5 Tips for recording an interview

The interview is one of the most recurring subjects in documentary and reportage genres, as it has an informative purpose. If you need to conduct one, you can’t miss these tips on how to record an interview with which you can obtain the best professional results in your audiovisual project.

How to record an interview professionally?

1. It’s important to be familiar with the camera to make the shooting as professional as possible. Knowing all its commands to make the most appropriate configuration will allow you to capture the best image quality.
2. Lighting and sound are what will largely determine the professional quality of an interview. Therefore, having adequate lighting and recording equipment will be of vital importance to capture the best sound and achieve well-exposed images in the final product.
3. To record an interview it’s also important to shoot in a quiet space, without background noise or interruptions where the interviewee can feel comfortable. Additionally, the recording team must have sufficient maneuvering space to work.
4. Camera stability plays an important role in the final result. To avoid sudden movements and hand tremors, it’s highly recommended to place the camera on a stable surface such as a flat surface or with the help of a tripod.
5. In studios, props are a relevant part of the shooting that helps give personality to the frame, but it should be taken into account that objects that might distract the viewer should not be used. Therefore, it’s important to place only what is necessary in the frame, such as a chair or armchair and subtle decorative elements. An alternative to solve distractions is to blur the background with a blurring effect, putting the interviewee in the foreground.

Equipment for recording interviews

As we have mentioned throughout the post, it’s important to have professional equipment to obtain the best results in interview recording. The essential equipment we recommend for recording professional interviews is the following:

• Professional video camera
• Lavalier or shotgun microphone with stand
• Audio recorder
• Main and fill lighting
• Plain or textured backgrounds
• Tripod for greater camera stability
• Memory card
• Various and simple props

Video recording studio for interviews

If you don’t have the space or necessary material to record an interview professionally, don’t worry. At AVisual STUDIOS, you can rent all the audiovisual material you might need for a quality shoot at a very affordable price. Don’t hesitate to check our catalog of rental equipment to find everything you need. At AVisual STUDIOS, you can also enjoy the service of renting studios to record interviews

in a professional environment. If you’re in Barcelona, you can choose between our Chroma Space studio and the Web Cast Zone studio to work the hours you want at a competitive price. If you’re in Madrid, your solution is the M Space studio, a fully customizable space with natural light, something hard to find in a studio in the capital.

In either case, you can enjoy other included services, such as free props, air conditioning, internet, catering area, production material, and much more. We recommend you take a look at our previous post How to prepare for chroma key video recording?>