Most corporate interviews in the Bay Area happen in the same kind of room: glass on at least one side, white walls, an open floor plan, and a ceiling full of fluorescent or LED panels. None of it was built for cameras. Here's how we handle each problem.
Windows that change all day
Daylight through a glass wall shifts in color and brightness over the course of a shoot, and clouds make it jump. Two options:
- Work with it. Use bi-color fixtures, like the Aputure STORM series, so the key can match the window as the day moves. Set the white balance to the key, not the window.
- Take it out. Pull the blinds or block the glass with a 6×6 or 8×8 frame and solid, then light the room from scratch. That's more consistent across a long day of interviews.
If you have the choice, put the window behind the camera or to the side of the subject, never behind the subject.
White walls everywhere
White walls bounce light back into the shadows and flatten the face. We bring flags and frames with black solids to add negative fill on the side opposite the key. It's the single cheapest way to make an office interview look intentional.
Flat, boring backgrounds
An office wall reads as nothing on camera. Separation comes from light, not set dressing:
- An RGB tube or small panel placed in the background, set to a color that suits the brand
- A small spotlight to put a pool of light on a plant or shelf
- The room's own practical lamps, kept on where they help and switched off where they don't
Overhead lights
Ceiling panels light the top of the head and nothing else. Ask facilities to switch off the bank above the set if you can. If you can't, flag it off the subject so your key is doing the work.
Noise you didn't hear on the scout
HVAC, a coffee machine across the floor, and a phone booth with a door that bangs. Ask facilities whether the air can be turned down during takes, and book a room with a door if one is available. A lavalier plus an overhead shotgun gives your mixer options when the room fights back.
Power
Most interview setups run on wall power. The trick is spreading the load across circuits so a breaker doesn't trip mid-take. Our truck carries stingers for exactly that.
Everything mentioned here is on our gear list, and most of it fits on a single ½-ton truck. For a full package, see the gear we pack for a two-camera interview.
