codes and conventions of an interview

1. CODES AND
CONVENTIONS OF AN
INTERVIEW

2. CINEMATOGRAPHY
 The interviewee should be framed left or right so that there is space on one side of them
for them to speak in to.
 The shot is generally medium close up or close up so that we can see their body language
and close up if we want to see their expression if it emotional so that we are drawn in
more.
 The interview generally has a shallow depth of field because the interviewee should be the
focus and they get it so that the background is out of focus but is obviously relevant to the
subject matter.
 They should be shot using the rule so that the person is left or right of the frame and there
eyes should be one third of the way down the screen.
 All interviews should be filmed on a tripod because the footage will look unprofessional
and unplanned otherwise.

3. EDITING
 The cuts are generally straight cuts to keep it simple and have the focus on what is
being said not the editing techniques.
 There are cutaways to relevant material, archive or your own, during the answer
from the interviewee in most cases.
 The questions are edited out because when the interview is put in with the rest of
the documentary it is in context and generally speaking the viewer can get the
basis of what the question might be.
 Graphics are added after the interview has happened.
 There is a sound bed also added in underneath the speech of the interviewee and
it is usually instrumental but it is normally a song that has some relevance to the
topic.

4. MISE EN SCENE
 The background should always be relevant to the subject matter of the
documentary or it could even be in the home of the person because it makes it
personal to them.
 High key and low key lighting can be used to set the mood of the documentary as
well as to draw the focus on to the interviewee because they will stand out from
the background.
 Clothes can link in to the subject matter if necessary but this is not always the case
because some subjects are not related to clothes and therefore has no relevance.
 The interviewee must be seated in a static chair so that the framing is consistent
in the interview and there will be no jump cuts when it is edited afterwards.

5. GRAPHICS
 The graphics generally introduce the person and tell us what their relevance is to
the subject matter.
 The name is normally the biggest font size and even in bold
 The subtext is a smaller font than the main text, the name, and is not bold but is
the same font.
 Sometimes the graphics have a colour scheme or a banner that will anchor the
topic.