10 Interviewing Techniques for Engaging and Authentic Videos

HD Video Converter

A frustrating experience came my way a few months ago, when I was presented with footage from a Canon 5DII and a Canon 3Ti.  This was a wedding shoot, and would be combined with footage from my Sony NX5U.  The footage from the Canon looked amazing, but there was a problem.  My editing software (Vegas Pro 9) would import the footage, but it would then promptly hang or crash.  I tried several transcoding and conversion applications, including Cineform.  The results ranged from audio that was out of sync, altered gamma, enormous files, and so on.

Then I ran across WinX HD Video Converter.  The software accepted the footage from the Canons, and offered a wide range of output formats.  The interface is intuitive, and there are a number of preset output options, each with it’s own preset bitrate and resolution settings and so on.  You can of course opt to override the settings as desired.  Several HD specific presets offer AVI, MP4, MOV and even a Youtube friendly HD preset.  Conversions may be done in batch by adding multiple files.

Conversion speed with HD Video Converter was surprisingly quick, depending on the output format.  Even at some of the highest quality presets with the “high quality engine” option ticked on, the conversion rate approached realtime on the Intel quadcore test machine.  At lower resolutions, such as with the preset for “cell phone” it was actually faster than realtime.  Botom line here was it turned a disaster into a successful editing session, and saved the project.

Get a copy of HD Video Converter Free!

We have a limited number of free copies for our visitors for a limited time.  Simply comment on this posting.  Tell us how you would use the software for example.  You must of course provide a valid email address.

Cutting Cable TV

For a few months now, my wife and I have eliminated cable TV from our home.  In fact, “cutting the cable” has been easier that I’d expected.  We’ve found several solutions, some of which are free, and some quite inexpensive.  We’ve gone from over $100 per month, to about $18 per month.

OTA (Over the Air)

Many folks just don’t realize that if you live near a city of any significant size, you can receive television for free.  At least after the purchase of a $8 pair of “rabbit ears“.  In my experience, the $50 amplified antennas are a complete waste of money, and do not perform as well as this old fashioned antenna.  Unlike TV before the digital revolution, if the TV station tower is close enough to receive at all, the picture is crystal clear.   A dirty little secret the videophiles might find interesting is that A HDTV with an antenna will deliver better (often far better) video quality that with cable or satelite TV.  Why you may ask?  It’s due to the fact that the boxes used with these services compress the video signal, therefore some quality loss is unavoidable.

A DVR

This would be hard to do without, after owning two TiVos, and several cable company DVRs.   Fortunately, I have a notebook PC running Windows 7.  The addition of a Hauupage HDTV adapter turned it into a DVR.  In fact, Windows Media Center (WMC) offers an interface much better than most any cable company DVR.  Yes, it records TV shows right off those cheap rabbit ears I just mentioned.  It also offers lots of other online content, and can play almost any video file format supported by Windows right on your TV.

ROKU

We added a Roku 2 box to the setup.  It’s a dedicated box, not unlike the Apple TV and the Google TV boxes out there.  Roku offers a wide selection of streaming media.  Unfortunately, much of the content is duplicated, and some comes at a premium cost.  A good deal of content is targeted at tech and gamer youth.  We mainly looked to use this device for Netflix Streaming, and Hulu Plus.  Netflix works great on the Roku.  Far better than it did on our Samsung DVD/BD player.  You can actually add and browse content right on the Roku device.  Yes, a very similar feature is available on WMC, but if the DVR is recording, it’s best not to push it, as it uses quite a bit of processing power.

Hulu and Hulu Plus

Hulu is free online, and offers some of the best TV content on the web.  The Roku only supports the premium “plus” service.  At only $8 a month, it seemed hard to beat.  One huge problem.  On the Roku (and most any other dedicated device) only about 1/2 the content is view-able, and may only be viewed on a PC or Mac.  This is neither the fault of Roku, nor is it that of Hulu.  It has more to due with the (ignorance and/or greed?) of content providers.  There is however a Hulu plugin for WMC that overcomes this problem.

The Results

In actual use, it’s all worked out pretty well these past six months.  The WMC DVR records shows from the major broadcast channels from the local broadcasts.  Netflix streaming, initially off to a weak start when it first appeared, now offers quite a selection of movies and TV content.  Sure, there are some rough spots.  The Roku tends to “hang”, and requires a power cycle almost every time.  The PC occasionally hits a bump due to a Windows update issue, or some other windows issue.  Overall, including all the rough spots, we do not intend to go back.

Shaolin Jazz Video Contest

Combine the lyrics of Wu Tang Clan, and some classic jazz beats, and what do you get?  You get Shaolin Jazz.  This combination might seem unlikely, until you listen for yourself.

There’s still time to submit an entry to their video contest, and to contribute to this innovative project.  Some nice prizes are will be offered to the winner, but this also looks like a good way to get your work noticed.

ground and sometimes even change lives.

The term “new media” itself is extremely broad. For example, Lev Manovich, author of multiple books on new media and professor of Visual Arts at University of California, wrote an entire essay on the possible five characteristics of new media (http://ow.ly/7lnaZ), with an additional eight propositions. But because the general public is usually unaware of the technical side of the definition, a lot of people don’t realize that when they reference “new media” they’re actually referring to “social media.”

“Social media” narrows down the definition, and is exactly what it sounds like. Social media is what turns new media into an interactive dialogue.

The main players of social media include Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Where would the world be without these? We can say for certain that Ellie Kemper would never have been cast on The Office, and Justin Bieber would just be another kid with a bad haircut. But aside from individuals showcasing their talent in the entertainment business, social media has recently come into further use in the field of film and videography.

