1) Know the Material. Confidence is the key here. If the person is being interviewed, all the questions should be delivered to them in advance of their taping. Then do a follow up call to make sure they are comfortable with the material and answer any specific questions they might have. Be sure to clearly explain the audience, the purpose of the video and the main goals of their particular segment.
If you are asking the questions, follow these guidelines:
-- Ask them to include the subject of your question in their response (since your questions will probably not be used in the finished product).
-- Be prepared to go back and ask questions a second time at the end of the session if you didn’t get the answers you wanted the first time.
-- Be sure the person is qualified to answer each question.
-- Ask for short crisp “news bite” answers. Long, paragraph length, responses are difficult to edit and can rarely be used.
-- If you sense that your subject is uncomfortable, have a few surprise questions to break the ice: “Describe your job in a word?” “What’s a good day for you?” “What is the most fulfilling part of your work?”
If the person is delivering to camera via teleprompter, add these tips:
-- Read the script several times and practice delivering it out loud. Remember that a teleprompter delivers the words in short spurts where paragraph breaks and emphasis may be difficult to discern. Knowing the material in advance is critical.
-- Try to make any script changes before the session starts. Of course, changes can be made during the taping, but frequent stops and starts during recording often result in an uneven delivery that will reduce the effectiveness of the presenter.
2) What to Wear? First, be consistent with the project. If there are five interviews in the video, they should look similar. Next, be true to the occupation. If your subject dresses casually at the office, suggest the same for the interview. Lobby against pure white shirts or blouses. For business suits, suggest shirts that are powder blue or other light colors. Avoid small patterns like herringbone or fine stripes. They play tricks with the camera and cause unwanted moires in the finished product. Be conservative with jewelry. Earrings that dangle and move when a person talks can be distracting.
3) Make-up. Again, be conservative. Strive for a natural look. Your video crew will have make-up on hand to correct shiny skin. Overall color temperature, camera angle, background and lighting will be adjusted for each person to create the best possible look.
4) Location. Location. Location. If the shoot is at your facility, think sound and light. Examine the proposed site carefully and note:
-- Sound – Are there any potential problems that might interfere with production? Listen for sounds such as conversations that pierce walls, heating and air conditioning noises or fluorescent lights that buzz.
-- Light – are there windows? Do they have blinds or shades? Will windows be in the background? Your crew understands these issues and will come prepared with the right style of lighting equipment.
5) Scheduling. If many interiors are being taped in one day, make sure there is time built into the schedule for the crew to move around the building and re-set lighting and equipment in each location.
Like anything else, proper preparation for a video shoot will improve your results. If you have questions, just Ask Mainstream.