Shooting Testimonials - Part 2/3 - Visuals

Let's follow with the three-part post series on shooting testimonials. When we are sure of having control on the human factor discussed in the first part, it's time to think about getting great visuals and use the available tools to film a good video.


1. Which lenses are better 

As much as I can, I use Canon EF f/1.8 50 mm for testimonials. This lens is very popular for its very affordable price (around 100-120 €) and outstanding performance. Its aperture ensures very luminous images combined with a short deft of field that blurs the background, giving the testimony all the prominence.

- Canon EF f/1.8 50 mm
- Nikkor f/1.8D 50 mm (Nikon equivalent)

Shot taken with the Canon EF/1.8 50 mm 

Sometimes the environment is important and you want to see it as well. Don't hesitate to use other lenses if the story you're telling demands it. For instance, when I shoot tourism videos, I usually like to see the testimony in a wide shot while showcasing the location.

Shot taken the Canon EF/5.6 17-55 mm

2. Camera at the height of the eyes

Unless justified by storytelling, camera should always be at the height of the testimony eyes. If it's upper, we give the subject a connotation of inferiority. If it's lower, sometimes it can work to connote power, but we get to see the nostrils which can be very annoying, anti-aesthetic and definitely not fetching.

3. Looking at the camera or not? 

The feeling of someone looking directly into the camera is different than when the eye-line is slightly off. Therefore, it's not just an aesthetic decision, but also depends on the purpose of the video. I would let testimonies look into the camera when their speech is a call to action, as it's much more direct and seductive. If you decide to use both options in the same video, have in mind the power of looking into the camera: it can work as a good engaging conclusion. In the other hand, starting by looking into the camera and follow with the eyes off can lead viewers to disconnection.

Looking to the camera is more direct and seductive

4. Camera moving? 

Camera movement can give visual dynamism, but while doing it, filmmakers should think as editors to decide if that's interesting or not for the video they're shooting. I think soft and slow movements can work well in many cases. DSLR sliders are a good choice to perform discreet movement in your shot. You can find plenty of this gadgets at the "camera movement" product section of cinevate.com

Atlas FLT Camera Slider from cinevate.com

5. Lighting 

It's important to ensure a minimum of lighting on testimonial shootings. Sometimes you can be creative with the sources you get on set (when shooting in real locations). For instance, factories usually have halogen lights you can ask to use. Nonetheless traveling to locations with a minimum of lighting is a good idea. Led lighting for DSLR is a useful option: I highly recommend the HDV Z96 for three reasons: 1. It has a dimmer that allows you to control the quantity of light 2. The produced light looks very natural in comparison to others 3. (VERY IMPORTANT!) It doesn't produce flickering issues.

The HDV Z96 Light kit.

6. Using B-roll shots to enrich the testimonial 

Again, it's nice when thinking as editors. Shots of the hands or close-ups of the eyes can bring some freshness. I think it loses elegance when, for instance, we cut from a static shot to a handheld shaking image, or from a color shot to a black & white one. Yes, it can be "cool", but it distracts the viewer as form tramples on content.

A b-roll shot of hands.

 7. Make up 

If your budget affords it, make up can solve lots of visual headaches during the shooting, and will give security to some testimonies who, for example, tend to sweat (almost everyone when using lighting), have an injure on the face, etc. The shiny skin of someone sweating can ruin any other aesthetic effort.

8. Lower Thirds 

Back to pre-production, asking what's going to be the lower-third style (or creating it in advance, if you're going to design it) is mandatory. In another way we risk to be forced to use a lower-third style that ruins the shot. There are brands who align lower-thirds just in the left, so it's nice to set your testimony in the other side so that the composition stays balanced. You can't have a white background (or burned lights) behind the subject if the titling is going to be white and without any shadow or stroke effect.

I wish this notes have been useful. Again, don't hesitate to share additional ones. Stay tunned for the third and latest part of the series!

Shooting Testimonials - Part 1/3 - The Human Factor

As video marketing grows and companies struggle to fulfill the level of proximity that nowadays connected world demands, video testimonials are part of both online and offline communication strategies.

Testimonials are even more valuable for its power of seduction and proximity than for the transmitted message itself. That's what makes the difference with text content or still images.

