How can you improve your interview and talking head videos?

?? For interview and talking head videos, choosing the right mode is like setting the stage for a solo performance—it’s all about spotlighting the speaker. Opt for a close-up or medium shot to keep the focus tight on facial expressions and nuances in delivery, which convey emotion and sincerity. This visual intimacy invites the viewer into a personal conversation, turning a simple chat into an engaging, memorable experience. Always adjust your shot to complement the tone and intent of your content, making your message not just seen, but felt.

In our experience as a healthcare video production company, manual control of all the camera features is very important. This gives you control over the depth of field (how blurry the background is), exposure (how bright or dark it is), focus (and what’s not in focus) and so much more. We always run manual mode on our cameras in interview setups to give us the best video quality.

In jedem Fall die Kamera auf manuell belassen und die volle Kontrolle darüber behalten! Je mehr Licht in das Objektiv darf (Blende zB.: 1,2 oder 2,0), desto kleiner ist die Tiefensch?rfe, was bei hochprofessionellen Interviews den besten Look hat.

?? Setting the right aperture in your interview and talking head videos is like adjusting the brightness on a romantic dinner table—it sets the mood. A wider aperture (lower f-number) blurs the background, focusing all the attention on your subject's expressions and reactions. This not only visually isolates them from distractions but also adds a professional depth of field, making your content feel more polished and intimate. So tweak that aperture to not just capture your subject, but to capture the mood you want to convey.

?? Die Blende so gro? wie m?glich halten! (f/1,2 oder f/2,0) um den Hintergrund maximal unscharf zu lassen, die Person(en) im Bild jedoch maximal scharf dadurch wirken lassen. Verschafft einen h?chst professionellen Look, man sollte sich jedoch immer überlegen, ob dies auch sinnvoll ist. Ist zB. der Hintergrund ein wichtiges Element oder enth?lt Informationen, sollte die Blende entsprechend angepasst werden.

?? Setting the right shutter speed in your interview and talking head videos is akin to timing your dance moves perfectly to the beat. Too fast, and you risk underexposed, choppy footage; too slow, and your video might blur with every small movement. Aim for a shutter speed double your frame rate for smooth, natural-looking motion. For instance, if you're shooting at 30 fps, set your shutter speed at 1/60 second. This "golden rule" helps capture fluid motion and crisp dialogue, ensuring your video feels as smooth as a well-rehearsed performance.

?? Important: Je l?nger die Verschlusszeit (1/25 Sekunde) desto verschwommener die Aufnahme = zB.: sch?ne Wasseraufnahme vom flie?enden Fluss Je kürzer die Verschlusszeit (1/1000 Sekunde) desto sch?rfer die Aufnahme = zB.: beim Fu?ball Spiel ist viel Bewegung, die Aufnahmen sollen dennoch scharf sein

?? Den ISO Wert behutsam anfassen, da die Verst?rkung zu geringerer Qualit?t führen kann. ISO kontrolliert zus?tzlich den Lichteinfall. Je nach Kamera mehr oder weniger (zB. alpha 7sIV schafft gute Bilder bei 10.000 ISO)

?? Unsere Devise: Hand-held first, um Movement und Dynamik in die Filme zu bekommen. Bei manchen Situationen - wie (l?ngeren) Interviews oder Podcasts - macht ein Stativ natürlich deutlich Sinn. Für Movement, jedoch weniger wacklig, empfehlen wir ein Gimbal

Boomed shotgun mics, lav mics, or even podcast mics visible on screen as a stylistic choice are all great options. All of them come with their own sets of benefits and drawbacks. It is always helpful to combine two for redundancy and to have more flexibility in editing. But be aware that even the most expensive microphone can sound bad in a horrible sounding room (echo, air conditioning, construction noise), and to some extent, vice-versa.

Investing in a good microphone and paying close attention to sound quality is essential. People will forgive less-than-ideal image quality more than poor audio, especially with talking head videos (where hearing the "talking head" is critical). If budget is a factor, even a USB condenser mic will be a step up from a cheap webcam. Wireless mics tend to be easier to work with if filming outside the studio. And, an inexpensive wireless mic typically will provide better sound quality than your mobile device alone (if filming on a smartphone).

When interviewing someone, getting the best answer is your top priority. While asking the right question is crucial, HOW you ask the question is just as important. Asking open-ended questions is the best way to get the response you are looking for. For instance, asking 'Do you enjoy your work?" will illicit a yes or no answer. But if you ask, "What are you working on at the moment?" will give you a far better response. It allows the subject to really get into the meat of the subject, and will give you much better content for your video. So cultivate an environment that supports interviewees to open up and share their authentic perspective and experiences. It's the quality of the content that will determine the success of your interview.

In pre-production planning spend a lot of time thinking about the subject matter of the interview and the subjects (individuals) you will be interviewing and then determine a shooting strategy that enables interesting framing and angles which can help add to the mood or provide the audience with a visual cue or even a representation or projection of the feeling you want at each moment in the interview. This always makes a talking head video more interesting than banal or straightforward current affairs television style interview framing.

One things I've found is testing multiple locations for the talking head interviews can be helpful for breaking up big chunks of text being delivered to camera. If there isn't a big budget finding the right location can really help with the lighting of the interview.

It's important to help the on-screen talent feel comfortable. Maybe they've never been in front of the camera before or are speaking about a sensitive subject. Show empathy, let them know that you are supporting them and that being in front of the camera is difficult and it's normal to feel nervous. I always let people know that I want them to feel comfortable. Just because I'm OK with a take doesn't mean they feel good about. They are representing themselves and the company in some cases so I want them to feel confident in their delivery and I'm willing to work with them until we get it right and THEY feel good about it. Talking them through this process often helps put them at ease and helps get the best interviews.