Interview Techniques

There are a range of different interview techniques. These consist of types of questions, styles of interviews, structuring of interviews and the communication skills involved. These are what I will be talking about throughout this post.

Types of questions

There are two main types of questions and these are open and closed questions, and direct and suggestive questions.

Open question are ones where they can be answered freely and with a variety of answers whereas closed questions are usually restricted to yes and no answers. Open questions are useful in interviews to make it seem like a conversation and it keeps it going. They give a more relaxed feel to the interview, making the interviewee feel more comfortable and allows them to open up more. However, closed questions could make the setting feel awkward and very staged as it will be one question after another. This may make the interviewee feel as though the interviewer is reading from a list of questions and don’t know how to conduct an interview well or that they may be new to the job.

Direct questions are ones where you ask someone what you want to know in a way that may seem like you’re interrogating them. Suggestive questions are those where the answer is implied. For example, if you were getting to know someone, a question that you could ask them is “When you were younger, what did you want to be when you were older?” This question can give a wide variety of answers, each one being different from person to person.

Interview Styles

There are four different interview styles. These are hard news, entertainment, promotional and investigative.

Hard News

Hard news interviews are normally short and to the point whilst also getting as much information as possible. They deal with important facts or opinions.

Key information to take note of when conduction a hard news interview is:

·         Difficult questions must be asked to be able to show others how you react under pressure and to see if you can think on your feet

·         Make the questions short and concise to get straight to the point

Good questions to ask within hard news can be:

• ·         When did it happen?
• ·         What about the direct affects?
• ·         What is the amount of damage caused?

These questions depend on the situation can be a good starting point.

Tips and tricks for this type of interview:

• ·         Structure the questions you’re going to be asking
• ·         Have a strong lead
• ·         Provide quotes throughout the interview
• ·         Make your interviewee feel comfortable

Investigative

Investigative interviews are typically used in policing to find out information from suspects that is unknown at that time. This helps to direct an investigation, support a prosecution and help restore the public’s faith in the force.

Some helpful tips to consider when conducting this type of interview are:

• ·         Asking for clarification
• ·         Repeating any misunderstood questions back to be sure it’s correct
• ·         Rephrase and repeat avoided questions
• ·         Reminding the interviewee that they are under caution (in terms of police interviews)

Interview Structuring

There are six main parts to the structuring of an interview which are the introduction, developmental questions, confidence building, key questions, soundbites and the summary and wrap-up.

Introduction

The introduction is the most important part of an interview because the way that you present yourself and the way that you speak to the interviewee will set the attitude of the whole interview, as well as the impression you will be setting for the interviewee.

Developmental Questions

Developmental questions are those where your original questions can then produce another question from the answer given so that the interview seems more like a conversation rather than a set of question.

Confidence Building

Confidence building when interviewing someone is asking the interviewee a random question that is still relevant to the topic at hand. This makes them feel more comfortable, allowing them to open up more rather than being reserved.

Key Questions

Asking key questions allows you to get the information that you want by getting straight to the point. By asking a few questions, your interviewee won’t get annoyed and will carry on the interview as there will be a mix of different types of questions asked.

Soundbites

A soundbite is a small section that has been cut out from the whole of the interview. They can be cut to give us the most important and most relevant information to advertise the interview. Clips can then be further used for videos that may be made later on for voice overs.

Summary and Wrap-Up

The summary and the wrap-up allows the interviewee to know that the interview is over and then summarise what has been said throughout. This can be important for someone they may be deaf as it could be then posted online in a written form so that people are able to read the interview as well as being able to watch it.

Communication Skills

Communication skills are very important when conducting an interview. Without them, the interview would fail or wouldn’t take place at all.

Building Rapport

Building rapport is important to be before and after an interview. Building it before hand allows the interviewee to become comfortable around you as you know what you will be talking about during the interview. The main reason why we build rapport is to make to other person presume that you both think along the same lines.

Active Listening

Active listening shows the interviewee that you are listening to every word that they are speaking and that you are really taking in what they are saying.

Body Language

Having the correct body language is important to make the interviewee feel comfortable and relaxed in the setting that they are in. having the correct body language results in them showing a respectful body language in return.

Telephone Techniques

Some interviews have to be taken over the phone due to a variety of different reasons. However, with phone interviews, we have to make sure of a couple of things. One of these is building the same rapport as you would if you were face-to-face so that they feel comfortable to answer your questions and feel comfortable with the interview in general. We also need to make sure that we keep level-headed and calm throughout the interview as it helps them to remain calm and comfortable and influences them to answer the questions in more detail than they may have done to just anyone. It is important to not go over the top with questions or with your tone of voice as it can make the interviewee feel scared and that they don’t want to continue with the interview. The final thing is to not make the questions too generic and make them unique so that it is something that they haven’t been asked before or so that it isn’t similar to what they have been asked before.

