shooting soundbites

For: Groups of Three
Difficulty: Beginner

Objective
Upon completion of this lesson, students will know how to shoot a simple, candid interview in the field.

Points to emphasize

• Eyes on top third line, talking space (or “nose room”).

• Watch for distracting backgrounds such as poles, posters, movement, etc.

• Avoid profile shots—let us see both eyes.

• While this is more of a technical and shooting lesson, it is important to begin asking open-ended questions that elicit answers longer than “yes,” “five” or “fun.”

Equipment: One camera, tripod, headphones, and external microphone per group

Assignment

In groups of three, have everyone in the group act as videographer, reporter, or interview subject answering three simple questions on camera. Ideally, students should complete this assignment outside the broadcast classroom, in other areas in or near the school building, with your approval. This will give them the experience of adjusting to various lighting and sound challenges they will encounter when shooting their stories around the school building.

Example:
Round One: Juan is the videographer, Luke is the reporter, and Ellie is the interview subject. Luke asks Ellie three questions while Juan records them, paying attention to framing, lighting, and audio quality. In round two, everyone rotates and each time you rotate, you have to find a new location for the soundbites. Round three is the final rotation, so that when the group finishes the assignment, they have all three filled the three separate roles of videographer, reporter, and interview subject.

NOTE: The students can come up with their own questions or you can provide examples of open-ended questions to get them started.

Relevant Lessons:
Volume 2, Chapter 2: “Run & Gun Interviews”