In these three-part post series about video testimonials, I think it's important to start by the human factor, because it doesn't matter how great are the camera, the lenses, the lighting, the make up, the sound quality or the location: Everything is ruined if the testimony is not comfortable.
Talking in front of a camera is frightening for most of the people not used to it, even for people who is used to talk in front of an audience, and this fear can manifest in different ways, like talking too fast or with low voice, or exaggerated gesticulation.

However, they're ways to prevent or decrease the insecurities of a testimony, and the work of the filmmaker may include the competences to do so. Here are some strategies that have been useful for me.

1. Cast who talks

Sometimes the testimony is imposed by the client for different reasons, but certain times it's possible to be involved on choosing who's going to talk. This is a step to take in serious consideration. If you can meet the candidates in person, try to chat with them while observing how they sound. If there's no opportunity to meet in person or watch a video casting, try at least to make the client consider the importance of choosing someone who is secure and communicative.

2. Meet the testimony in advance

Specially if you couldn't meet the person during the casting, it's very important it happens at best the day before shooting, and if not, an hour or so before, maybe by having a coffee together while talking about the content of the speech in a relaxed way. The idea is to prepare the testimony so that he/she feels confident and with an ally.

3. Stuff scares

Generally, the amount of human and technical stuff in testimonial shootings is proportional to the pressure the subject feels. The more flamboyant the ambiance is, the more overwhelming is the experience for the testimony.
DSLR cameras are great for this kind of shootings for two reasons: They're small and its photo camera shape is easily more familiar to the subject.
If the shooting happens in a room, invite some people to go out before start to record. Only essential people should remind when the interview starts.

4. Testimonials are conversations

"Everyone is ready? OK. Camera Shooting? Okay, so, question 1...". It shouldn't be like that. The relationship established by meeting the testimony in advance must continue on set. Try to minimize conversations with other people during the shooting unless they're truly necessary, and focus strictly on the subject. When shooting starts, make the questions flow as part of the conversation, don't say "question number...".

5. "Let's make a test"

It works so well. The word test makes the subject feel the decisive moment hasn't arrived, the pressure is not at its top. You record the test and sometimes it becomes good footage to be used.

6. Forbid reading!

The main insecurity of testimonies is to think that they're not going to remember what they have to say, and they will ask you if someone can hold papers with the printed speech (sometimes they have already printed the text with a big-sized font). While it's comprehensive that they come up with this idea in order to solve their insecurity, it never works. The reason is very simple: If talking in front of a camera is already uncomfortable and unnatural for them, reading while trying to look like they don't do it is worse.

7. Forbid reciting!

Reciting a memorized text is also a bad option as it doesn't sound natural at all and makes the testimonial be more aware of concrete words than the content itself. Encourage testimonies to talk with they own words. If they have been chosen to talk means that they are qualified to do so. I've seen cases where the interviewer recites sentence over sentence so that the testimonial repeats it. The result is a kind of mass that the editor is supposed to edit by cutting the parts of the interviewer. It's bad for the image, because it forces you to cut the interview in little pieces, limiting the edition, and it's also bad for the content as the testimonial doesn't sound like talking about a topic, but just like reciting a list of sentences.

7. Just one interviewer, please

If there's an agency, a marketing director or whoever involved in the content of the interview on set, supervise the questions and the points that should be answered in advance and come to an agreement on who's going to be the interviewer. It really confuses the testimony to have two voices talking, and the ambiance we've tried to create in order to have a relaxed conversation becomes a chaotic interrogatory.

9. Low voice? Move away

If the person is shy and doesn't project its voice, place yourself farther away and be sure that the subject talks for you. Generally the person will be forced to talk louder, improving the projection.

10. Too much gesticulation? Move the camera away

A certain level of gesticulation can be bothering in close shots. If the testimony gesticulates too much or just too fast, open the shot.

11. When the interview is finished, start it again

And finally, by the end of the interview, the level of the testimony's pressure generally decreases. If time is in your favour, ask the testimonial to repeat the first questions now that the situation is settled.
Also, if you couldn't avoid the testimony to recite or to read, invite him / her to answer again with its own words.

Those are just some ideas that worked for me. Do you have others in addition? Don't hesitate to share them!