How A Major Media Outlet – Vice- Interviews Remotely

SELF RECORDING INSTRUCTIONS (Horizontal video)

Phone Filming Techniques

1. Background

a. Make sure other people’s

faces are not in view.

b. This is a selfie video so only

you should be in the frame as

much as possible

2. Lighting

a. Make sure that there are no

bright lights behind you – like

windows, lamps or even a

sunlit wall.

b. Instead, put the bright light

source at about a 45° angle in

front of you so that the light

plays on your face but the

phone does not cast a

shadow.

3. Framing

a. Make sure the phone isn’t

off-kilter or at a weird angle –

keep the horizon line level.

 Bad

Good

HORIZONTAL RECORDING

 Recording your selfie video: HORIZONTAL RECORDING

1. Make sure you have the video turned HORIZONTALLY.

2. Put your phone into “DO NOT DISTURB” mode.

3. Launch the camera app and enable the front-facing camera (“selfie” mode) — No need to have

an additional person filming you.

4. Press the record button and wait a few seconds for it to start.

5. “Slate” your video – tell us “My name is ___, I’m __ and I live in ____.

6. When you’re done, make sure to finish clearly and then give a few seconds of silence (we call

this an “edit handle”).

7. Then let us know that you’re finished so we know that the video didn’t get cut off.

8. Stop the recording.

 Recording your immersive/POV video: HORIZONTAL RECORDING

1. Make sure you have the video turned HORIZONTALLY.

2. Put your phone into “DO NOT DISTURB” mode.

3. Launch the camera app

4. Press the record button and wait a few seconds for it to start.

5. Please say what you are doing and where you are going. Self narration is key.

6. Make sure to show us the world around you – if you are moving through a space, make sure to

“slow down” your shots. If you are narrating and mention a specific thing you’re seeing, make

sure to stop and film the thing you’re talking about.

7. When you’re done, make sure to finish clearly and then give a few seconds of silence (we call

this an “edit handle”).

8. Then let us know that you’re finished so we know that the video didn’t get cut off.

9. Stop the recording.

 Examples of videos with good light and background: HORIZONTAL RECORDING

Indoors with blank wall. Light source 45 degrees

behind phone (window best) .

Indoors with vague room in the background. Light

source directly behind phone with no shadow cast

on the face

 Remember noise is an issue!

Outdoors in a quiet, controlled space with a

neutral background.

Outdoors in a noisy area using headphones for

clean sound.

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Follow these instructions to record a Skype call.

Setting up your subject

Ideally, your subject will connect to the internet via ethernet and turn wifi off on their computer. Wifi – no matter

how fast the connection – causes glitchy video.

Once the subject is at the location, and on the device they plan to use for the interview:

Have them got to speedtest.net , run a speed test, and provide all three numbers – ping, download, and upload

speeds. If the upload speed on their end is less than 3.5 mbps, they need to find a new location. 3.5 mbps

upload is the minimum bandwidth for acceptable quality video.

Have them watch this short video to build a good setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMex-9FyljU

Make sure your subject has a working pair of headphones. This is very important.

Do a test Skype call with your subject for at least 2 minutes. You’re looking to confirm the following:

● The webcam quality is useable. Webcams break. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

● Your subjects microphone is useable. Internal microphones sometimes pick up computer fan noise.

● Make sure they can hear you.

Setting up to record

First, install Skype (available in self service).

Next, install the paid version of ECamm Call Recorder on the laptop or computer that will be running the

interview. I recommend using the fastest computer you can find, ideally a mac pro with an external webcam.

Once installed, go to Skype preferences. Use these settings: (note: use normal video quality if your computer

does not have a separate gpu. If in doubt, use normal)

Last update – September 14th, 2016

Before you interview anyone

Check your network connection. You should use Ethernet, not wifi, when possible.

3.5 Mbps download and upload speed are the minimum acceptable speeds.

There is no excuse for having a bad internet connection on your end . If your network is shaky, don’t use it

to do the interview.

Running the interview

● Make sure both the host and subject are wearing headphones. If you are not both wearing

headphones, you risk polluting the audio track.

○ If the subject does not have headphones, or you don’t want them wearing headphones, make

sure to mute your microphone on Skype while they are talking. You risk creating a feedback

loop otherwise.

● Connect the call, make sure everyone is ready to go, then hit the record button on the call recorder

floating menu.

After the interview

Take the recording, and use eCamm Movie Tools too to split the sides of the conversation.

Open eCamm movie tools, at the bottom of the window select “seperate files”, then hit export.

You will have two clean records – one for each side of the call.

Notes

● Skype only supports 720p video.

Last update – September 14th, 2016

● Your frame rate depends on the camera on the other end of the interview, bandwidth, and a lot of other

things. You can expect frame rates like 10, 15, 29.97. Run the record through handbrake to conform.

Last update – September 14th, 2016