This may not be your conference room. But you get the idea – big table with a lot of chairs.
It’s great for a board meeting, but not so much for an on-camera interview. The biggest problem (literally) is the size of the table. This behemoth dominates the room. Often the table is wired with a phone system and networking cables and can’t be moved. That doesn’t leave much room. Where will you put a camera? Lights? Where will you seat the person being interviewed?
Don’t get me started on the white board sticking out of the interview subject’s head…
Okay, you get it. A conference room may not be the best place for an interview. What’s a good alternative?
What is the person talking about? What is the message of the video? Is there a location that would support the message of the video? If your video is about your scientific research expertise, would an interview in a lab environment be appropriate? That would be a much more interesting visual than a generic conference room. Think about what you’re trying to say to the people watching. What is the image you’re trying to portray? Can you find an interview setting that supports the story you’re telling?
Sometimes it isn’t possible to find that perfect place – we do end up doing a good number of interviews in conference rooms. But if you think of the bigger picture and talk with your producer you can often find a setting that will make a difference!