History of Editing

Editing: the modification of material for a publication. Material such as audio, visual and written.
Focusing on visual editing, it had definitely come a long way as the technology has advanced. Since it's start in 1882 with the Kinetoscope, made by Thomas Edison, it has gone from cutting physical pieces of film and taping them together in an order which you wish to clicking and dragging with the pressing of a few buttons to get a similar effect.
The Kinetoscope was a simple simple design with it being a box with the reel of film inside with a glass screen which you could look through to see the picture after putting the correct value coin into the machine. During this time, this was the most common way of viewing any visual content created. The Kinetoscope has been featured in Bioshock Infinate as a form of foreshadowing. An example from the game is below:

Moving on from the Kinetoscope, the first moving image was created by Eadweard Muybridge. Eadweard was a photographer who grouped a collection of photos together and created a moving image when placing multiple pictures that he had taken one after each other to make it look like the topic of the picture was moving when looking at them one after each other. These images were placed against a reel with gaps in so that you could look through after spinning it, it created the illusion of the subject moving. An example is below:

The technology of editing began to become more advanced and there was more knowledge on the whole editing system. The Lumiere Brothers, which consisted of Auguste and Louis, were the first filmmakers and created The Cinematographe. The Cinematographe is the combination of the camera, with the printer and projector. This was much smaller than the Kinetoscope and was was hand cranked meaning that you could watch it at your own speed rather than having to watch it at the speed that the reels would move. Also this used a film speed of 16 fps (frames per second) whereas the kinetoscope used 48 fps which is a lot slower but this allowed people to be able to see more within the frames and also this meant that less film was used. An example of The Cinematographe is below:

Edwin S. Porter created the continuity editing. He had a lot of electrical engineering knowledge which helped with his line of work within the Vitascope Marketing Company. He used to make illegal duplicates of films and he would do this by taking act reels apart and joining many parts together to make a short 15 minute programme. The main way that this was done was on a workstation where the film would be cut by hand and taped back together in the desired sequence. This was a good way to start off, however, a lot of the footage would have been lost due to misplacing it when cutting the different films.
Turned 1931, Wilhelm Steenbeck created the flat bed editor which allowed people to edit their reels of film still by the cutting and sticking method but you could see the image on a screen rather than having to look very closely at piece of film in the light. Also, the reels would fit onto the table and spin how you would like them to to show the picture. An example of the editor is below:

Moving even further on, the first non-linear editing system, known as the CMX 600, was released in 1971 and this allowed editors to digitally edit their films without the fuss of cutting and taping piece of films together by hand. Having this made editing history with only 6 being produced and it made things more simple when it came to creating something. 

1984 comes along and a man called George Lucas created the Editdroid and this allowed editors to edit everything digitally with the footage stored onto laser disks rather than film. This was a good idea to start out with, however, this system didn't work very well and the company that created this, which was a spin off of the company Droid Works, was shut down in 1987. 

Other machines were created and they tried to use banks of VCR's as a way of storing the footage. But it would found that this way of storage meant that they were very slow and was not used often.

The company EMC2 created the first all digital offline non-linear editor in 1988 which had all its data on optical disks. This allowed editors to cut and paste in different clips during a show so that it could run smoother and with a story-line. 

The Avid 1 was released not long after in 1989 which was a Macintosh based non-linear editor and this was the gold standard for editing in Hollywood. The main problem with this was that there wasn't much storage so as technology advanced, in 1995, more storage was added to make it a 7TB. This allowed it to hold a feature length film and only low quality tape was used. 

Another problem with the Avid 1 system was that it was so expensive so the company Media 100 and Adobe Premier tried to reduce the price. But in 1998, Final Cut Pro was released as an editing software which was then later bought but Steve Jobs and Apple and has made it into the Final Cut Pro that we know today on Apple products.

Editing has come a long way since the start and it has definitely been due to the advancement in technology. We have gone from filming on reels which were expensive to buy and use, to now being able to film onto a memory card with more storage and with less of an expense; from cutting and taping the separate films together after looking closely at each individual piece to cutting and dragging to get the sequence that you desire within a few of clicks with it all being digital.

