Types of Single-Camera Interview Formats

• Off-Camera, Medium/Head & Shoulders Shot

• On-Camera, Two-Shot

• On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot

Setup & Technique:

Off-Camera, Medium/Head & Shoulders Shot

• Camera at eye level of subject

• Subject open at 45 degrees

• Subject maintains eye contact with

interviewer

• Interviewer has subject reiterate

questions

• Interviewer leaves pauses in between

questions, does not talk over subject

• Camera repositions/reframes during

interviewer’s questions

Setup & Technique:

On-Camera, Two Shot

• Camera at eye level of interviewer or

difference is split

• Both interviewer and subject open at

45

degrees

• Subject/interviewer exchange eye

contact with camera and each other

• Camera typically holds position

throughout or slowly zoom into

subject

after question is asked

• Typically used for short-form

interviews

Setup & Technique:

On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot (Subject)

• Camera at eye level of subject

• Subject open at 45 degrees

• Subject maintains eye contact with

interviewer

• Interviewer has subject reiterate

questions

• Interviewer leaves pauses in between

questions, does not talk over subject

• Camera repositions/reframes during

interviewer’s questions

• Optional camera angle over-the-

shoulder for continuity

Setup & Technique:

On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot (Interviewer)

• Camera at eye level of subject

• Interviewer open at 45 degrees

• Interviewer position is flipped

• Interviewer repeats questions as

accurately as possible

• Interviewer maintains eye contact

with subject/stand in of similar height

• Interviewer remains somewhat still and

controls hand gestures

• Interviewer reenacts nods and

emotional gestures

• May want to get an establishing

shot before interview

Editing Techniques:

On-Camera, Shot-Reverse-Shot

• Primary goal: to convince the viewer that all angles happened simultaneously

• Begin with establishing shot to introduce space

• Over the shoulder angle helps establish both interviewer and subject in shared

moment

• Cutaways and L-cuts vital to creating illusion of simultaneous recording

• Add an ambient audio track to unify audio

• Make sure that gestures and body movements match up as shots switch

Sources

60 Minutes Elon Musk Interview,Youtube.comNBCSN Zdeno Chara Interview,Youtube.comLighting Interviews, TannerHerriot.comWes Anderson - Grand Budapest Hotel Interview,Youtube.comDaily Show Interview with Wayne Allen Root, Dailyshow.comWayne Allyn Root Calls His Daily Show Interview a "Fraud.”, Reason.com