Video tutorial on shooting interviews

There aren't many good websites that take solo videographers through, step-by-step, the best ways to set up and film an interview.

Filming interviews while operating on your own is always a tricky proposition, particularly if you're looking to achieve depth and distance from the camera.

Dr Lisa Mills - Assistant Professor of Film at the University of Central Florida - has put together a series of video tutorials for students involved in a project to collect stories from military veterans.

Below is a grab from one of my recent interviews. I chose it because I filmed it in a hurry on a tight deadline. It illustrates that, with a few very simple steps, you can make your interviews look polished without very much pre-production. 

As Mills describes in her instructional videos, you need to chose somewhere with appropriate natural lighting, space to achieve depth, and a background that isn't boring but, at the same time, does not detract from the interviewee's words. 

Her pointers are basics for beginners, but certainly worth watching if you're new to the game.

Mills teaches documentary film-making at UCF. You can check out her YouTube channel here