EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the equipment considerations that apply to radio and television interviews.

You must pay particular attention to the technical aspects of interviews, especially those for television. As you discovered in Chapter 14, any television production is a complex team operation, which means a lot of planning will go into the interview.

TELEVISION

As the talent of a studio interview for television, your involvement with the actual setup procedures (lights, cameras, etc.) will be limited. You must remain focused on the task at hand - preparing for the interview.

The opposite is true when you shoot interviews at remote locations. You will be accompanied by another member of the ENG team, and between the two of you, you must handle the duties on both sides of the camera.

The following is a checklist you can use to prepare for a television interview at a remote location:

l Check your equipment cables to make sure you have the right ones and they are all working.

l Check all batteries the day before the interview. If they are not sufficiently charged, you can charge them overnight.

l Pack a sufficient amount of videocassettes and make sure they are either new or bulk erased.

l Check the condition of the camera and the camera lens.

l Run a test with the camera, recorder and microphones to make sure each component functions properly.

l Inventory all of your gear - the camera viewfinder, cables, microphones, spare batteries, spare videocassettes, headsets, lighting gear and other necessary equipment.

l Run a test of the lighting kit to make sure it works properly.

l Check your transport cases and containers to make sure they are available and are in good condition with working latches.

RADIO

Use the following checklist to help you prepare for a radio interview:

Check the record and playback functions on your reel-to-reel or cassette tape recorder. Make sure you are recording at the right speed. If necessary, clean the heads or have it done by an engineer.

Make sure the microphones are working and check the quality of the audio. You may have state-of-the-art equipment and the best technical crew around, but it is best for you not to leave anything to chance.

If batteries are used to power the recorder or operate the microphone, make sure they are fresh and take along spares.

If you plan to use AC current, make sure there is an electrical outlet close to the interview location and that the power cord will reach.

Spot-check the playback after the interview to be sure you have something on tape, but do not give the interviewee the opportunity for a retake.