Interview in a small room - ideas needed

PegLeg Media

PegLeg Media

Well-known member
I am filming a series of 7 interviews next thursday in a small rectangle room that is very plain. I am looking for ideas to spice up the background and make this interview look interesting. Its an all white room and I cant get far enough back to defocus the background much (ill be using the panasonic 25mm 1.4). The only thing on any of the walls is some glass panel next to the door. Anyone have ideas to spice this up? gray backdrop? Plant? artwork/painting? Light on the wall? Would love some ideas or to see any pics of what you guys have done to film in a small room. Here is a quick picture of the corner of the room (no lights, different camera, just showing the angle/room):
summit interview test.jpg
 
if i may ask, what is the intent of the interviews?

upbeat? dramatic?

what emotional response are you hoping for from this piece?

be well.

rob
smalltalk.productions
 
First suggestion... Move the interviews out of the little room.

I know, I know, can't do it. I have been there done that.

Can you light the glass panels from behind adding a colored gel to match the companies color scheme and frame it as the background?
 
David's idea with the glass is good. In general, I would go for color separation before putting objects in the frame. If you can get the back wall to look cooler in temperature than the subject, for example.
 
Overpower the key light and block out ambient light to get an exposure separation. Then ad some texture on the background with another light. Be it cooler or just the same temperature.
 
Yeah, you can create some visual texture with lighting.

Another option is curtains/drapes in a dark red or grey velvet, minimally lit.
 
One of the best lights you can ever buy if you shoot a lot of interviews is a Source Four and a bunch of patterns(and a dimmer). So inexpensive and versatile. I own two and almost everyone I know has at least one.
 
Yes, I was going to suggest a backdrop and throw an oblique goboed light on it. Source Fours are great. I have been using a Dedolight Light a DLHM-4 with gobos and a projector for a LONG time. Does the same thing a Source Four but they are smaller.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...4_300U_Universal_150W_Spotlight_On_Board.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...t_DP1_Projection_Attachment_w_85mm_f_2_8.html

You don't need to spend a ton of money though. You can just buy a traditional gobo flag or make one out of foam core.
 
I like what Osslund is suggesting. Regarding versatile lights that are small and pack a punch, a less expensive alternative is a used micro-ellipse or used master ellipse from Altman.

The micro-elipse is a 75w tungsten. Now that may not sound like a lot of light, but keep in mind that it focuses a beam between 20 and 50 degrees. It has gobo, gel, focus, cutters, and zoom capabilities.You can shape the light any way you want without the need for barn doors, or flags. It is very small and versatile (less than $100 on ebay).

If you want more punch, the Altman CDM Master ellipse is a 150w metal halide (white in the picture). It has the same features as the micro ellipse. It also can be had for about $100 on ebay.

The size, versatility, and light from these make them a great option for this situation.

 
IF you cant afford a gobo set up you can - dont start a fire - just cut a random pattern in some cardboard say 2.2 and place that in front of the light that is hitting the rear wall

random pattern and frost works well

S
 
A plant on one side, a practical on another. Set the camera a little lower (not as far as Greg Toland in "Citizen Kane" lower but lower nonetheless). Suggest that the subjects of these interviews wear darker colors or patterned clothing, so not to blend into the wall. Do not blast the back wall with the light.

PS. If the budget can bear it, find/rent a full frame - 5D MKIII/Sony A7S type - camera, which will give you a very shallow depth of field. Then make sure your subjects don't rock back and forth in that chair. Agree beforehand to give them a sign, if they do.
 
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Paul F said:
I like what Osslund is suggesting. Regarding versatile lights that are small and pack a punch, a less expensive alternative is a used micro-ellipse or used master ellipse from Altman.

The micro-elipse is a 75w tungsten. Now that may not sound like a lot of light, but keep in mind that it focuses a beam between 20 and 50 degrees. It has gobo, gel, focus, cutters, and zoom capabilities.You can shape the light any way you want without the need for barn doors, or flags. It is very small and versatile (less than $100 on ebay).

If you want more punch, the Altman CDM Master ellipse is a 150w metal halide (white in the picture). It has the same features as the micro ellipse. It also can be had for about $100 on ebay.

The size, versatility, and light from these make them a great option for this situation.

Click to expand...


Now that's interesting! Thanks for posting.
 
a gobo type light has been on my wishlist, this set of interviews has no budget, just the equipment we own already. I have a nikon d750 with the 85mm 1.8 lens which i like for interviews but in the small room i think ill be better off with my panasonic gh4 (25mm 1.4) and my gh3 45mm 1.8 as the close up B camera.
 
I want to thank all you guys for your help and suggestions. Filming interviews will be a big part of my new job and trying to find creative ways to set up an interview is my favorite part about video so its fun to learn different set ups and trying your ideas. Here are some of the set ups i tried today in a room 15x8. Let me know which you think I should use for my group interviews thursday and ways to maybe spice up some of these for future projects. I assume everyone will agree the 4th or 5th will be the go to but Id also like some more ideas how you guys would make the first 3 more interesting if you had no back drop. Thanks again and for anyone interested ill post what i did for each set up below the photo. Thanks!

interview setups.jpg

1. 2 soft led lights on me and i used your guys idea to put the third light behind the glass. I had to put a blue gel on it as well to keep it blue instead of orange from the hallways lights.

2. Same set up but i put the back light in the room as a hair light and took the blue gel off.

3. To decorate the background i tried putting the blue gel on the light and sprayed that against the back wall. If i wasnt wearing a blue shirt and turned the light down some this might have worked.

(what else could i throw in this shot to make it interesting? plant? painting? film closer so the window took up more space?)

4. 2 lights on me and the 3rd light with a blue gel pointing at the background (this is my favorite).

5. 2 lights on my face and the third light rotated from the backdrop to a hair light. I also took the blue gel off.
 
IMHO, four and five are okay but not great. If it was me, I would be going with number one but adding a another light/cucloris pattern on the wall in a contrasting warm hue. Cool to warm or vice versa is a nice color contrast spread. Black looks good but boring.
 
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I dont have another light and all my lights are soft LED lights so its hard to make a cookie. Last time i tried to cut one out of foam core you could also see every imperfection in the bad cutting job i did. I think the blinds look would be really cool, since im using daylight balanced lights in the rest of the room would you use a 32k light for the blinds? Thanks for the input!
 
First give us a wider photo of the room! What's to the left where the glass is? What if you shoot towards the door/glass?
 
1 and 4 look ok. PAR bulbs are cheap. Pick your favorite wattage and size (with an E26 base). If you don't have a PAR can, use a $5 base and hold it with a clamp. Make a snoot out of foil if you don't have a PAR can and then the cookie will work.
 
Paul F said:
1 and 4 look ok. PAR bulbs are cheap. Pick your favorite wattage and size (with an E26 base). If you don't have a PAR can, use a $5 base and hold it with a clamp. Make a snoot out of foil if you don't have a PAR can and then the cookie will work.
Click to expand...

Good advice. Everyone needs a spot source to light with. Even a cheap one like this. Fresnel is better but a lot more money than a PAR can.
 
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