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VIDEO TAPING TECHNIQUES
ROLES OF CREW MEMBERS
Here is a suggestion for how to organize a video-taping team of three students.Interviewer – Put the interviewee at ease. Keep
the person relaxed. Maintain your focus on them in order to ask follow-up questions as
needed. Responsible for the quality of the interviewing process.
Cameraperson (Videographer) – Set up video equipment. Responsible
for quality of videotape recording. See VIDEO TAPING SKILLS (below) for additional
details.
Grip (Assistant to videographer in setup of equipment and lighting)
– Responsible for seeing that the release form is signed, the interview gets the
correct identification slate, and that the entire process runs smoothly. Help set up the
video equipment. See VIDEO TAPING SKILLS for additional details. Listen to interview and
double-check the list of questions to make sure that they were all asked. Also listen to
sounds to maintain as quiet a recording environment as possible.
VIDEO TAPING SKILLS
Location/Setup
Type of room – Select a quiet room in the person's home where they
can be comfortably seated. The interviewer will sit next to the camera across from the
person at the same eye level. When the interviewee talks, he/she should be looking into
the camera while speaking.
Backgrounds/lighting - Never have a window or bright light behind
the person. Light sources should come from behind the camera or to the side of the
interviewee. The videographer should preview the shot to make sure that the lighting is
sufficient. Avoid any background noises, e.g. radio/TV turned off, interviewee's pets
placed elsewhere, close the windows to eliminate street sounds, etc.
Distance from subject - Since
the microphone is built into the camera, it should not be set up more than 5 feet from the
interviewee. (We cut string into five-foot lengths and kept them with each camera.
Students used them to measure the maximum distance from the camera to the interviewee.)
You should have a clear shot of the person from chest to head. See the following
oral history pages on the Countdown To Millennium website at www.frognet.net/countdown
for good examples of proportions:
Dorothy
Downie Emmett
Rawson Leota
Gatchel
Slating the interview - Before the interview, prepare an
identification slate with the person's name/the date of interview/name of the interviewer.
Print the information boldly so it will be clearly readable. You will record the slate at
the beginning of the interview. Hold up the slate in front of the person for about 1
minute at the start of the taping process. (This will also give the videographer a chance
to make focus adjustments and gauge the lighting quality).
Using the Camera
The videographer should be very familiar with the operation of the camera
prior to the interview. At the start of each interview, check the lighting, framing,
and other visual elements. Make any adjustments if needed before the interview gets
rolling. Some skills to practice:
Set-up of Tripod - Become adept at
checking for proper height, secure placement, and making adjustments.
Focusing - Most video cameras have automatic focus, but
become familiar with its adjustment system.
Zooming - You may need to zoom in for a close-up of photos or
possessions that the interviewee wishes to share on camera.
Framing - The interviewee should be slightly to one side of the center of the shot. You
should see the person's body from the chest up to the head. Leave some space above the
head in the shot.
Pausing - Be able to pause the video taping in
case of phone calls, unexpected visitors, or other unplanned events during the interview.
Troubleshooting / Hazards To
Avoid
Interviewee gives answers that seem too brief - Allow more time
for the person to answer each question. If you don't ask the next question, they may fill
in the silence with more details.
Lighting problems - If the videographer feels the light is too dim,
add another light source or move to a different room.
Again, never have a light source directly behind
your interviewee.
Seating - Suggest the best place for the person to sit. Keep the background as simple and
uncluttered as possible. Make sure there is a color contrast between the person and their
seat (someone dressed in dark blue clothing on a dark blue sofa will look like a
"floating head" on tape). Avoid rocking chairs (the person might bob in and out
of your frame).
Date/time - If your
camera has a date/time feature, turn it off
before taping the interview.
Unexpected noise sources - Refrigerators, air conditioners,
and aquariums may start making noise in the middle of the interview and are louder than
you think. Select a location that will most likely remain quiet.
Glasses - Many older
persons wear glasses which will reflect light and detract from their videotaped image. If the videographer finds excessive glare
from glasses at the start of the interview, re-locate your light source or move the camera
tripod slightly.
Batteries charged - Always make sure the battery for the video
camera is charged. Just in case, keep a household extension cord in your camera kit. |
