Re: The shorcomings of a film
Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 7:47 pm
Both Ned and Tim have been kind enough to refer to the way that interviewees are featured in many of my films and I will attempt to describe the methods employed in order to get what I want.
Firstly, I deplore the scenario of an 'interviewer' sitting in shot and asking questions of the subject. This is designed to get the very worst performance, unless the subject happens to be a professional performer or public figure. What I try to do is get my subject relaxed by discussing the project some days before filming starts, get them used to seeing the camera and explain roughly what I am aiming for. Then I either attach a radio mic to them somewhere or, if I'm not going to be moving the camera, fix a wired mic somewhere near the subject out of camera shot if possible. I then place the camera some distance away so as not to intimidate and use a longer focal length setting so as to get the framing I want. This can unfortunately minimise the chance of getting a nice 'bokeh' to the shot but the advantages outweigh that issue.
With the camera running I then discuss with the interviewee the subject, get them thoroughly relaxed and from those discussions come the answers that are required for the production. I never include my own voice so have to be careful that the required information is revealed without any specific questions being put, certainly not included in the film anyway. The subject may realise that we are live or they may not, I don't often draw their attention to this.
There we have it (as the Archduke famously exclaimed to the young Mozart in that fabulous film Amadeus).
Firstly, I deplore the scenario of an 'interviewer' sitting in shot and asking questions of the subject. This is designed to get the very worst performance, unless the subject happens to be a professional performer or public figure. What I try to do is get my subject relaxed by discussing the project some days before filming starts, get them used to seeing the camera and explain roughly what I am aiming for. Then I either attach a radio mic to them somewhere or, if I'm not going to be moving the camera, fix a wired mic somewhere near the subject out of camera shot if possible. I then place the camera some distance away so as not to intimidate and use a longer focal length setting so as to get the framing I want. This can unfortunately minimise the chance of getting a nice 'bokeh' to the shot but the advantages outweigh that issue.
With the camera running I then discuss with the interviewee the subject, get them thoroughly relaxed and from those discussions come the answers that are required for the production. I never include my own voice so have to be careful that the required information is revealed without any specific questions being put, certainly not included in the film anyway. The subject may realise that we are live or they may not, I don't often draw their attention to this.
There we have it (as the Archduke famously exclaimed to the young Mozart in that fabulous film Amadeus).