This is where the cinematographer can have the most influence over the look of the talking-head interview. If you and the director aren’t filming interviews against a fixed background - such as a greenscreen, a black curtain or a pre-made backdrop - you must choose the right background for the subject. In another “talking head” interview from The Social Dilemma, Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center For Humane Technology, is presented against an interesting background that brings depth to the image. Therefore, by making your backgrounds slightly cooler than the foreground, you’re accentuating this concept and adding perceived depth to the image. In nature, shorter light waves get filtered out by atmospheric factors, so objects in the distance appear bluer than objects close to the viewer. Allowing the background to go a little cooler while the subject is a bit warmer can provide a chromatic separation that enables the subject to “pop” in the frame. LED lighting fixtures will give you a lot of flexibility, as they are lightweight, energy-efficient - and, typically, both daylight and tungsten color-balanced.Ĭreating color contrast in lighting can add depth and interest to the frame. (See “Choosing the Location,” below.) You must be able to adapt to all of these situations, and be especially flexible, as documentary filmmakers frequently work with limited re-sources.
This can present the cinematographer with many complications, including mixed color temperatures, mixed sources, harsh architectural lighting and bland backgrounds. Some talking heads are shot in front of a greenscreen, a fixed pattern or colored background, or even silhouetted to protect the speakers’ identities.ĭocumentary interviews are often conducted where the subject lives or works. Depending on the documentary’s style, you might even want a naturalistic effect, like sunlight dappled by a tree. (Images courtesy of Netflix)Ī classic variation of shadow-side can be seen in “Rembrandt-style” lighting, where the key source is off to one side and above the eyeline to create a triangle-shaped highlight on the cheek of the side in shadow - a prototypical “portrait”-style look.
#Shots heads will roll full#
the main camera angle (top) has Kendall’s eyeline just to the side of the camera, while the second angle is a full profile. Former Facebook executive Tim Kendall is lit with Rembrandt-style portrait key lighting for the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, photographed by John Behrens and Jonathan Pope. (See “Eyelines,” below.) In this way, documentary talking heads are an ideal application of the “shadow-side to camera” approach, which offers some dimensionality to the face. The most flattering key light is achieved by placing a large soft source off to one side of the camera and orienting the shadowed side of the subject’s face closer to the camera.
The talking head is a perfect opportunity to break out classic three-point lighting and model the subject with key, fill and backlight. This installment of Shot Craft presents some things to consider when shooting this type of material. Often a key element in documentary productions, this particular kind of shoot tasks the cinematographer with balancing proper modeling of the face - putting the subject in the best light (literally) - while maintaining the project’s overall tone and style. The visual simplicity of the “talking head” interview can be deceiving. At top, cinematographer Kaity Williams captures Sonya Klaus with a “shadow-side to camera” approach for the short-form documentary Sonya Slidez, directed by Abbey Spacil. The “talking head” interview tasks the cinematographer with balancing proper modeling of the face while maintaining the project’s overall tone and style.
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