Introduction to Character Portrait Exercise

WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. 

You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org. 

Objective

To introduce the Character Portrait Exercise. With this exercise you will pull together what you have learned so far about filming interviews, as well as shooting cutaways and B-roll.

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 2

In This Session

– The Character Portrait Exercise will be explained

– A Character portrait from a previous training will be screened and discussed with the group.

– Production teams will be assigned their interviewee

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 3

Character Portrait ExercisePre-Production

Each production team will: • Assign roles that each member will perform during

filming.

• Develop a list of questions based on their interviewees short biography.

• Develop a shot list of cutaways and B-roll

• Prepare camera equipment

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 4

Production Teams

Producer/ Sound Operator:

Oversees the project and makes sure the group follows the shot list, assists camera person in setting up and monitors sound.

Interviewer:

Interacts with the interviewee, obtains consent and conducts the interview.

Camera Person:

Decides the location for filming and shoots the interview and B-roll.

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 5

Character Portrait ExerciseProduction

Each production team will: • Record consent

• Conduct an interview

• Record room tone

• Film B-roll and cutaways

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 6

The InterviewGeneral Questions (Medium Close Up Shots):

More Personal Questions (Close Up Shots)

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 7

Cutaways are shots that will provide telling

details about your interviewee and their life

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 8

Follow this link to watch a video example of a cutaway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA2GS_l5_AA

What are “Cutaways”?

What is “B-Roll”?

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 9

B-Roll is observational footage of the interviewee and their community.

Follow this link to watch a video example of B-Roll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3QGGXKRefk

Character Portrait Example

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 10

Follow this link to watch video of a Character Portrait Example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jInQpe1hDIQ

Shot List Exercise40 minutes

1. Assign roles that each member will perform during filming:

Producer/ Sound Operator:

Oversees the project and makes sure the group follows the shot list, assists camera person in setting up and monitors sound.

Interviewer:

Interacts with the interviewee, obtains consent and conducts the interview.

Camera Person:

Decides the location for filming and shoots the interview and B-roll.

2. Each production team will complete Worksheet: Character Portrait Shot List based on their character portrait bio.

04/12/23 WITNESS.org 11

Introduction to Character Portrait Exercise

WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. 

You can also find more video advocacy training materials at www.witness.org.