates the subject from behind, outlining them and separating them from the background. Position it opposite the key light for balance.

Background Light

Avoid letting your background fall into darkness. Add a light to illuminate walls or features behind the subject, creating visual interest.

Managing Natural Light

When working with sunlight, be prepared for changing conditions. Use ND filters on windows to control brightness or mimic sunlight with artificial lights for consistency.

Controlling Reflected Light

Light can bounce off white walls, ruining shadows and contrast. Use black V-flats to absorb unwanted reflections and maintain control over your lighting setup.

Audio Quality

Clear audio is crucial. In interviews, audio often carries the story more than visuals. A boom microphone was used for this setup, positioned around 6-14 inches away just out of frame.

For the best audio quality:

• Keep the mic pointed slightly below the subject’s mouth.
• Avoid placing it on the key light side to prevent unwanted shadows in the frame.
• Monitor levels between -18dB and -6dB to avoid distortion.

For redundancy, always record a backup audio source in case your primary mic fails.

Acoustic Treatment

Echo and reverb are common problems, especially in rooms with hard surfaces. To reduce this, use acoustic panels, blankets, or soft furnishings. In this case, setting up a makeshift “acoustic fort” with panels dramatically improved sound quality. The effort paid off with cleaner recordings that didn’t distract from the subject’s voice.

Camera Settings

Dialling in correct camera settings ensures clean, cinematic footage. Here’s the setup used:

• Aperture: For a shallow depth of field, use a wide aperture like f/1.4. For tighter angles, slightly increase it (e.g., f/4.0) for better control over focus.
• Shutter speed: Follow the 180° rule—set shutter speed to double your frame rate (e.g., 1/50 for 24fps).
• ISO: Stick to lower settings like 400 to avoid noise.
• White balance: Match your lights’ colour temperature. In this case, 5600K was used for daylight tones.
• Picture profile: Using a flat profile like Canon C-Log 3 preserves dynamic range.

Conducting the Interview

The final step is the interview itself. Creating a comfortable environment for your subject is key. Here’s how:

• Prepare them beforehand: Provide context and share your questions ahead of time so they can gather their thoughts.
• Make them feel at ease: Reassure them they’re speaking to you, not the cameras.
• Actively listen: Good follow-up questions come from paying attention to their answers. You might uncover unexpected, moving details.

Pay attention to their body language. If needed, suggest small adjustments to posture or hand placement to create a natural and polished result.

Wrapping Up

Shooting a professional interview takes preparation and practice, but the results are worth it. By focusing on location, composition, lighting, audio, and your subject’s comfort, you can capture interviews that resonate. Use this eight-step process as a guide, and remember, every detail adds up to create a polished final product.

With these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to producing interviews that look and sound great. Ready to learn even more? For in-depth tutorials, check out Full-Time Filmmaker—packed with resources to take your filming skills to the next level.