An interview is the most common shot in business video, and also the one most often done badly. A person in front of a blank wall, staring into the lens, lit by the ceiling, looks like a deposition. A few deliberate choices turn that same conversation into something that feels like a documentary.
We film interviews for brand films, testimonials, event recaps and founder stories. These are the decisions that make the biggest difference.
Choose a Background With Depth
The fastest way to make an interview look cheap is to push the subject against a wall. There is no depth, the shadow lands right behind their head, and the frame feels cramped.
Instead, we look for the longest view in the room and put the subject well in front of it. Ten or fifteen feet of space between the person and the background lets us soften what is behind them so the eye goes straight to their face. A row of shelves, a hallway, a warehouse floor or a dining room in the background becomes a texture rather than a distraction.
The background should also say something. A founder in their workshop, a doctor in their practice, a veteran on their own property: the setting does half the storytelling. A founder interview like our film with Dr. K for ESI Healthy Dentistry works best when the viewer gets a sense of the person’s world, kept soft behind them.
At events, we often have only a few feet to work with. For event interviews like the ones in our FanDuel recap, the trick is to angle people so the lights and activity of the room sit behind them. Even a crowded space gives you depth if you angle the shot down its longest line.
Decide Where the Subject Looks
Eyeline is a choice, and it changes the feel of the piece.
When a subject looks slightly off camera at an interviewer sitting beside the lens, it feels like we are watching a real conversation. This is the classic documentary look, and it is what we use for most brand films and testimonials.
When the subject looks straight into the lens, they are speaking directly to the viewer. That works for a CEO message, a call to action or a direct apology. It is more intimate, but harder for most people to do naturally, and it usually needs a teleprompter-style device so they can see the interviewer’s face through the lens.
We pick one approach before we start and stick with it. Mixing the two in one video tends to feel unsettled.
Use Two Cameras
A single camera on a tripod forces the editor into a corner. Every time you cut out a stumble or a long pause, you get a visible jump in the frame.
With a second camera at a different angle and focal length (usually one medium shot and one tighter shot from the side), the editor can cut between them to hide edits and keep the pace moving. The tight angle is also where emotion shows up: a pause, a glance down, a small smile.
Two cameras do not double the cost of a shoot, but they make a large difference in how polished the final piece looks.
Record Audio Twice
Viewers forgive soft focus far more readily than bad sound. So we record interview audio from two sources every time.
- A lavalier mic clipped to the shirt, hidden when possible. It stays close to the mouth and picks up clean dialogue even in a loud space.
- A boom mic on a stand or pole just above the frame. It sounds more natural and open, and it covers us if the lav rubs against clothing or the transmitter drops out.
We also ask for a few seconds of silence at the end of each setup to record the room’s own sound, which helps the editor smooth any cuts. If the space has an air conditioner, refrigerator or loud vent, we ask if it can be turned off while we roll.
Put the Executive at Ease
Most executives are good at talking. Very few are comfortable being filmed. The look of an interview matters less than whether the person on screen seems relaxed and believable.
A few things we do every time. We send the topics ahead, not a script, so they can think about stories rather than memorize lines. We start with easy warm-up questions that we probably will not use. We ask them to answer in full sentences, since the viewer will not hear our questions. And we keep the crew in the room small and quiet.
We also let silence sit for a second after an answer. People often add the best line right after they think they are finished.
Plan the Lower Thirds Early
Lower thirds are the name and title graphics that appear at the bottom of the frame. They seem like a last-minute detail, but they affect framing. If you plan to put text on the left, the subject should sit on the right side of the frame with room to spare.
We confirm exact names, titles and spelling on the day, and we design lower thirds to match the brand’s fonts and colors. Clean, simple graphics that stay on screen long enough to read are almost always better than animated ones that fight for attention.
Getting Started on Yours
Before your next interview shoot, pick the location for its background, not its convenience, and decide whether your subject will talk to the viewer or to an interviewer. Those two choices shape everything else. You can see how we handle interviews across our documentary work, and when you are ready to plan one, book a strategy call.