The main reason that we edit it to make a sequence of clips run smoothly, to make the final product look better and so that we can tell a story-line through it. We also edit to add in any parts that may not have been there whilst filming. This can include things such as the setting if shots were filmed with a green-screen and adding in little extra things such as, using the film Deadpool as an example, speech bubbles and boxes with texts in.

Continuity editing allows for a smooth final piece as it is the cutting and pasting together of clips to make one long film/video.
Jump cuts is the quick transition between clips. By using jump cuts, it can allow for the setting of that scene to change between intimate and more awkward. 
The 180 degree rule is the standard rule that any filmmaker abides. The rule is that both characters should stay on the same side when being filmed whether that be on the left or the right but the camera should not flip to the other side to break the rule.
Shot-reverse-shot is the process of showing a character talking to another and then flipping it round to see the second character talking to the original character and this allows us as viewers to see what is happening from both sides. 
Cutting to a sound track is that when there is a main beat change in the song that you may be using, the video will cut to another clip which could be a different perspective or different clip whatsoever. This helps to make the video more interesting and can help it to tell more of a story.

Photography Practise

Photography is the art or practice of taking and processing photographs. There are a variety of applications to serve a range of purposes. One of these is advertising photography. 
Advertising Photography
Advertising photography is used to grab peoples attention and they can be complex or very simple. These type of photos are used in magazines, billboards and also flyers. They help to generate profit by exaggerating what the product looks like so that people would buy them. This makes them commercial photography.
Here are a few examples of this type of photography:

This example of advertising photography is on the front of a magazine and is advertising the show House M.D. This magazine cover grabs people's attention due to the bright colours. As this will catch everyone's attention because of how bright it is, it is good advertising and it encourages people to look at it and inside and potentially buy it.

 

I find this picture to give a big impact as it shows the hard truth of what could happen whilst smoking. This shows someone with a toe tag on which identifies a dead person which resembles what will happen if people smoke a lot and it affects them so much that they may die young. Using this as an example influences people to stop smoking.

A final example of advertising photography is the picture below:

I like this picture because it's an amusing way to advertise the Tabasco sauce. This sauce is known for feeling as though as your mouth is on fire and the fire extinguisher is ironic and funny.

Promotional Photography

Promotional photography is the publicising of a product, organisation, or venture to increase public interest to influence sales. This type of photography is similar to advertising as they are both influencing the sales of a product. However, promotional is different because this type can be easily changed or modified. 

Here are some examples:

This promotion is for a Canadian engraving company. It's an advert that is simple but effective as it catches the eye. There's not too much on there but enough to promote the business and the kind of jewellery that they engrave thins onto. 

Promotional photography is popular for bands to advertise them and their music. This one by the photography Tom Di Maggio is an interesting one as it shows the members of the band looking at a large poster of themselves. It's unusual and makes people question it but that could be a good thing because it could mean that it's on peoples minds. 

This picture is to advertise Shrek: The Musical. It's a simple photograph for a promotional piece but is effective because of the bright colours of Fiona's dress and Lord Farquaad's outfit. The donkey suggests that it's quite comical like the musical and the film. Even though it's simple, it will catch the eyes of millions because they will have seen Shrek many a time before. 

Fashion Photography

Fashion photography is the displaying of clothes and other fashion items such as shoes and jewellery. It is mainly used in fashion magazines and as advertisements. 

Here are some examples:

This example is simple but very effective. The blurred background draws the attention to the woman that's modelling the dress. Also, the bright colours draw the eye to the dress. The centre of the focus is the woman modelling the dress.

I like this photography because it is different to what you would usually see. The bright colours catch the eye like the unusual material used on the right does too. The centre of the focus is on the material because it is brightly coloured compared to the dull ones of the woman and it seems more in focus than the rest. You can tell that the photo has been edited a lot to give everything a smooth look which could link to whatever the brand the brand is advertising.

This photography is very common due to the well-known brand Gucci. The main focus of this photo is the glasses as that is what they are advertising. By using a man and a woman, it will catch the eye of both genders as that is what they are providing for. The picture has some quite dull colours which could match the simplicity of the glasses but the pattern gives it a brighter atmosphere.

Photojournalism Photography

Photojournalism is is the collecting, editing and presenting of images that are news material to tell a story. This type of photography is typically used for tragedies such as death and war. 

Here are some examples:

This type of picture is the most common one that you will see with photojournalism. This shows poverty with using random bottles for what I presume is water and the goat in the back looks malnourished. Smoke can be seen in the background which could suggest burning which could suggest that there could have been a disaster which could have resulted in poverty. This is good photojournalism as it will make an impact on people and at the time, it will have been in the public interest. 

