Everything You Need for an Effective Corporate Interview Video: Part 2, Production
- Angela Wolf Video
- Sep 17
- 4 min read
A well-made interview video can keep viewers invested, leaving a lasting impact on your brand's reach and name recognition. In last week's blog post, we started our corporate interview how-to guide with a detailed look at pre-production. This week, we're diving into full production--keep reading for our pro tips on how to make an interview video for your small business.
1) Camera: Lockdown and Keep Rolling
Rather than getting into the super specifics of tech specs and gear, we want to focus on how to get the most out of your camera (whichever type you choose) when filming your corporate interview videos. We recommend that your interview videos be filmed with a 1- or 2-camera setup. If using a 1-camera setup, remember to film in 4k. This is crucial, as it allows you to punch in on your footage, creating distinct "medium wide" and "tight" shots to alternate cuts. On the other hand, the multiple angles of a 2-camera setup allow for more cuts in the final edit. The front shot should be a "medium wide," and the side angle should be a closeup. We also highly suggest locking down your cameras (securing them on a tripod). Handheld video requires expertise and finesse and doesn't really belong in a corporate video. If you film on your phone (which we also do not recommend), be sure to record horizontally. Yes, vertical videos are ideal for Instagram and TikTok, but they will not cut it for your website. Our last note about cameras is always keep rolling! It can take time for interviewees to compose their answers and get comfortable on screen. Start rolling, and don't stop until the interview is over. Having extra "dead air" at the end of a sentence is actually very helpful in the editing process, so don’t be quick to respond or yell “cut” right when a person is done talking.
2) Lights: Soft, Bright, and Consistent Color
Never underestimate the need for a proper lighting setup. The right lighting can make a bad camera look decent, and the wrong lighting can make a good camera look bad. The goal, of course, will always be to get the right lighting. While "natural light" is great for photography, it's a huge headache for interview videos. As the shoot goes on and the sun's position in the sky changes, the lighting in the video will naturally change over the course of filming. When selecting your lights, make sure that they are all the same color temperature. Daylight balance has a soft blue hue, while tungsten has that yellow glow of a living room lamp. Using lights of a uniform color temperature allows the camera to perform white balance and increase the consistency of the footage. If you mix-and-match color temperatures, one color will look unnaturally saturated and very distracting. Lastly to avoid shadows and harsh angles, be sure to use a diffusion on your lights.
3) Audio: Lav and Boom
In film school, we were taught that quality audio is actually MORE important than quality video when filming a shoot. Why? Because you can always throw up some b-roll or stock footage to cover a bad video. But bad audio is distracting and can prevent people from understanding what they are watching--especially in an interview. We have taken this to heart, and we're always fully-equipped for quality audio recording. For interviews, we use both a Lav mic and a boom mic. Being clipped to an interviewee's shirt, the Lav typically captures clearer audio. However, people often fidget in their seat as they speak, adding unwanted audio that muffles the recording. Enter: Boom mic. Because this mic isn't directly on the interviewee, the boom is not as sensitive to their movement. When you film with both types of mics, you have the ability to alternate to whichever audio is cleanest. Regardless of the exact type you choose, your interviewees NEED to have a mic. Never rely on the “scratch audio” that gets internally recorded on your camera. We also suggest physically clipping the mic onto your interviewee, rather than having them hold it. When the mic is held, the speaker tends to move it around as they talk, causing the audio to fade in and out. When clipping a mic, make sure you go for an actual Lav/lapel mic. Things like the RODE Go and the DJI mics are fine, but a Lav mic still needs to be attached. Not only does it look amateur to have a bulky mic pack attached to someone’s collar, it's also just not as good as a Lav in the first place.
What does an interview shoot look like?
We handle the nitty-gritty of corporate interview videos so you can focus on putting your best foot forward on camera. Check out our interview reel here.
Our on-location packages start at $3,000. Click here for more details.
Angela Wolf Video offers corporate video production services near Philadelphia, PA. Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv
