Codes and Conventions of Interviews

Camerawork• Medium Shot or Medium Close Up used.• Big Close Up sometimes used to heighten emotion (i.e. when a question about a

sensitive topic is asked).• Shot framed to the left or right of centre and the rule of thirds is followed in order

to place the subjects eyes in line with a ‘third’, as research has shown that this is where a viewers eyes are attracted. This also makes it look natural.

• Camera on a tripod to ensure a steady shot is filmed.• Subjects address the interviewer rather than the camera as in a documentary the

viewer takes the role of an observer and is never directly addressed (other than in narration).

• Off the cuff interviews may use handheld camera work in order to be able to react to different situations as they often are not pre planned and happen at the scene of an event.

• Sometimes, the focus is placed solely on the subject resulting in the background being blurry as it is out of focus. This is usually done when the mise-en-scene of the background is not relevant to the topic.

Camerawork - Examples

Editing• All questions are edited out of an interview as they are often not needed in order

for the documentary to make sense. However in the rare occasion that an Interviewee’s answer is not long enough or in depth enough for the interview to flow or make sense then they are left in.

• Therefore cutaways are used in order to prevent jump cuts which would occur after the questions are edited out.

• Cutaways are also used in order to provide visual stimulation to a viewer and also to show material relevant to whatever the interviewee is talking about. Archive material is often used during these cutaways.

• Graphics are also super imposed and are used when an interviewee is first pictured.

Editing - Examples

Archive material used during a cutaway.

Mise-En-Scene• Mise-En-Scene usually relates to either subject of the documentary or the

interviewee themselves.• Interviews are conducted sat down in a legged chair.• Interviews are often filmed at interviewees homes, places of work or in relevant

locations to the topic of the documentary.

Graphics• Graphics are super imposed when an interviewee is pictured for the first time.• Graphics often contain two lines with the first being the larger of the two stating

the interviewees name, and the second anchoring their relevance to the topic of the documentary.

• The first line is often bolder or larger than the second• Font choices are carefully considered and may relate to the topic however they are

always simple in order to make them easy to read by the viewer• Graphics are also often wrote in a white font to make them stand out and easy to

read

Graphics - Examples