How to Shoot an Interview with RŌV Pro

We are all about saving time and having an efficient workflow. Professional looking interviews are a vital part of corporate or documentary filmmaking. In this video, we wanted to share with you our minimal interview shooting kit using RŌV Pro - all the way from location scouting to setting up gear. Read about our step by step process below.

Camera - Sony a7iii

This camera is great due to its versatility. It can shoot in SLOG for that flatter profile so we can have more play room in post production. It can also shoot in 4K along with 60p and 120p for some nice slow motion b-roll.

 

Audio - Rode RODELink Wireless Lav Kit

This is our go-to lavalier mic setup. On most of our interview shoots, we bring a shotgun mic and boom setup. However, when we want to stay compact and light, we love to use lavalier mics because they get the job done well.

 

Tripod - Manfrotto 755XB

This tripod is awesome because it has the built in ball-head. It allows us to level and angle our slider with ease. It's also sturdy so we never have to worry about it tipping over.

 

Motorized Slider - RŌV Pro Traveler

Our app controlled motorized slider. Using a motorized slider for interviews is crucial because it gives a much more dynamic and compelling look when the shot is slightly moving. Having movement in your interview will grab the attention of the audience much better versus just a static shot on a tripod.

 

Lightstand - Manfrotto 5001B

An ultra light weight and compact light stand. But we would not recommend using it for any big or heavier lights. Its perfect for those smaller pocket size lights.

 

Lighting - Litra Pro

This little guy is amazing. It is a bi-color LED light that can illuminate an entire room. We have even used it as a key light before. In this case, we used it as a hair light on our subject.

 

ND Filter - Tiffen Variable ND Filter

Our go-to ND filters are usually PolarPro branded. However we like to occasionally use variable ND filters if we are using natural lighting and sun position is constantly changing.

Finding the right spot to setup the interview will be a crucial step in making sure the shot looks professional. Since we did not have a large light with us, we had to find a room that had a lot of natural light. Having a lot of natural light on a cloudy day will allow you to ditch the big lighting equipment you would normally need on an interview shoot.

Now there are a few different ways you can position your interviewee for the shot. For us, we like to go with an off centered framing with the interviewee not looking at the camera. It almost gives the viewer a feel of watching in on the interview which is what we are going for. To pull this off, we had Stefanie positioned on the left side of the camera and facing Edward as he asked the questions right next to the slider.

The fun part - setting up camera movement. Using RŌV Pro couldn't be any easier. All you have to do is open the RŌV Motion App and power on RŌV. The settings we used are in the image above.

Duration: this is how long it will take for the camera to slide across to the other side

Ramp: this setting adjusts how long it takes for RŌV to reach full speed or how smooth it eases in and eases out at each end.

Loop: this is where you can decide whether or not you want the slider to go back and forth on its own. It is important that you turn loop ON for interviews. This will allow you to focus on conducting the interview and not on the slider.