Trending: Remote Interviews in Cinematography for clients in London and beyond
How Remote Interviews Have Changed my Work as a Director of Photography in San Francisco
Hey, what's up, guys? It's Marcos here. Welcome back to my blog, where I share insights and stories from my work as a cinematographer and Director of Photography in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you missed it from a few weeks ago, check out my recent post about my process for filming Crown for CBS Sports.
Today, I want to talk about something that's changed the game for me—remote interviews.
On Trend: Remote set up for client for a project
It’s become a very popular way to interview subjects for overseas clients
When COVID-19 hit globally, it paused our ability to travel and, ultimately, stopped a lot of businesses from doing things they would typically do. But, like most sectors, the film industry adapted to the times, and that's when I started getting requests to conduct remote interviews to follow safety protocols. They'd ask, "Can you set up the cameras and go to the talent's home or office space?" So, I'd set up the cameras, connect the audio, and feed everything via Zoom (OK, that's the simplified setup explanation, but watch my video for more details below).
During and even after the pandemic, production companies quickly realized they could save time and money by conducting interviews remotely. Before 2019, I set up one or two of these every few months. Now, they've become the method because it allows producers to cover more ground in the shortest amount of time. In some cases, Producers are conducting multiple interviews in different locations around the country (San Francisco and then LA, for example) within a week, which would have been more difficult a few years ago.
I've had the pleasure of working with some great production companies on these kinds of projects, including Arrow Media. I worked with them on interviews for Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Investigation Discovery.
One memorable project was a remote shoot in San Francisco for a production company based in Mumbai. They couldn't fly in, so I set up three cameras and connected them to Zoom. Multiple clients from different companies joined in, ensuring everything was said correctly. It was a complex setup, but it worked perfectly, and the client got the end product they were shooting for.
My process involves setting up pre-production calls to hammer out all the details. We discuss location, internet connectivity, and setup time—no details are too small to cover beforehand so that the interview runs smoothly. Of course, I also do a location scout to identify any potential issues ahead of the shoot (i.e., internet or lighting issues).
One of my most fascinating remote interviews was for the Science Channel’s What on Earth, Season 11. We interviewed a historian over two days, covering various historical topics. What made this a great setup was that the producers completed the interviews with this high-profile subject that could be used across multiple episodes of the TV show they were putting together (cost-effective and super efficient). It was incredible to see how much content we could get from just a couple of days of shooting.
Check out my video explainer on my YouTube channel for more details about my setup.
Contact me if you're interested in working with me. Happy to go over the technical or discuss my implementation plan for these kinds of shoots.
Stay tuned for more posts about my work in the film industry.
M
Field Note
Most of the clients I worked with for remote setup have returned a few times. They know my team and I are trusted to do the job right. You are representing them for this remote interview, and you must bring your A-game to show you can do the technical side and have great interactions with the subject (VIP or not). Clients—particularly those based in London like Wag or Arrow—need to know I'll represent them well, especially when they aren't present. This trust is crucial, and I work hard to maintain it.
