your hands if your arms start to get tired
Wrap the microphone lead around the hand which is holding the microphone to keep it steady.
Grip the microphone too hard or your hand will go numb and may start shaking
Allow rings or bracelets to knock against the microphone or lead
Wave the microphone around or let it knock against anything
Fiddle with the microphone lead or let it sway as this interfere with the quality of your recording.
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USING RECORDING EQUIPMENT
Check that your recording machine works properly before taking it out.
Wear headphones while you are recording so you can hear immediately if there is a problem.
Check that your interview has been recorded before parting from your guest.
Make a note of your track numbers and what is on them. Knowing where your material is will save time when it comes to editing.
Label all your tapes, soundcards or minidisks.
Most machines have automatic recording levels. However, it is a good idea to keep an eye on them to make sure that they are not too low or too high. Moving the microphone a little bit nearer or further away from your guest can make a difference.
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RECORDING VOX POPS
A vox-pop is collection of opinions on a particular subject. They are not interviews, but usually one question answered by several people. Vox pops help illustrate what people think about an issue such as the government, or the latest film release. They often involve stopping and asking a selection of people in one place. This could be a street or a school corridor. Vox-pop comes from the Latin for “voice of the people”. Listen out for them on radio and TV news.
Think about where you are going to record your vox pop. Some background noise, such as traffic or a playground, will sound good but make sure it is not too loud. The background should be constant. A plane increases in volume as it passes overhead and then decreases again. This is the kind of noise to avoid.
Record a range of voices if you can. A vox pop will sound more interesting if it includes a mix of male, female, high and low voices, different ages and accents. If your vox pop concerns a controversial subject, it’s good to get opinions from people on all sides of the argument.
Choose your topic carefully. It needs to be something about which people will have a definite opinion. For example, it is no good asking a group of middle-aged people what they think of the latest band.
Choose your question carefully. It should be simple and easily understood. Remember to ask everyone the same question so that when you edit them together, WITHOUT your question in between the answers, they will make sense. Ask an open question, beginning with what, who, where, when, why or how, so you don’t end up with a series of “Yes” or “No” responses.
Aim to interview at least 10 people.
Keep the answers short. A couple of sentences from each person is about the right length.
Keep your voice out of it. Normally the reporter’s voice does not appear in a vox pop, except perhaps asking the question at the beginning, but the rest of the vox pop is made up of people’s answers. If you talk too much, editing could be difficult.
When you are conducting a vox-pop, keep your machine in RECORD/ PAUSE mode. Record yourself asking the question at the beginning of the first interview. Put the machine in PAUSE mode whenever you ask the question again, switching to RECORD mode to capture the answers. That way, you won’t have to edit the question lots of times.
Don’t be afraid to ask for more details.
Do not give up. Sometimes people will be too busy, or too shy, to answer. Expect a few refusals before someone agrees to take part in your vox pop.
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