Digital Filmmaking For Kids For Dummies
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Interviewing someone on camera can be tricky; this video gives you some tips on how to position and frame your interview subjects and how to direct them. First, you need to decide on the type of shot you're going to use. Mid shots and close-ups tend to look best when someone is just talking. You want to see their expressions and possibly their hand movements. You might want to do mostly mid shots but zoom in for a close-up shot when the subject is expressing a lot of emotion. Next, you need to decide whether you want them to look at the camera or to look off camera. If the subject is speaking directly to the audience, like Nick is in the video, have them speak to the camera. If they are answering interview questions, have them look to the right of the camera or to the left of the camera and place them in the opposite third of the frame. You can even position the interviewer there so that it seems more natural. You also want to give your interviewer some direction in how they answer questions. It's important that they repeat or paraphrase the question back when answering. This helps you avoid yes and no answers to questions that the audience is not hearing.

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Nick Willoughby heads Filmmaking For Kids and Film Future, a pair of programs designed to teach kids aged 7-16 the various aspects of filmmaking. Nick is also a writer and director for 7 Stream Media, a video and media production firm based in the UK.

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