best cut for an interview

taormina

taormina

Hates to Rent
I'm editing a ton of interview footage right now. I'm trying to think of the best cut / transition for editing a 2-3 minute piece where a man is talking.

It seems that cuts are a little harsh, especially since sometimes the subject's head moves from clip to clip and it looks like a jump cut.

I was thinking dissolves...any opinions?
 
Most of my editing is interview footage - if its cuts to the same person I use a short dissolve - 10-15 frames. If his head doesnt move alot and the cut makes sense I periodically get away with 5 frame dissolves that you can't see if you arent looking for them. Looks like the guy just keeps talking. Useful for cutting stutters or ummm and ahhhs. I use straight cuts between different people though as most of what I do is going to web and the compression just terrorizes my dissolves.

Every once in a while I'll have a sequence with the same person talking and there will be a cut and in the next scene they are talking about something totally different - there I dip to black to signify something new. Would be interested to hear what others do though, I just kinda make mine up as I go along.
 
Often, a very effective technique is to cut to a visual of what the interviewee is talking about. "Show, don't tell" is a good rule for any visual medium; in the interview environment, "show AND tell" is a great way to go. (And, it covers the cuts.)
 
Jeff - exactly what I was looking for.

David - I'm doing a lot of that, but there are a bunch of times where I need the viewer to see the expression on the interviewee's face and he has a tendency to ummm and ahhhh alot which resulted in quite a few quick cuts.

Thanks guys!
 
Glad I could help Adam. I get stuck in similar situation because the client doesnt want b-roll or wants it done cheap and yesterday so b-roll just isnt an option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top