Interview_Trick

[BrankoBrankov]

THINK, THIS KIND OF TRICKS WERE USED IN PAST IN PAINTINGS OF LARGE AND VERY ACCURATE IMAGES WE ARE IMPRESSED WITH TODAY.

[BabyCanaryYelllin]

GOOD IDEA. Also of course there's always bunching yourselves together on a bench to both be in the shot.

But then to look natural it'd be all profile shots, as people face each other to talk.

Your idea is great as the interviewer can be face on, smaller than the subject, as if across the world on satellite, both face on!

[swamper777]

I think interviewer and interviewee should always be same frame.

[learning2b]

I certainly understand why you are in front in this video. But in an actual interview, I believe the person being interviewed should be seen in front and in focus.  Your audiences will relax, I predict, when this protocol is followed.

[minivanjack]

@learning2b

Actually, yes, the intention here was to represent the interviewer as the background "soft focus" person and the interview subject in front.

[borderm3]

Any way to focus her image a little better?

[minivanjack]

@borderm3

Only by using more light or a faster lens. This method is not a replacement for a two-camera shoot.

[borderm3]

@minivanjack Makes, sense, nice setup. Very nice lighting!

[TheReasonWhyGuy]

it doesn't look natural...

[Tickbryan]

It's a good way to conduct a 'Low Budget" interview if you don't have a 2 camera setup with a switcher. This is for all of you cheap skates who like to criticize others only because they are productive, and you just talk about it. You either don't have the funds, or the brains to put together anything close to this.

[donny83316]

Interesting concept of helping save money. I would call this one, "another item for your bag of tricks." Good use of lighting. The focal point is not a big issue, as the viewer would probably get it. Unless of course the viewer is walterbsfo1, infinatemushroom, viceworld. Of course there is gimmiesometruth who was lost before he hit the play button. Good Job Mr Jack.

[PeaceIsRad]

Nice gear Jack! Gotta love those Arri lights (O:

[hkfreak]

Hmm, this is a little tight and the light trajectories are tricky, but I like it. In terms of politics, I really can't be more separate, but this is useful for an easier interview.

[GimmeSomeTruth1971]

I clicked on this hoping to get ideas on tricking somebody that I'd be interviewing.

[ViceWorld]

sorry but she's blurry.

[InfiniteMushroom]

Damn, she is hot! Very elegant. Bring her up front and let's see her some more.

[minivanjack]

InfiniteMushroom:

Cool down, she's an avatar.

[MaidenRockCoder]

Jack, thanks for actually putting something up on YouTube. It's far easier to criticize others work.... When most only belittle others. So thanks.

[walterbsfo1]

OK - first, the interviewer is reversed, it looks "wrong" to the viewer if they know the person and even if they dont it wont cut with other shots.

Second - the interviewer is out of focus

Third - it doesn't LOOK like an interview since the two people aren't looking at each other.

Fourth - Who the hell carries a giant mirror around with them on interviews ?

[minivanjack]

walterbsfo1:

Exactly. To get the good stuff you have to buy the DVD. For more info on the DVD go to "more info" in the sidebar and click the link to "Light Like A Pro".

[TroutEhCuss]

Never knew this - although, it does favor one interviewee over another.

[mrcapnd]

there's no point in arguing cinematography. You FAIL to get to the point of your video. "Interview_Trick"? You act like that is new(s) to us.

[thehifidoc]

It was new to me.

[minivanjack]

mrcapnd:

I made no representation that this was advanced cinematography technique.

[spiritslain]

Another Bloody Day for Christians in Mosul

Five Family Members Gunned Down; Hundreds Fleeing Violence in City

"It was a bloody day yesterday in Mosul," an Iraqi worker of Open Doors reported today.

"In one house all the family members were killed -- five people. First the attackers drove by and shot from their car. Then they forced themselves into the house and gunned down the entire family. They even threw two bodies outside the house as a cruel warning for others."

[5k4k1dhtp]

This is good not only for saving money on cameras, but it prevents people from altering their interviews to make it look like the other person answered incorrectly or incoherently or something, do you know what I mean? This way, a question is asked, and it is answered, and it can be seen that it wasn't tampered with.

I hope that made sense...

[minivanjack]

5k4k1dhtp:

Very true. Even by green-screening the background to look like this was done it would be very difficult to alter the meaning of the foreground person's comments.

