{"id":35970,"date":"2024-05-28T02:24:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T09:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peerspace.com\/resources\/?p=35970"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:52:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T23:52:36","slug":"cinematic-interview-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peerspace.com\/resources\/cinematic-interview-lighting\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Simple Steps For Cinematic Interview Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n\n \n Answered<\/span>\n\n \n \n

\n Production locations on Peerspace typically cost $40 \u2014 $120<\/b> per hour. <\/p>\n\n \n \n See unique production venues<\/a>\n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n

Interview lighting can be extremely challenging for a lot of new videographers, documentarians, and filmmakers for many reasons. Every interview will present its own challenges based on the equipment available, the environment you\u2019re shooting in<\/a>, and the people who will be on camera. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let these simple steps for cinematic interview lighting serve as a guide that you can reference at any time for most lighting situations, and use the rule of thumb below as a starting point for every setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now, back to the topic at hand: interview lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Start by setting your key light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Professional <\/picture>
Source: Peerspace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For every interview you produce, you will have at least one light source, one interviewee, one interviewer, and one camera. With these four elements in mind, here is the most basic rule of thumb for light and camera placement. Always place your interviewer between your key light and the camera. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is the rule, broken down into three simple steps:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Sit directly in front of your subject, and conduct the interview talking directly with each other.
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  2. Set the camera at eye level height, to the left or the right of the person conducting the interview, as close to the eye line as possible. As a guide, try to keep the camera between 6\u201d and 2\u2019 to the left or the right of the interviewer. To achieve this more easily, you can use a telephoto lens (85mm or longer for Full Frame Cameras). Shoot over the shoulder of the interviewer from behind, still 6\u201d to 2\u2019 from the established eye line.
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  3. Use as big and soft of a light source as possible, and place it on the opposite side of the interviewer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If you follow this rule of thumb as the starting point of every interview lighting setup, you will always have beautiful, flattering light on your subject. From here, you can go deeper into the rest of this article to craft an image painted with light worthy of the big screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Set the right color temperature for interview lighting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Classic <\/picture>
    Source: Peerspace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    When setting up your interview lighting, color temperature is a huge consideration. It ensures that you capture accurate color on your subject. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cold temperature also allows your interview lighting to complement the ambient lighting of your environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You must <\/em>pay attention to both the color temperature of your light source, the color temperature of the ambient light, and the white balance on your camera to capture colors the way you intend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Memorize the following color temperatures to set up the perfect interview lighting:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n