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Whether it is a casual chat with Aunt Jane or a formal discussion with a politician most moviemakers have to tackle the talk from time to time. A couple of extracts from a new book by Ivo Dasek, Creative Video Sound, offer useful tips:

During an interview, people can take three positions (see diagram), namely: standing opposite each other "face to face" side by side - "shoulder to shoulder" or at an angle to one another. "Face to face" is a classic arrangement, also often used for conversations in feature films. Placing people this way makes the dialogue quite natural and corresponds to everyday situations. When standing side by side the people who are "shoulder to shoulder" must turn their heads a lot in order to speak to one another. We lose any sense of a familiar dialogue this way and it is rarely found in interviews. The speakers do not seem to be talking with each other but speaking past one another to the public. If the speakers stand so that their bodies are at right-angles to each other some advantages emerge. This approach is frequently used in television shows if the people sit at a table or demonstrate something or if several people take part in the interview. In amateur circumstances, where only one video camera is at our disposal, we can see both faces well and do not have to change the position of the camera very much, if at all.

With a single camera it is best to stand the people at right angles to each other at the start of an interview in order to avoid problems later when editing pictures and sound. Place the microphone midway between the participants at neck height. This natural working position allows good picture and sound recording without changing the camera points of view or moving the microphone. To avoid monotony in the visuals you can make careful use of zooms.

Careful Planning

Few successful interviews happen without conscientious preparation. Many film makers and audiences believe that people on screen speak naturally and off the cuff. They think it is enough to put both of them before a camera, outline in general terms the order in which topics should be dealt with and let them comment fluently on the subject. In reality even experienced interviewers and their interviewees need to plan the questions and answers as well as their opening and closing arguments.

Discuss the topic with the guest before the shoot and outline the flow of discussion. It is a good idea to deal with each question only in general terms so that the interviewee can consider his position and draft his answers beforehand. In a modest debate the participants in the interview can prepare themselves mentally and be relaxed for the filmed appearance. This avoids unpleasant surprises and possible long pauses for thought during the take.

About Improvisation

We should not, however, script an interview beforehand because this would lose spontaneity and liveliness of expression. Scripted remarks rarely sound lifelike. When spoken such words seem artificial. Text is usually written in formal language, which differs substantially from loose colloquial language. Only a natural interview spoken without overacting works convincingly. Small grammatical mistakes and short pauses for consideration stamp a seal of immediacy and originality on an interview. Short "prompt notes" can give a certain security and support to inexperienced or nervous participants.

- Ivo Dasek

These extracts are from Ivo Dasek's Creative Video Sound - a handbook for amateurs which appeared first in German. My wife and I were so impressed that we translated it into English for our own pleasure. Now the author has used our translation to produce the book as a neat, 198 page, glossy-covered paperback edition in English.

It concentrates on how best to use sound rather than on the equipment required, though there are technical sections. (Do you know how best to place a microphone to record a flute player?) It suits all levels of film maker and even has a section on how to smarten up old cine-to-video transfers and make them valuable family archives.

Unfortunately, though Amazon Germany sells it to Europe, they will not process orders for the USA and Canada ... so we have made arrangements to make English language copies available ourselves. They cost 18.50 UK pounds including airmail direct to your home - which is about U.S.$28 or CAN$33 - and you can pay in almost any currency though PayPal or most major credit cards.  Visit this website.

Please note that this  special arrangement is NOT profit making for us ... we simply want to get the book out there.

- Dave & Jan Watterson