[volvol1]

Gee. That works. But she is talking to the back of your head.

[minivanjack]

True. I believe the viewer quickly adjusts to that.

[voicetube]

There may be a lens you could use that would allow for both subjects to be in focus -- not sure how exactly, but I think it's indeed possible.

[striperfish1]

i think split screen technology does this without size and focus problems,

[voicetube]

Very true -- good point!

If one WERE to try and stick to the mirror technique however, I still think the focus issue can be worked out.

[minivanjack]

voicetube:

A fast lens with a lot of light would help. The split-screen suggestion is a very good one good too (striperfish1) The viewer tends to think that a split-screen is, say, an L.A. host talking to a Washington DC guest. It would need to be set up so they look like they are in the same space.

[JamesMClark5]

Why not put the mirror haf-way between the two facing people -- then they will appear to be the same distance from the camera, and side by side, with one mirror edge between them, which may not be conspicous with a dark background for both people..

[Rikeeboy]

THNKS!!!!!!

[sojournal]

i love this...i think the off-focus on interview is actually quite effective. It increases focus and importance onto the interviewee. A viewer quickly esablishes the roles via the qustion and answer relationship, and the interview should be of enough interest anyway that viwers are keen to hear the in-focus responses.....

it would be neat to pull focus maybe at the beginning just as an establishing shot...

thanks for posting....i'm subscribing!

[durizap]

This looks effective and interesting, and at the same time, very simple. Great job mate.

[helgedell]

I agree with the de-focus issue, but its a nice supplement from time to time to do something different than everyone is doing. Thanks for the tip. Helge, local-tv producer, Norway.

[Turkisstory]

Did you create this? This is genious! :D

[handysmerf]

Maybe show the fact that it is a mirror?

Might take the whole crossing the line look from the shot

[Ryantineocons]

very neat idea, ill play around with that

[dooglio]

My only problem with this is that the interviewer is out of focus. I think I would prefer a "phony" two camera setup where you just take separate reaction shots of the interviewer and edit them in. I would prefer to concentrate on the subject entirely and not be distracted by a blurry person behind him. :-) But that's just me.

[minivanjack]

That's not just you, it's a lot of people. This is a specialized technique to avoid the "re-asks". The "re-ask" cutaways take time to produce, take editing and take a sharp interviewer to make the second time around match the original interview, so this is a way to "keep it real", save a camera and give the viewer some idea what the interviewer was doing during the conversation. It's not for all the time or for everybody.

[safeshark]

Great video Jack! This should come in handy for a project I'm currently working on. Never would have thought of something like that myself.

[dstevens101]

I'm surprised you've not been ON camera as your speaking skills are great as well.

Great info thanks you've a great channel!

[chewbaca1989]

Thank you for your expertise Jack love your channel.

[whatsontv1234]

Nah. sorry, im a documentary maker in the UK... I would NEVER use this for an interview... The audience gets confused. (Its a continuity thing) Its best just to use the one camera for a two shot, or just centre the camera on one person(the person you are interviewing) The audience does not need to see the interviewer. They do not care about them, all they care about is the subject, unless you are in an unusual enviroment such as a live news enviroment(In which case you would have more than one)

[minivanjack]

Never say never. When your client/interviewer wants to be seen, but doesn't want to pay for two cameras this is one way to do it. It's not confusing though, we see people in mirrors all the time in films & TV. The most common viewer complaint is the soft focus on the interviewer.

[proteanview]

This is good to know. I'm looking to step up my game a bit.

[lucky4729]

Interesting. Could you not also put the mirror on the camera side and have the interviewers look at each other through the mirror, thereby capturing both looking forward and still allowing them to have eye to eye contact.

[minivanjack]

lucky4729: Interesting idea. They could both be in focus, but it might not look as natural to have them so close together but speaking in another direction. I think it could work though.

[anyusmoon1]

But she is out of focus, how do you correct that? Great video and thanks for the tips.

[minivanjack]

By increasing the amount of light (higher f-stop on the camera) and moving the interviewer closer she would be a little sharper (and bigger). Also, the camera operator could "rack focus" as they speak, but it might look clumsy. To have them both sharp it's better to use 2 cameras and skip the mirror trick.

[anyusmoon1]

Thanks for the explanation.

But you must know by now, its the CONTENT I'm most interested in :-D More RON PAUL- Please ;-)