The traditional shot of a talking head is face on or profile.  They will be slightly to the right or left of shot to show they are talking to someone, but by facing the camera, the audience is included in the conversation.  This is essential for engaging the audience in the dialog between the people on screen.

If there are two subjects talking to one another, then they should be facing each other.  This is to show the audience they are discussing between themselves, not to anyone else or just to the camera.

The main shots used in a talking head scene is mid shot to medium close up.  You may seen the occasional wide shot for establishment or for a cutaway but the rest will be the standard mid or medium close up.

Different shots are called when the subjects are delivering different types of information.  For example, if one of the talking heads is offering factual information or statistics then a medium close up is the most appropriate.  If they are delivering personal or emotional information then the shot goes closer.  That way the viewer gets pulled in to the conversation and the emotional space.  It increases the connection between the two.

There is often an established sequence of shots with an interview that follows a pretty standard course.  The scene will start with a loose shot of the studio, to include the interviewer.  To begin with the shots will be very similar between the interviewer and the guest.  Once the audience is familiar with them, the shots can be varied between them.

The most common shot is the mid shot for both subjects as the subject or the facts of the discussion are laid out.  If the conversation involves emotion the shots close up to draw the audience in.  If the subject gesticulates, move the shot out a bit, or cut to them if they aren’t in shot.  Vary these shots depending on the actions, and the discussion.  It’s important not to stay in close up for too long as it can make the audience feel uncomfortable.  Like they are invading the subjects personal space.

If you think the interview is going to need some heavy editing, then keep the shots between the two similar, so they can be spliced together easier.  There will be less jarring in a sequence if shots of similar scope are used.

Shooting an interview is a fairly simple process, and one that can be learned fairly quickly.  Despite that, it does take a while to get them just right, and it is something that only experience can teach.  Try watching interviews and current affairs programs and study the types of shot the director calls at different times.

Video production is another profession with its own acronyms that take almost as long to learn as the technology itself. One of the most oft used ones is DV, or Digital Video. DV applies to any camcorder that makes a digital recording, as opposed to analogue. This include everything from the smallest hand-held to the studio cameras you see on TV. If it records in digital it’s a DV.

Digital recording has pretty much taken over from analogue in all but the oldest cameras. The technology has progressed enough that they are the same price, and are used in the same way as analogue cameras. They have the benefits of allowing a lot of manipulation and production of the recording as well as bigger storage capacities and smoother operation.

When making high quality DV recordings there are a few things to be borne in mind.

Who will be operating the camera? Have they received training? Small DV cameras are normally operated by members of the production team, or sometimes just someone working on their own. The end result will vary significantly between someone who has had training, and someone who has not.

Is shooting on DV going to give you problems when you review your recording? Does your edit suite have access to a DV deck, or will you need to hire one? If you are thinking of purchasing DV equipment, have you taken advice on what will best suit your requirements? Where will the kit be stored, and who will be responsible for its maintenance? Are you making a widescreen feature? Recording in 16:9 format on DV needs careful consideration. The recording and post production techniques are different that standard.

Once these considerations have been addressed, the benefits are clear.

For one, the DV equipment is lightweight, much lighter than the older analogue equipment. It is also relatively simple to use too, almost anyone can make a feature of decent quality after a little practice. The equipment is cheaper to buy, relatively maintenance free and nowhere near as bulky as equipment used to be. There are also plenty of places that you can rent DV equipment from.

If a single operator can use the DV equipment to produce good quality footage, then a whole crew is no longer needed. This saves on costs and adds versatility to the operation. Interviewing nervous or vulnerable people is much easier with someone sitting in the corner with a DV camera than having a whole film crew standing around.

Although it is a feature, many of you might not think so, but reality TV was made possible due to the advent of DV cameras. All the shows where a camera follows cops or other emergency services were made possible because of the small lightweight camera that can shoot TV quality footage.

As good as the technology is, it can only produce what the operator is capable of producing. If investing in good equipment, it’s also worth investing in some training too. The end result will be much improved and the editing and post production will be much quicker.