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What is a feature interview?
What is a feature interview?
During this class we have focused on creating narratives. We've learned how to create a personal narrative based on our own experience and a fictional narrative based on story structure. This week, you will learn how we can tell interesting narratives through personal interaction. Interviews make for great storytelling that is genuine, especially when paired with interesting B-roll.
You see them on the news, late-night talk shows, and documentary films. Feature interviews will focus on one person answering questions, usually on a specific theme.
This style of video is up close and personal, and the interviewee might be a subject matter expert or just someone with a special skill or talent. Authentic interview videos are a great way to lend a personal touch to a story or provide a point of view about a specific subject.
What do you have to do for this project?
What do you have to do for this project?
Think of a person who has a skill, a certain knowledge or an expertise of some kind. Someone who is interesting. They can be a teacher, an athlete in your school, a close friend or even someone else in this class.
Set up an interview with your person of choice.
Fill out the interview guide template and turn it in.
Set up your audio and camera according to the interview guide below.
Interview this person for at least 5 minutes.
Record or compile some B-roll that shows the person performing the skill, or doing the thing they are good at.
Edit the video into a 2 minute feature that includes the interview's best lines along with at least 10 clips of B-roll. This video should include music, credits and a lower third title.
Who can I interview?
Who can I interview?
A teacher you like and ask them why they like teaching or what is interesting about the subject they teach.
Or the president or member of a club and ask them what their club is about and why they like being involved in it.
Or a school athlete and ask them about their sport and why they like playing that sport and what makes them good at it.
Or a peer with an ability, like someone who is really good at typing, coding, playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing, a video game etc. Ask them how they got into their hobby and what makes them good at it.
Or a peer or teacher who has a lot of knowledge about a certain subject. For example, someone who knows all about guitars or computers or a science.
Do's
Do's
Contact your subject as soon as possible and agree on a near date and time to get your interview done.
Decide what camera you will use. Using your phone is fine so long as you have something to keep it still. You can work with a partner to help you hold the phone/camera while you do the interview.
Remind your subject to answer by including the question in their answer. For example, if you ask them "What is your name" they should respond with "My name is _______"
Put your subject at ease by having a quick conversations before you start recording. Explain what you are doing and what you want them to focus on.
Remind your subject that they can talk slow. Also, let them know that if they mess up an answer you can edit it out so it's ok.
Make sure you record some b-roll that you can include in your final project. You need at least 10 clips of b-roll so you want to record a lot more than that using different angles and movements.
Don'ts
Don'ts
DON'T put people against a wall. Always be 6 or more feet away from any background so you can get a blurry backdrop.
DON'T interview anyone you don't find interesting or who doesn't have an interesting thing to say.
DON'T rush anyone into interviewing, be deliberate about who you want to interview.
DON'T Record in a place that has visual or auditory distractions. Find a quiet place where you and your subject an be reasonably alone.
DON'T record somewhere where the lighting is bad. Always have your subject in good light.
DON'T present a subject that is not school appropriate.
This is not a personal feature. Don't ask personal questions, you are instead focusing on a hobby, skill, knowledge or ability that your subject has.
How do I frame my interview?
How do I frame my interview?
Whether you are using your phone, a professional camera, or any other device, you will frame your interview the exact same way. First, your subject should never face the camera directly. He should be talking directly to you. The camera should be either to the left or right of you as shown below:
Medium Close Up Framing
Medium Close Up Framing
Make sure you are using a medium closeup shot, meaning it goes from the middle of their torso, below the chest, and past the head. You want a little bit of space between the top of the frame and the head. Not too much and not too little. Notice the white line that denotes the safe space in the frame above.
Rule of Thirds
Rule of Thirds
Put your subject on a third of the screen. If you divide your frame into nine boxes as shown, you want your subject's head to be in the top left or top right cross section. Look at the example and see where Michael Jordan's head is located.
Face the Empty Area
Face the Empty Area
Finally, depending on wether your subject is looking left or right, make sure they are looking in the direction that has the most empty space. In this example, Michael Jordan is placed on the left so he is looking to the right. If instead he would have been placed on the right then he should be looking left.
Best Practices:
Best Practices:
Questions you want ask your subject:
Questions you want ask your subject:
What is your name?
What do you do/what school do you attend/what sport do you play/what expertise do you have/what club are you a part of?
What is one skill, piece of knowledge, ability, club, sport or hobby that you are passionate about?
How long have you been involved in that?
What makes this skill, knowledge, or ability or hobby or club really interesting or meaningful to you?
What are three things that you would want other people to know about the thing you are passionate about?
If I wanted to get started doing what you do, what would be your advice?
Any last thoughts that you want to include in the video?
Are you using your phone? Use these camera settings:
Are you using your phone? Use these camera settings:
HD 1920
30 fps
HDR off
Make sure your video is set to 1920 HD and 30 frames per second.
Avoid higher frame-rates or higher resolutions. So NO 4K and NO 60 or 120 frames per seconds as this is harder to work with and our computers will have trouble transferring the video.
If you have a new iPhone, you have to turn OFF HDR video. To turn off HDR recording, go to Settings > Camera > Record Video, then turn off HDR Video.
What is B-roll?
What is B-roll?
B-roll is additional footage that adds to your story. When you are interviewing someone and the focus is on the person's skill, job or passion, then footage that shows that person actually doing the thing they are talking about makes your video that much more engaging.
Another function of B-roll is to hide your cuts. You will be editing your questions out as well as any awkward pauses and you need to do this without making this conspicuous. The best way to do that is to use b-roll.
Tips for great B-roll:
Tips for great B-roll:
Shoot from many different angles
Shoot at different frame sizes: wide, medium, medium-close up, close up and inserts
Stay on a shot for at least 10-20 seconds before moving on to a different shot
Shoot at least 10 minutes of B-roll for a 5 minute interview
Get the person doing the thing they talk about in their interview
This is optional, but if you want to have the ability to slow down your b-roll, you can shoot at higher frames per second.
Can I see the template that I should use to plan my interview?
Can I see the template that I should use to plan my interview?
Can I see the rubric you'll use to grade me?
Can I see the rubric you'll use to grade me?
How do I submit my video?
How do I submit my video?
Once you finish recording and editing your video on WeVideo or premier, you have to copy the share link. You can then submit your video as a link on the Google classroom assignments page.
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