![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Video Streaming Information |
|
![]() |
How to Interview on Video
When doing an interview there need to be at least three people involved. The person being interviewed, you, the interviewer and someone to work the camcorder. It could be argued - I would so argue - that an extra person to handle the sound is a great benefit but this is a policy of perfection. Interviewing for video is a skill that can be acquired with practice. The key to successful interviewing is research, research and yet more research. Before you interview a subject you need to know as much as possible about the person you are interviewing. And you need to read everything that anyone has ever written about the subject. This is what the Internet is for. Typically it contains everything written in recent times. The more information you can get, the more research you do, the smoother the interview will go. Having said that it is vital that you, the interviewer, both asks questions and knows when to shut up. The problem is that often you will find yourself knowing more about a subject than the person you are interviewing, and the temptation then is to show off your knowledge. This is fatal. The viewer is not interested in your views. It is the person being interviewed - the interviewee - who should be the center of attention. And before you ask, yes, this is a major problem for me. I cannot keep my big mouth shut. Be prepared for interviews that go smoothly and those that get a bit ragged. Three examples. I had an hour interview with Bill Gates in Sydney for Australian television. My questions were well prepared. He would listen to the question, stay quiet for a moment and then give a cogent, grammatical answer. Amazing. As an interview it went like a dream.On the other hand, I got one very wrong. The interview with the late Tony Hancock, perhaps the greatest British comedian of his day, took place in the Sebel Town House in Sydney. It started as a shambles for I had not done enough homework. It evened out after a while and in the end worked reasonably well. As it happens it was the last interview given by Tony Hancock. Then I did a series of interviews with members of my family. I stayed out of shot and just let them ramble on what they thought about their siblings. It was electrifying stuff. If you were a member of that family. Write all of your questions down and create supplementary questions in case an answer, a good answer, is not forthcoming. Avoid questions that invite the single word answer 'yes' or 'no'. If you ask 'Are you in favor of premarital sex?' you will probably get a single word reply, which is not the idea at all. Phrase your questions so that they lead the person being interviewed into expanding their views. 'Your book suggests that you are against premarital intercourse. What are your views on this?' is much more likely to elicit a full and frank comment than the first question. To avoid a 'yes' or 'no' answer use the tried and true journalist technique of asking who, what, why, how and when questions. None of these can be answered with a straight 'yes' or 'no'. Before the interview starts, you, the interviewer, must meet the subject and establish some sort of rapport. There are interviewers, a few, who can go in cold and get a good result. But they are few and far between. The preliminary chat is, as it were, part of your research. With it you will establish the ability of the person being interviewed to talk, to express themselves, to answer questions. It is possible that this preliminary talk will end in you modifying some of your questions. In your preliminary chat avoid asking the specific questions you will be asking in the interview. Instead, indicate general areas of interest. If you ask the specific questions the filmed interview will give an impression that it has been rehearsed. Before you start your interview have your key questions laid out and ready. You need a certain amount of flexibility but most of the time you will find that your first and logical thoughts or question order is much better than one you compile while winging it. There are two main way of handling an interview. The first is where the question is not heard and the questioner not seen. Instead, you get answers that are obviously directed at someone who is out of shot. A series of answers like this can be edited together from either one person or several, to provide the effect of a continuous interview. In this sort of interview you ask the question and then you keep your big mouth shut. If some sort of reaction is needed nod or shake your head vigorously or smile encouragement. If you speak you will have to be edited out afterwards. Which is not always easy. This technique can be seen being used to magnificent effect in the movie 'When Harry Met Sally' which contains a series of such interviews with married couples describing their lives together. Magic. The other type of interview is where you are both on screen in the manner of a normal conversation. This sort of interview can easily be covered with one camera. Shoot the interviewee's answers first and then shoot the interviewer from where the interviewee has been sitting, asking exactly the same questions. At the end you do a series of 'noddies' that can be used for cutaways. The key to making such an interview work is to get the person relaxed. Try to film them in a familiar surrounding so that they do not feel threatened. Keep the camera work and the lighting as unobtrusive as possible. The first question should be a sound level check and should be totally innocuous. Start the interview very gently in a chat mode and always move from soft to hard questions imperceptibly. Do not start like gangbusters or the interviewee will clam up or, in the worst case, walk off. It happens. At the end of the interview I always ask 'Is there some question you would like me to