Documentary - Workshops

 Interview Workshop (14/04/2021)

This workshop introduced us to the basic interview technique, which included aspects such as the framing, camera shots and the use of graphics. 

We decided to use an orange backdrop as BBC 3 often use bold colours, making it more visually appealing to their demographic of "16-24 year-olds"(Campbell, 2021). 

We were shown various BBC interview clips, such as the "Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview" (BBC News, 2019). In watching these, I took note of common aspects of these interviews, such as the use of graphics, the framing and the different shots used. With interviews, the camera is usually framed at eye-level with the contributors, creating a more emotional connection to the person being interviewed. The rule-of-thirds is used when framing a subject, with them often framed to either the left or right of the frame, switching between the two, ensuring that the eye level angle is maintained. 

We received feedback from Ferg with regards to our framing, which he said was "perfect framing for an interview" (Moloney, 2021). In order to improve, I would increase the lighting upon the interviewees' faces. 

Lighting and Interview Workshop (21/04/2021)

In this workshop, we primarily looked at lighting and depth, as well as remaining focused on interview technique. The key components that we had to remember were lighting, exposure, composition and camera placement. 

The location is also incredibly important when filming. It is better to not be rushed into choosing the location as taking your time often usually ends in better results (Moloney, 2021). Ensuring that the environment is less cluttered is important as a busy environment can distract the viewer. 

There was also emphasis on making sure that the framing allowed for the subject to be to the right within the rule of thirds and also for the shot to be at eye-level as eye levels often allow for greater emotional connection and help with the telling of a story. 

When filming this, we used a mixture of natural lighting and source lighting (the LED panels). Ferg advised us that when using natural light in a room, ensure that you balance the colour panel with it so that the lighting is matched (Moloney, 2021). The panel lights also had to be within the 180 degree line. The lighting was placed on the same side as the interviewee (myself). 

With the Sony EX1 cameras, it is advised that, if possible, you are at least 12ft from the subject. We tried to achieve this with the space that we had, which was a bit of a struggle. We also e

Through blurring the background, along with lighting the set-up, adds more depth to the image and ensures that it doesn't appear too flat. 

In this workshop, we used clip mics as clip mics are often used when it comes to sit-down interviews (Moloney, 2021). 

Sync Assembly Edit Workshop (10/05/2021)

For the sync  workshop with Sam, we looked at transcribing footage from an interview provided. It was explained that by transcribing the footage gathered, the editing process is made a lot easier and helps to direct the narrative. It was said by Sam that the transcription process is often carried out by runners, assistant editors, and researchers. 

When editing, morality should be taken into consideration, especially when it comes to interviews (Creamer, 2021). 

During the editing process in this workshop, I found that it was easier to edit on two screens. I used the iMac to put the script on and my Macbook to edit the footage and audio on. I read each section of the script and matched it with the the correct bits of footage. The footage was time coded on the script, which made it easier to find the correct clip. Going forward, I will try and timecode the footage, so it's easier to edit. 

If I had more time, I would finish the edit and match it with the cutaways. For future factual footage, I will use transcription. 

Bibliography:

BBC. (2021) BBC iPlayer: BBC Three. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcthree (Accessed 18/05/2021)

Campbell, F. (2021) BBC 3 Commissioning. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/bbc-three (Accessed 17/05/2021)

Creamer, S. (2021) Sync Assembly Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 10/05/2021].

Moloney, F. (2021) Interview Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 14/04/2021].

Moloney, F. (2021) Interview Workshop. [University for the Creative Arts 21/04/2021].

Prince Andrew and the Epstein Scandal: Newsnight Interview (2019) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBS8COhhhM&ab_channel=BBCNews (Accessed 14/04/2021)