The document describes three common single-camera interview formats: off-camera medium shot, on-camera two-shot, and on-camera shot-reverse-shot. It provides setup and technique details for each format, such as camera placement and angles, eye contact, and movement. For shot-reverse-shot specifically, it notes that the goal of editing is to make the different angles appear simultaneous through techniques like cutaways, L-cuts, and matching audio, body language, and gestures.
3. Setup & Technique:
Off-Camera, Medium/Head & Shoulders Shot
• Camera at eye level of subject
• Subject open at 45 degrees
• Subject maintains eye contact with
interviewer
• Interviewer has subject reiterate
questions
• Interviewer leaves pauses in between
questions, does not talk over subject
• Camera repositions/reframes during
interviewer’s questions
4.
5. Setup & Technique:
On-Camera, Two Shot
• Camera at eye level of interviewer or
difference is split
• Both interviewer and subject open at
45
degrees
• Subject/interviewer exchange eye
contact with camera and each other
• Camera typically holds position
throughout or slowly zoom into
subject
after question is asked
• Typically used for short-form
6.
7. Setup & Technique:
On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot (Subject)
• Camera at eye level of subject
• Subject open at 45 degrees
• Subject maintains eye contact with
interviewer
• Interviewer has subject reiterate
questions
• Interviewer leaves pauses in between
questions, does not talk over subject
• Camera repositions/reframes during
interviewer’s questions
• Optional camera angle over-the-
shoulder for continuity
8. Setup & Technique:
On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot (Interviewer)
• Camera at eye level of subject
• Interviewer open at 45 degrees
• Interviewer position is flipped
• Interviewer repeats questions as
accurately as possible
• Interviewer maintains eye contact
with subject/stand in of similar height
• Interviewer remains somewhat still and
controls hand gestures
• Interviewer reenacts nods and
emotional gestures
• May want to get an establishing
shot before interview
9.
10. Editing Techniques:
On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot
• Primary goal: to convince the viewer that all angles happened simultaneously
• Begin with establishing shot to introduce space
• Over the shoulder angle helps establish both interviewer and subject in shared
moment
• Cutaways and L-cuts vital to creating illusion of simultaneous recording
• Add an ambient audio track to unify audio
• Make sure that gestures and body movements match up as shots switch
11.
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14.
15. Sources
60 Minutes Elon Musk Interview,Youtube.com
NBCSN Zdeno Chara Interview,Youtube.com
Lighting Interviews, TannerHerriot.com
Wes Anderson - Grand Budapest Hotel Interview,Youtube.com
Daily Show Interview with Wayne Allen Root, Dailyshow.com
Wayne Allyn Root Calls His Daily Show Interview a "Fraud.”, Reason.com
