Interviewing Guests at Weddings and Events

Eric Holloway · January 30th, 2006, 12:10 PM

Well I did a Filipino Debut event this weekend and went for the "give me a resource and bring me some *interviewees*" approach. I actually setup my camera on a tripod, a mic stand and attached my handheld sennheiser to it so I could set focus and lighting correctly before the line started. And I did have a line! It worked out perfect. I will never do a table to table interview again.

The only thing I think I'll never do again is use my collapsable green screen... LOL... It's hard to pull a good key when you don't have good lighting on the green screen itself but I'll manage.

Eric

Mike Toledano · April 27th, 2006, 03:45 PM

I hope you don't mind me bringing back this ancient thread but a lot of great points were made.

I plan to start filming bar mitzvahs soon and I was wondering how interviews are usually conducted. In most of the videos I have seen, the table interview style was used.

The last bar mitzvah I was at has at least 30 tables, and people finished eating within a half hour - I figured this wouldn't leave me a long time to shoot. So how are table interviews conducted? Do you simply film the most important people, in this case the boy's family and close friends, or do you try to get around to every table?

Travis Cossel · April 27th, 2006, 03:55 PM

I start with the most important people and go until I run out of time (ie, something more important comes along).

Pat Sherman · April 28th, 2006, 08:41 AM

We usually don't do them.. Does that help? Just kidding..well sorta..

A great way to do it and if the B&G clear it. Setup right outside the reception location to a quite area or less noisy. Then have the DJ make announcements during the reception that the B&G would like to hear from you in a video message and the videographers will be setup at XX Locations. DJ's are pretty good about it.

I had one Bride who wanted them so bad, that all the table cards included instructions and a HOW-TO on what to say to the Bride and Groom. We had 80 interviews done at that wedding. It was well worth it in that case, since I knew how important it was to the bride.

But typically I don't offer to do them, because most of them are "Hey #$#K HEAD you finally did it, BEER IS GOOD!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

Travis Cossel · April 28th, 2006, 12:07 PM

LOL - too true. My worst one was when the mother of the bride just kept putting me off all night. 4 hours into the reception I finally got her to give her personal message, but she was drunk, and it's was a real pain figuring out whether or not to even include it in the final video.

April 27th, 2006, 03:55 PM	#18
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I start with the most important people and go until I run out of time (ie, something more important comes along). __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

April 28th, 2006, 12:07 PM	#20
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	LOL - too true. My worst one was when the mother of the bride just kept putting me off all night. 4 hours into the reception I finally got her to give her personal message, but she was drunk, and it's was a real pain figuring out whether or not to even include it in the final video. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

January 30th, 2006, 12:10 PM	#16
Eric Holloway Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Clarita, CA Posts: 173	Well I did a Filipino Debut event this weekend and went for the "give me a resource and bring me some interviewees" approach. I actually setup my camera on a tripod, a mic stand and attached my handheld sennheiser to it so I could set focus and lighting correctly before the line started. And I did have a line! It worked out perfect. I will never do a table to table interview again. The only thing I think I'll never do again is use my collapsable green screen... LOL... It's hard to pull a good key when you don't have good lighting on the green screen itself but I'll manage. Eric

April 27th, 2006, 03:45 PM	#17
Mike Toledano Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 85	I hope you don't mind me bringing back this ancient thread but a lot of great points were made. I plan to start filming bar mitzvahs soon and I was wondering how interviews are usually conducted. In most of the videos I have seen, the table interview style was used. The last bar mitzvah I was at has at least 30 tables, and people finished eating within a half hour - I figured this wouldn't leave me a long time to shoot. So how are table interviews conducted? Do you simply film the most important people, in this case the boy's family and close friends, or do you try to get around to every table?

April 28th, 2006, 08:41 AM	#19
Pat Sherman Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: DuPont, Wa Posts: 325	We usually don't do them.. Does that help? Just kidding..well sorta.. A great way to do it and if the B&G clear it. Setup right outside the reception location to a quite area or less noisy. Then have the DJ make announcements during the reception that the B&G would like to hear from you in a video message and the videographers will be setup at XX Locations. DJ's are pretty good about it. I had one Bride who wanted them so bad, that all the table cards included instructions and a HOW-TO on what to say to the Bride and Groom. We had 80 interviews done at that wedding. It was well worth it in that case, since I knew how important it was to the bride. But typically I don't offer to do them, because most of them are "Hey #$#K HEAD you finally did it, BEER IS GOOD!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"