11 Expert Tips for Shooting Professional-Quality Video Interviews

Written By  Aquib Nawab

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1. Edit your video strategically

Strategic editing implies creating a consistent narrative by removing unnecessary content, using transitions, and including B-roll footage all of which should ideally make the video more interesting without elongating it.

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2. Plan ahead

If you investigate your interviewee and topic prior to the interview, then you can prepare questions and talking points to suit them. Picking a good spot and time will make sure that the interview is conducted in a comfortable environment.

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3. Invest in quality equipment

For higher quality visuals and audio, one needs to use professional equipment like cameras with high resolution lenses or tripods which stabilize the shots, they also need microphones that capture sound at a better frequency.

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4. Set up proper lighting

Good lighting is important when making a video look visually pleasing and professionally produced. By using three points of light, this will help prevent both underexposure and overexposure as well as minimize shadows.

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5. Choose the right background

Choosing an appropriate and eye-catching backdrop improves the video as a whole. To keep attention on the person being interviewed, it is important to eliminate anything that might divert it.

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6. Frame your shots correctly

To make sure that shots are pleasing to the eye and interesting it is important to follow such composition techniques as maintaining eye level with the person being interviewed and using rule of thirds.

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7. Establish a connection with your interviewee

Establishing good relations and creating the right environment for the interviewee is a sure way of encouraging more open and honest communication during interviews. Such conversations are usually the most interesting.

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8. Ask open-ended questions

By posing questions that do not have a specific answer, you allow the interviewed person to speak out their minds completely thus disclosing their ideas, experiences and emotions more extensively.

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9. Record enough B-roll footage

Including extra images using B-roll footage makes the interview video more interesting and rich in content by giving additional information to the viewers. These visuals add context and improve storytelling.

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10. Monitor audio levels

In order to keep the audience interested and understanding what is being said, it is very important that you make sure there are no changes in volume during an interview.

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11. Conduct multiple takes if needed

Being open to rerecording parts when needed will help you capture the most valuable information. It also gives the person being interviewed a chance to express their ideas clearly.

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