Owning It: Video: Projects: Interview

  • How do we produce, film, and edit an engaging interview story?

What am I making?

  1. 1 to 2 minute video uploaded to Vimeo with 3 main camera shots (host, guest, host + guest) and assorted related footage documenting an interview story

How Do I Make it?

  1. All team members edit the same footage, each producing a slightly different final version

    • So everybody practices the skills! And we can compare how different versions tell the story.

  2. Emotion is the first priority in your edits. Editing principles are helpful to know and practice, Walter Murch's are translated here

  3. Interviews Tips

Steps

  1. Agree on 5 Interview Questions, an Order, and a Setting/Settings for your Interview

    • Also write an Introduction for the Host to read about the Guest

    • Plan for a Closing where the Host thanks the Guest for being on their show

    • Gather any Props or Costumes you need

    • Set the Date and Time on all phones so they match

  2. Get your footage with 5 school phones, 3 for the Host, Guest, and Host+Guest, and 2 for...

    • Place a Phone recording Video on the Host and Guest -- just to get better audio!

    • Clap to provide a sync point for all 5 camera recordings for editing - all cameras should be recording and ready before the Clap

    • How do you hold your camera steady for a long time? (Bring a chair? Podium? Use a fixture in the scene?)

    • Find a location with a good backdrop, not a lot of surrounding noise or traffic, make the lighting work well (reflector?)

    • Director calls the shots, but values team input

    • Film introduction, then 5 questions and answers, then closing (thank you for being here, etc.) - pauses between everything! Helps with editing

    • Get extra footage - walking, tilt/pan reveals, objects or scenery related to the interview content

  3. Download all footage on all computers - trade the 5 cameras! Use the dates/times for picking clips to match

  4. Choose your editing tool: WeVideo, Premiere, iMovie, Kinomaster, whatever works for you.

  5. Import your footage, trim your clips, organize them onto the sequence timeline

    • Use a variety of the 3 camera angles and the best audio track you have for each question, answer, introduction

  6. Watch to see where you want to add titles, do transitions, and fix the audio. Make a list of edits you want to make.

  7. Then, add Transitions where helpful. They are not required, and too many can mess up a video.

  8. Fix Audio where needed. Not required, but if something doesn't sound great, that really messes up the video. People don't like bad sound.

  9. Add at least one Title. You should have a text form of your message too. Don't go overboard with titles either.

  10. Export the video to MP4 or MOV format and upload to Vimeo.

  11. Write about what you learned doing this assignment, mention skills and techniques.

  12. Open your Google Site, in the Pages tab, push + and create a new page called Interview Edit

  13. In the Insert tab, choose < > Embed, click Embed code, and paste an embed code from Vimeo.

  14. Write about what you learned doing this assignment, mention skills and techniques.

  15. When done, push the Publish button, review the settings, and publish.

  16. Then click the chain-link button, Copy the link for your page, and paste it into Google Classroom to "turn in."

Career Connections

  • Interviewing is a skill you will practice throughout life as a host and guest... prepare for job interviews, and interviewing people for jobs!

  • As an Editor, you have a lot of power to control and enhance your story to make it more effective. If you want people to watch your Videos, make them engaging with effective use of the editing tools.

Resources