Different ways to Film an Interview

On-camera interview eyelines are so important!

In this video, we take a look at different types of interview eyelines and talk about what they mean.

Why Eye Line is so Important for Filming Good Interviews

In this video, we are taking a look at interview eye lines.

We're going to talk about when and why you would choose to use different eye lines, as well as how you can set them up.

Looking off camera (cross axis) 

First up, let's have a look at the 'off camera' eye line or 'cross axis' as it's sometimes known. 

This is where you will see the subject looking slightly to one side of the camera or off the frame. 

This technique is something I'm sure you've seen used countless times before in various documentaries and corporate or commercial videos. 

You may have not ever thought about why they film them that why though!

Granted, some people may just set up their shot that way because they've seen other people do it, but more often than not, there is a reason for it. 

Having your subject looking off-camera can be useful in a number of ways.

I tend to prefer using the off-camera interview eye line, as a lot of the subjects I film are not familiar with being on camera. Having the interviewee look off-camera and talk directly to the interviewer helps them to feel much more comfortable and relaxed. When it's treated as more of a discussion rather than some sort of interrogation, it helps them to open up and you'll find you will get much better responses when they start to forget the camera is even there. 

This method is also useful when you want the interviewee to come across as someone who has expertise on something, by having them look off-camera, it creates an emotional detachment from them, the audience and the subject matter. This can subconsciously imply to the audience, that this person knows what they are talking about. 

Now, this isn't always the case and as with anything art related, there is no right or wrong way to do something, but it is always worth considering the effect your decisions as a cinematographer will have on the audience, whether consciously or subconsciously. 

Another point to consider is the background your subject is in and if it's important to the story or message you are trying to get across to the audience. If it is, having the subject looking off-camera with a deep depth of field so you can see the background is often the better choice in that situation. If you had them looking at the camera, the audience would be more focused on them than and perhaps not even notice the environment.

That brings us to the next point!

Looking directly into the lens

Looking directly into the lens. 

This is something we are all familiar with now, the person on camera, looking and talking directly to the lens. It is also still a strong method to use when it comes to certain interviews. 

So why would you have your interviewee look into the lens?

This is certainly not something you would want to do with every interview you do but when used correctly it can have a really positive impact on your story. 

Having your subject look directly into the lens helps the audience to believe they are talking directly to them. This is useful when you want there to be an emotional connection, perhaps when someone is talking about a personal situation or event. This is the opposite of the disconnect that happens when you have your subject look off-camera. There are no barriers when you have that eye connection. 

It is sometimes a tough decision to make as often when someone is talking about something deeply personal, they may not feel comfortable looking directly into a camera and so you will need to use your best judgment.

No eye-line

Another option you may wish to consider is not having any sort of eye line at all.

This method has become more popular in recent years and is often implemented when you are following a subject about on their day-to-day life. 

Some examples of this would include filming a subject while they drive from the passenger or back seat of a car, talking to someone while they are working or following them while they walk. 

This a good method to use when you want to audience to feel involved in the story and even though the subject may not be looking directly at the lens, it adds a more personal touch than a locked off interview. 

The right tool for the right job

As I mentioned before, there is no right or wrong way to do any of this and there is no one-size-fits-all method. You will need to decide the right tool for the right job and there is no reason you need to settle on just one. Often you will see documentaries use a variety of setups for different situations. It's always about the best way to get the message across.