Kirsty interviews Mike! Practice makes perfect..

Interview with Mike and Kirsty! from Rachel Sowden on Vimeo.

At the beginning of this year, one of our first tasks in Sound and Vision was to practice the standard interview shots. It tends to be 5 shots;

Wide shot (to set the location for the viewers)

MS of both Interviewer and Interviewee (to introduce to the viewer who we will be watching)

OH of Interviewer (when asking questions)

OH of Interviewee (their response)

"Noddies" (the interviewer nodding along to what the interviewee is saying)

Performing this task has made me become more aware of the interview technique and you can see it apply in any interview situation, whether it be a news feature or more informal. I thought this was a fun way to jump straight into the course and be introduced to all the equipment.

Since then we have tried another interview shoot quite recently, in which we had to familarise ourselves once again to the shooting style and what is acceptable in this genre of filming.

We were split into groups and on the spot had to set up an interview, shoot it, ensuring all the factors around the subject were correct, i.e everything set up properly on the camera/ light exposure in the room etc.

Our guinea pigs were Kirsty and Mike and thought they did a really good job! We also worked more with the audio, using the rifle mic to capture the audio. Using this piece of apparatus meant we had to concentrate on the position it was taking in the room; You wanted it close enough to record the sound but didn't want it in the shot. So we had a few slip ups where it poked into shot, but nothing major.

I had a go editing the interview, and found it quite challenging. Becuase obviously we stopped and started as we changed positions, some of the footage didn't match, and about 35 secs in there is an obvious cut where I've tried to cut the question and answer to make it work.

I do, however, think there were parts in it that were pretty funny; some of the anwers Mike was giving were so funny, I had to put them in. If it was a reals new piece, however, I would have cut it down even more and only put in what was needed.

I think this has helped me become more confident with editing down footage; finding the shots and placing them together so they work and something which creates an interesting story for the interview. It's all well and good getting in the whole interview but if it's someone just droning on, people will drift off; using different shots cuts the answer up and gives the viewer something to focus on, as well as what's being said.

Alice in Wonderland's interview with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton is a good example. The beginning obviously introduces a clip of the film and goes straight into the interview. The camera cuts back and forth from the interviewer and interviewee just as we've been taught.