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Extract 2
Codes and conventions of Filming and Editing interviews
- Interviewee positioned to left or right of frame
If more than one interviewee, it alternates - Interviewees filmed in medium shot, medium close up and close up
- Questions are edited out
- Mise-en-scene - background reinforces the content of the interview and is relevan to the interviewee, providing mroe information abut them in terms of ocupation or personal environment.
- Graphics are used to anchor who the person is on screen and their relevance to the topic of the documentary.
- Always look at the interviewer, never the camera, never gives direct address.
- Positioning of the interviewer is therefore important. If the interviewee is on the right of the frame the interviewer is to the left of the camera and vice versa.
- Framing follows the rule of thirds. The eye line of the interviewee is always one third of the way down the screen regardless of the framing; even in close up.
- Interviews are never filmed with a light source behind the interviewee. IE. in front of a window or with the sun behind them, the light is always in front of them, behind the camera.
- Cuts are always edited into the interviews to break them up and illustrate what they're talking about and to avoid jump cuts when the questions are edited out.
- All interviewees are sat down so that they remain still which makes for constant filming.
- Cuts are always archive material
- Cut aways are suggested by something said in the interview and therefore filmed after the interview.
- Sometimes aspects of the interviewee are filmed with another camera such as extreme close up of eyes, mouth or hands.