This photo suggests that something extreme is happening because of all the police lined up in one long line. However, the man juggling could suggest that he's trying to make light of whatever maybe happening by distracting people to enjoy watching him juggle rather than concentrating on what may be happening in the background. At the time, this photo would have been in the public interest which makes it good photojournalism.

This photograph has to be one of the most iconic examples of photojournalism. This is of the Vietnam war when the napalm bomb had dropped and the children are running away. No matter what, this photo will always be remembered it has had such a huge impact on everyone. An example of brilliant photojournalism is this picture. 

Portraiture Photography

Portraiture photography is the capturing of a subject, which is normally a person or a group of people, where the facial features are prominent. Each type of portraiture photography will be different due to the different styles.. They are mainly based on the photographers tips and recommendations and the preference of the subject. 

Here are a few examples:

I like this first example a lot because everyone can relate to it. The image only shows half of the woman and the rest is blacked out. This could suggest that the woman is only showing people what she wants others to see her like and the blacked out part is what she doesn't show people and keeps hidden.

I also like this example as it is very simple yet effective. The chains and the hands on the woman's shoulders could suggest that someone is controlling her and the hardened expression on her face could infer that she doesn't want to be there but she is being forced to be there and this could be because she has gone through a lot.

This examples is interesting as it makes you question what it means. Looking at it, it makes me think that it's perhaps about a broken home due the worn-down door and frame, and the black and white of the photo suggests a dull mood. 

Architectural Photography

Architectural photography is the photographing of buildings and similar structures that are aesthetically pleasing and are accurate representations. This type of photography is one of the most popular types for using leading lines and the rule of thirds and this is what makes them so aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Here are a few examples:

I love this one because it is almost perfectly symmetrical which is pleasing on the eye. The ceiling has the most prominent leading lines along with the floor and which leads the viewers eyes to a point where the tunnel is no longer visible to the eye. Leading lines leave people interested in the picture which is why architectural photography is so popular.

This one is a simple way of showing leading lines. Due to the one building being the feature, your eyes are instantly drawn to it and your eyes are led towards the top of the building due to the leading lines. It has been heavily edited but it gives the picture as a whole a nice effect and brightens what may have been a dull picture to begin with.

Saltburn Pier is brilliant for leading lines. This is just one example from there. Looking down the pier, it seems to get smaller as the railings lead your eyes down towards the end. They lead you towards the sky also which gives the whole picture a peaceful atmosphere.

Fine Art Photography

Fine art photography is the idea, message or emotion that a photographer has. These images can include text or can just be the image itself with a bit of editing to emphasise its features.

Here are a few examples:

This is a simple example of fine art but an effective one. The tree and the picture as a whole being black and white gives a gloomy effect and could represent death due to the tree not having any leaves. 

This one is very interesting with the way that it has been shot. Showing two sets of stairs with what looks like two different scenes with each set could suggest different ways of life. Down the stairs looks like there is greenery behind the window which could suggest an easy way to live and the way to follow the crowd. However, up the stairs looks like there is a winter scene which could suggest a struggle in life because of climbing the stairs as well. 

A simple example is an effective one and this is one of them. The leading lines lead you to the end of the pier and into nothing which creates the sense of loneliness.

Documentary Photography

Documentary photography is used to chronicle events or environments that are significant and relevant to history and historical events as well as everyday life.

Here are a few examples:

This photo is very morbid but can show the truth about the extreme things that can happen with attack and things such as the Holocaust. The amount of skulls and bones suggests a large amount of people have been through the same treatment and have resulted in being dead. 

On a happier note, a good thing to document is family life and that is what this one is doing. We can see a mother playing her son and the father smiling in the background. This is one of the pleasant examples of documentary photography.

Here we can see what looks like an American football/rugby team getting a pep talk from their captain before the game. This is an interesting one for documentary as it is covering sports unlike the typical pictures in this category about disasters or subjects like that. 

My Representation: Documentary Photography

Original Picture

To make this photo a bit darker, I added a filter on top.

I upped the brightness so that it wasn't too dark and upped the contrast to also make it a bit brighter.

I upped the vibrancy to try and make the colours more prominent.

I added a blur in so that there would be more focus on the hands which are the centre of focus that I wanted.

This is my final piece. It is simple editing but I feel it gives just the right effect. As you can tell by the picture, it is a couple holding hands whilst in the hospital. My thought process for this picture was that there is always someone who loves you even in the hard times and that they are always there.