The document discusses techniques for setting up formal interviews for documentaries. It recommends positioning the interviewee to one side of the screen rather than center, leaving space above their head, and using an effective background, or mise-en-scene, that reflects their profession. It provides an example where a fitness instructor is interviewed against a gym equipment background. The document also discusses integrating facts, statistics, and an informative voiceover to educate viewers, as well as using techniques like establishing shots, zooming, varying shot types, background music, and subtitles.

1. Positioning plays an essential role in the setup of a formal interview. We tried to adhere to the typical setup of professional interview by looking at other documentaries such as ‘Supersize Me’ and follow this classic setup design. We found that often in professional interviews, the interviewee was positioned to one side of the screen rather than central, and not looking directly at the camera. We also noticed that mise-en-scene was important so we tried to ensure that our mise-en-scene reflected the jobs and roles of the person being interviewed. We left space above the subjects head and used medium length in the framing of the shot as a medium or medium close-up is ordinarily used. Here you can see that we have used a medium shot and as we are interviewing a fitness instructor we have used an appropriate mise-en-scene which includes gym equipment in the background, bright lighting, and her standard gym uniform. In our other main professional interview with an Yves Saint Laurent makeup consultant, we first showed an establishing shot of the shop floor to show the typical environment she works in before moving to the office were the mise-en-scene denotes a busy hardworking role by the slightly messy setting. The connotations of this are that not only is she a makeup artist but there is also more challenging work away from the makeup counter. Interview setups: Facts and statistics: Documentaries are often quite educational and contain many facts or statistics to support this, so we tried to keep our documentary informative too by integrating useful facts and an enlightening voiceover. Title on formal interviews to introduce person and profession Not looking directly at camera Positioned to the side of the frame Effective mise-en-scene Statistics taken from ‘Supersize Me’

2. Varying shot types: Medium Shot Tilt Pan Long shot A typical medium shot contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, such as the image above which depicts one of our vox pops. A long shot generally shows the images as approximately “life size”. We see person in their surroundings with their whole body would be on show. A sub genre would be an extreme long shot, usually used for landscapes. A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned. A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan.

3. Varying shot types: Zoom Close up Medium close up Low angle This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense powerlessness within the action of a scene. the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the object on the screen. The camera does not move but it appears to do so. It is when the focus is pulled making either the object/scene slowly appear closer or further away. When this is done very fast it’s called a crash zoom. A disadvantage is the zoom lens tends to be jerky (unless used very slowly) and distorts images, making objects appear closer together than they really are. This shot is usually from the shoulders up to the top of the head. It is in between a Mid Shot and a Close Up.

4. Background music Sound levels Transition Voiceover Background footage Expert interviews Vox pops Facts and statistics Cutaway Subtitles for professional interviews We have tried to keep up professionalism in our documentary be using a diverse range of conventions. As you can see here in this print screen of a segment of our documentary timeline, we have tried to include as many different techniques possible to keep our documentary lively.