From Pete Speller (http://petespeller.com/), on ECF
"This is a list I have used before for training, it is pretty basic but it is based on mistakes I have seen repeated again and again.
- Background noise - computers, air conditioners, phones, doors etc
- Busy backgrounds - people wandering around, milling about, having conversations. backgrounds should never hold your attention.
- Boring backgrounds - no one wants to look at a plain white wall. step 2-3 feet away from your background and if you are interviewing stand at an angle. Also be careful of windows as the light is a different colour so can mess up the white balance.
- Lighting. If it is too dark, find somewhere else.
- Interviewees should look at the interviewer, not into the camera. presenters look into the camera.
- Film b-roll. Extra footage that you can use to set the scene, hide edit points and illustrate comments made in interviews.
- Ask people to say their name and caption on camera. You don't have to use this in the edit but it saves fumbling around for a pen.
- Prepare your questions beforehand but be prepared to respond with followup questions specific to that person.
- Long corridors made from painted brick, stairwells and large halls echo. Find somewhere else.
- If at all possible use an off-camera mic.
- And, because this top 10 list goes to 11, don't film too much. Prepare a list beforehand and stick to it as much as possible. It can be tempting to film the whole of someone's speech or talk so you don't miss a good bit but logging and editing hours and hours of talks afterward is not fun and so probably won't happen.
VisionOn.tv have some excellent guides to shooting citizen journalist videos."