have asked that I have missed out on?' This allows the subject to expand on a point or deal with an area they feel has been skipped. It is quite remarkable how often you will get an excellent and usable response after that last question. Start off with a long shot of the person being interviewed facing the interviewer. The interviewer's back appears, which gives a three-dimensional aspect to the shot and gets the scene in context for the viewer. Change the shot sizes in rhythm with the questions. New question, new framing. Another form of interviewing on video is vox pop - from vox populi, Latin for the voice of the people - are quick interviews with people in the street to demonstrate public opinion on a subject. What you want to end up with is a series of statements that can be cut rapidly together and, in the end, give a clear indication of the current attitude on a subject. To make the interview more interesting change the shot size as a new question is asked. That is, switch off, zoom in from, say, mid shot to close-up, and then resume filming again. Use different backgrounds and different eyelines. Work out how many interviews you want and then shoot to that number with perhaps a 50 per cent safety margin. Do not go on shooting after that point. You could be getting useful footage for another scene rather than wasting your time. In vox pop moderation is the key. Note carefully that subjects can move backwards and forwards when making a point and may even wave arms around in the air and you need to be prepared for this so they are always in shot. That the camera does not cut off parts of their bodies. Armless interviewees may be harmless interviewees but that is not the point of the excercise. Gareth Powell has done many interviews for newspapers, magazines and television. He writes about making videos on his site, Digital images, http://www.pixelates.com
MORE RESOURCES: 7 top new TV shows to stream this week on Netflix, Prime Video and more (Feb. 17-23) Yahoo Entertainment Where to watch ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ Season 12, Episode 21 streaming free, or on demand OregonLive One of the Best Action Movies of Last Year (With 90% on Rotten Tomatoes) Is Leaving Streaming Soon MovieWeb Netflix streaming ‘inspirational’ Robert De Niro film that ‘feels like a warm hug’ before Zero Day The Mirror Eutelsat Group Joins Greening of Streaming Sports Video Group Amazon Nets Streaming, Theatrical Rights for ‘The Chosen’ in Deal With Creator Dallas Jenkins Hollywood Reporter YouTube now dominates TV, streaming and even podcasts. Here’s a look at how it got there. MarketWatch Nielsen: TV Viewership Increased 5% in January, Despite Record Streaming Video Month Media Play News FloCollege is the video streaming home of Campbell Athletics Campbell University The AI Advantage: Optimizing Video Streaming in 2025 The Fast Mode 'STREAMING KILLED THE VIDEO STORE': Pocatello’s last movie rental store closes - Idaho State Journal 'STREAMING KILLED THE VIDEO STORE': Pocatello’s last movie rental store closes Idaho State Journal IBA and RVA Host Live Video Streaming Webinar RADIO ONLINE Where to Stream ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 Online Hollywood Reporter Data: Linear TV consumption continues to decline globally Advanced Television Gemini live gets smarter: screen sharing, video streaming, and improved language understanding PhoneArena Prime Video Snags Exclusive Streaming Rights to 'The Chosen' and Bear Grylls' 'Chosen in the Wild' TheWrap Kantar: Live Sports Drive Q4 U.S. Streaming Subscriber Growth, While FAST Market Cools Media Play News YouTube TV, Paramount reach deal to keep channels on streaming platform after contract dispute CBS News Sonos Is Working On A Video Streaming Box After Botched App Digital Music News Sean Bean’s Underrated Video Game Adaptation Getting New Streaming Home Ahead Of Franchise Reboot Screen Rant Blackburn Rovers game available to stream in all international regions on Swans TV Live Swansea City Hollyland Unveils Cosmo C2 The American Society of Cinematographers MainConcept, Veset collaborate Advanced Television Roku Streambar review: An all-in-one device that combines a space-saving soundbar with a 4K streaming player Business Insider FTC Staff Report Finds Large Social Media and Video Streaming Companies Have Engaged in Vast Surveillance of Users with Lax Privacy Controls and Inadequate Safeguards for Kids and Teens Federal Trade Commission News Best YouTube Alternatives in 2025 Programming Insider FTC Denounces Social Media And Video Streaming Platforms For ‘Privacy-Invasive’ Data Practices AdExchanger What time is 'SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration' on? How to watch the ‘Saturday Night Live’ special tonight Yahoo Entertainment South Carolina vs. Florida men's basketball: How to watch, predictions, odds, injuries, live updates On3.com How to Watch 'Yellowjackets' Season 3 Online Without Cable for Free Hollywood Reporter Research: Enterprises Demand Broadcast-Quality Video and Live Streaming Sports Video Group Best Streaming Service Stocks of 2025 The Motley Fool Cloud Video Streaming Market Size, Share | 2024 To 2031 Business Research Insights PikaShow APK Download (Update) v90 Latest Version 2025 StreetInsider.com Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL): Among the Best Streaming Service Stocks to Buy According to Analysts Insider Monkey |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
RELATED ARTICLES
