Nothing
is more convincing than seeing a real person speak about a product they
have recently used or bought. Getting them to do this on camera for a
testimonial video is not easy. As part of my job going around Britain
filming lovely places and finding out its various histories for the Bald
Explorer website I run involves shooting interviews. These techniques
are very similar to those required for a business sales or testimonial
video and I thought I would share them with you here.
1/ Your Place or Mine?
It
is far nicer to see someone in the environment they would normally
inhabit. We, as viewers, are nosey people and would love to see our
interviewee looking relaxed in their own office, home or place that
relates to the topic in question. It will look too set up or fake if you
film your testimonials all in your place of work. If you cannot go to
the clients premises, then try to vary the locations you use.
2/ Look Who's Talking!
When
we generally have a conversation with someone we tend to do so at the
same level as them. In other words, if someone is sitting and another
person joins us, either we will stand up to engage in conversation or
they will sit down to chat to us. This is known as being at the same eye
level. As a rule, you want to set your camera lens to be at a similar
height as the interviewees eyes so they do not appear to look down or up
to the viewer. We trust someone who is at the same eye level as us.
3/ What’s he saying?
What
is going to be said in the next few minutes may make or break a sale,
so we do want to hear it. The microphones on modern cameras are usually
pretty good, but only if you are standing about 1 - 2 feet away from
them. If you film your interviewee at that distance it will look cramped
and slightly scary. So set the camera back a bit and frame up with the
zoom control and attach a lapel microphone to them them. This is a small
microphone that clips onto the person's shirt, tie or jacket.
4/ Come away from the wall!
I
see this a hundred times; testimonials with their interviewees slammed
up against a wall. It looks odd, weird and unnatural. In life we don’t
generally stand with our backs pushed back against a wall when engaged
in conversation. It just doesn’t feel right. The wall is invading our
personal space. Having a neutral background is handy in many instances,
but ask your subject to step forward and have a bit room all around
them. They will feel much more comfortable for it.
5/ We must see the branding!
Of
course businesses want to take advantage of every opportunity to get
their company name into shot or have their logo in frame. It is all too
easy to fall in the trap of positioning it right next to the subject
where it looks cheesy and obvious. I have seen people photocopy the
branding and tape it awkwardly to the wall behind their interviewee so
at least the ‘name’ is there, even if it is the wrong colour, size or
hanging crooked. Try to be subtle and shoot the scene as if the branding
was there more by accident. Your interviewee is the most important
thing in the shot and if the name of the company just happens to be on
the truck a little to one side, well that is more like real life.
6/You are not reading the news!
It
feels too direct if the interviewee giving the testimonial about a
product or service looks straight down the lens at the viewer. It
doesn’t give the feeling of impartiality either. Ask your subject to
respond to someone just to one side of the camera. It looks much more
real and genuine, and the interviewee will feel more at ease if they can
ignore the camera. Make sure that the person next to the camera is also
at the same eye level otherwise the dynamic with be odd.
7/ Just answer the question!
From
experience, I believe it is far better to have a series of direct
questions that will illicit the kind of response you are looking for
than hoping the interviewee will say nice things that are useful. The
reason you are filming the testimonials is to say how good you or your
product is. The questions are there to make sure you get these sort of
statements. Keep the questions open rather than closed. You don’t want
people answering with single words. For example, a typical question
asked might be, ‘Why do you think the service here is so good?’ and the
answer then is most likely going to come back as, ‘I think the services
here is... (whatever it is)’.
8/ What did you say?
The
last thing you want to do is get back to the edit suite and realize
you didn’t get the right answers or the interviewee doesn’t appear to
make any sense. Listen to the answers as they are given. If they are not
quite what you wanted, ask them to put the response another way. People
are unpredictable, especially with a camera in their face and can often
get confused, mumble or lose their line of thought. Give plenty of
encouragement as your subjects make their statements, but concentrate
hard on what they do say.
9/ Did you get that?
Many
times if the replies haven’t been all I was hoping, I have announced
there was something technically at fault with the recording equipment
and asked if we could go again. Generally, the second time will be much
better as the subject has now had a practice run and can fly through the
answers as their confidence builds.
10/ Who are you again?
Everyone
wants to be recognised or at least credited for their part. It is
generally accepted that a screen caption with their name on it will pop
up when they appear in the video. Just make sure you actually write it
down and double check the spelling. Some people ask their interviewees
to announce their name at the beginning of the filming, even if they
don’t use that bit in the final edit. At least you know which one was
which at the end of the shoot.
Well,
there are my top ten tips which I hope you might find useful if
recording testimonials or interviews for video productions. I love
filming people for my documentaries and asking them questions. If you
would to see some of my work then head over anytime to www.BaldExplorer.com and see what I am up to.
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