On October 31, 2011 YouTube announced that it’s crowdsourced documentary Life in a Day would be available to view for free on their website. Life in a Day is one of the first social media films, and truly a beautiful piece of art. In 2010, YouTube put out a call to it’s users to submit videos of their day on that upcoming July 24. They received over 80,000 clips from 192 nations totaling 4,500 hours of footage, all of which were submitted to YouTube itself. Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald and his team of editors and researchers sifted through them and created a 94 minute movie which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2011 with the premiere of the film streaming live on YouTube. The film features pieces of people’s day that day, including everything from a man drinking on a park bench in the early morning hours, to a boy and his father starting their day by paying tribute to their deceased mother/wife. This film takes the every day YouTube video and turns it into something beautiful and spectacular. It never loses it’s sense of communal contribution and creation, and moreover reminds you that you are never alone. A documentary about life itself and a great example of social media being turned into a work of art.

Some, however, are choosing to use social media to help fund their art. Eddy Terstall, a filmmaker in Holland recently used Twitter to help raise money for his upcoming film project. His idea was to create a quick films based on tweets by those who donated money to his project. A 10 euro donation got you a 10 second film based on your tweet. 20 euros got a 20 second tweet based film, etc. By the end of the donation period, he was able to raise 120K euros and successfully produce his film. http://ow.ly/7lv9D

New and social media continue to enhance film and videography, pushing it into the 21st century. What lies ahead for the digital age is still unknown, but the symbiotic relationship between new/social media and film seems to only get stronger. Those who embrace it might be able to find creative ways to fund their projects or possibly create a whole new genre of film, an unexplored frontier, giving a voice to the digital mass.

This article is a video production tip from The Michael Group, a company specializing in video production Chicago, written for the Pixelriffic blog.

What if they deemed to restrict the soundtrack to be limited to distribution on Edison cylinders?  Or maybe 78 RPM shellac records?  Sure, you can rent this from Amazon for $3.  I suspect Apple will offer the same.  Is anyone really paying this?  It’s reasonable enough for recent releases, but too expensive for classic films.  No doubt the owners of the rights these classics have forged this particular agreement.  It’s potentially a death sentence for many classics.   I’ll wager that most under 30 have never seen this movie, much less have even heard of it.

Even if you have to resort to old fashioned DVDs, this is still worth a look.

Closed Headphones

It cannot be overstated just how important monitoring your audio is when shooting video.  Sure, your VU meters show a signal, but what if that signal is just noise?  Listening is the only way to be sure.  Even the most modest film and Television productions have someone monitoring audio.

It’s possible to spend into the hundreds on a pair of headphones.  You can however find a reasonably good set in the $30 to $50 range.  Be sure to choose a closed design, and not an open “super aural” style.  The latter may be more comfortable, but does not inhibit outside sounds.

In-ear Earbuds have come a long way in recent years in improving both sounds quality, and value.  I’ve long favored them for audio monitoring when shooting video.  They do a great job of blocking out external sounds, are generally more comfortable than headphones.  Especially in hot weather.  They take up much less space in your bag.  In fact, I keep two sets in case one is lost or damaged.  I’ve found earbuds for less that $20 on Amazon that perform quite well.

Especially if you’re shooting live events, it’s not worth taking a chance.  Monitor your audio, and rest easy.

The Key Light: The Key Light is the main source of light on the subject and is often positioned at an angle and above the subject. You can essentially position this light anywhere you want but if the light is dead-on, you will get a very flat looking image, and if you move the light to the side of the subject, the lighting becomes increasingly dynamic. Obviously, as you increase the angle you increase shadows on the face. Corporate interviews are going to favor a more direct key light while something along the lines of a crime or a conspiracy television series will require something more dynamic. A final tip is that whichever way the subject is facing in the frame, put the key light on that side of the camera.

The Fill Light: The Fill Light serves to counteract the shadows created by the Key Light. It should be positioned close to the camera and can serve as an eye light as well. As the name implies, the frontal position of this light serves to fill in shadows cast by facial features such as the nose or under the eyes.

The Backlight: The Backlight is positioned behind the subject and its main purpose is to provide separation from the subject and background. By creating a distinct “edge” of light on the subject, there is a clear visual separation from the subject and background.

By manipulating the three lights, you are able to drastically alter the look and feel of most corporate and television interviews.

Colored gels are also a great way to create a mood to your interview. Many professionals add orange, blue, red or yellow colored gels over lights to help give interviews and warmer or more distinct feeling.

A final tip to remember when working with lights is that they can be very hot for your interviewee to sit under for long periods. It’s best to bring powder to help eliminate shine on your interviewee’s face. Also, make sure they have water nearby as the lights can cause their throat to dry out. Tissue is also recommended for blotting purposes.

By following these easy tips, you should be able to create and light most interview situations so that clients and interviewees feel confident about the final product.

This article is a video production tip from The Michael Group, a company specializing in video production Chicago, written for the Pixelriffic blog.

Google Docs

For those of you out there that are not aware of the wealth of good stuff that is Google Docs, you should take a look. Especially those of you needing an inexpensive alternative to Microsoft Office. Some weeks back, Google added the ability to store and share videos as part of the Google Docs suite. Sure, there is of course Youtube, as well as countless other video sharing sites. What if you want to share your client’s video preview privately?

Google now allows sharing (both publicly and privately) of video files via Google Docs.  A very simple interface, as per usual with Google, and one free Gig of storage space.

The music in this video isn’t my thing, but it might be yours. If not, you can always turn down the audio. If you’re having this particular problem, it’s worth your time to watch it.