E-Commerce & Streaming Media: A Marriage that Works In the heavily populated world of E-Commerce, what determines whose site will be successful and whose won't?Is it the layout and design of the basic site? No. We all know of sites where no expense was spared on design and the company still failed to produce a commercial success. Looking for an Innovative Way to Explode Your Sales? Video Software - Benefits, & What to Look for Insider's Scoop On How To Skyrocket Your Sales Plus Decrease Your Advertising Costs.If there is one constant between anyone who does business, or ever sells anything, it's the big question; "How do I stand out above the crowd when I'm trying to reach my customers?" It is a question that has been asked ever since the human race started advertising and selling. Is Video Streaming the Future for Corporate Video? Things have changed quite a bit from when I started in the film & video business in 1988. Back then, many corporate programmes were still shot and edited on film. When Does a Corporate Video Add Value? A professionally made corporate video production can greatly enhance your company profile and can be used in a variety of applications. Listed below are a number of the most common uses for corporate video. DVD Authoring: An Introduction DVD Authoring is the process of collecting various content assets such as video, audio, photographs, subtitles, and menus, connecting them together and burning them to a master dvd disc.The assets themselves are generated in a variety of applications such as video editing, post-production, image editing and subtitling. Create a Favicon for Your Customers Bookmarks in Four Easy Steps. A favicon is a custom icon that sits next to your web site title in a persons favourite's menu when they have bookmarked your site, it is an easy way to create an 'eye drawing image' to ensure that people always see you link in their favourite's and should hopefully encourgae them to check out that 'great site that they haven't visited yet today!'This is a quick guide that will provide instructions on how to create one for your site, it really is very easy and will help to create a extra tool to maintain your site in the customers mind.All it takes is four easy steps. Five Ways to Profit from Using Video Online The newest media wave to hit the online shore is video. Individual emails abound with links to "the funniest video ever," or blurry clips of new babies or birthday parties. How Video can be used Effectively Online A powerful way to convey your communication messages to your audience is to be able to have your promotional video available on your website.Yet, we have probably all experienced visiting a website and clicking on a video only to have to been irritated that the content is not viewable or that the sound is inaudible. Creating Value With Streaming Video Content Having a corporate or promotional video for your company is often viewed as something of an expensive luxury - useful, but rarely considered to be an essential marketing tool. Whilst many businesses can understand the benefits of having a corporate video, all too often they are put off by the perceived cost and subsequently find it hard to justify commercially. Streaming Video on Your Website - Convert Visitors into Customers Streaming video is a sequence of "moving images" that are sent in compressed form over the Internet and displayed by the viewer as they arrive. Streaming media is streaming video with sound. Video Biographies; Why Hire a Professional? There are lots of reasons to create a video biography. Some people have a desire to share and pass down stories from one generation to another while others would like to leave behind a family or personal legacy. Working with Royalty Free Music When creating Multi-Media Content, Flash or Video Clips for a client's web site or CD Rom Project, the last thing you want is to get him in trouble with the law. If there's a need for music in a project, using royalty free music is essential. How to Star in Your Own Promotional Video Well, it's official. You are going to star in the company marketing video (or commercial) and you will have a part talking to camera. Benefits of Training Videos A major problem with the running of a large corporation or PLC, is the increasing expense of staff training programmes. Training videos are exactly what the title says - videos made for the purpose of staff training. Put Audio & Video on Your Web Site As a company that sells streaming media services for a living, we get questions everyday about what needs to be done to make an audio or video presentation that will stream well over the Internet. Most of these inquiries come from small businesses with limited budgets for marketing and advertising. Network Marketing and Video Email I received another e-mail today from someone telling me that Video e-Mail is the wave of the future. According to the e-mail, (which contained no video!), the world will soon be embracing and more importantly paying for this service. Google Video Viewer tweaked for Non-Google content 'DVD Jon', a Norwegian programmer, has tweaked Google video to make it play clips that are not on Google's servers.Google Video ( http://video. Boost Your Online Sales with Audio and Video Support Have you ever noticed when you are shopping at most any retail store there is background music being played and if you need help understanding how a product works or need aid in purchasing the correct equipment there is always a person near by to help you?This is what your ecommerce or online sales website needs to achieve that comfortable atmosphere where visitors to your online store will enjoy shopping. When you make your store online comfortable with audio or video your customers are apt to stay longer on your website and that means a better chance of a sale. Peer to Peer Internet Video Broadcasting Unlike standard television broadcasting, there are a limited number of viewers that an Internet television station can accommodate. These limitations are determined by the amount of bandwidth the network media server has available. Shooting High Definition Video Footage in Italy Italy is without question the place to shoot high definition video. Nearly everything in this sun-drenched part of the world cries out for a photo or video capture. ![]() |
home | site map |
© 2006 |