Source: Original Site Post

INTERVIEW BRIEF PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT: In Propertarian Institute interviews, we are just having a video of two people having a conversation. It does not have to be structured. The purpose of this document is for you to have a general idea of what I might talk about so ideas are not new to you when I cover them. This is not a ‘script’; it’s a ‘brief’. We are just going to talk about the subject naturally, as if we are having one of our usual conversations. I will try to cover all the points I have sketched out (I never do cover them all – we always find interesting side conversations instead), and we cover them in no particular order, and then near the end will try to wrap it all up into something actionable. AUDIENCE The very-informed, very knowledgeable, and passionately curious in libertarian and conservative (and sometimes progressive) political spectra. POSITIONING Technically, while we often use the language of philosophy, we are actually talking about the subject of political economy: the informal and informal institutions that facilitate or impede cooperation, and the resulting prosperity or lack of it. TIME APPROX 2.5 HOURS FROM SET UP TO WRAP UP Shooting is usually 1.5 to 1. Most of these conversations take an hour to produce forty minutes of video. “STUFF THAT HAPPENS” We usually have to do multiple takes of the introduction because it takes us a bit to become comfortable. As we progress it will become more conversational and we will be less aware of the cameras. If I lose my train of thought (it happens), or if I make a mistake (or the interviewer does, or the crew does) we will PREPARATION read this document. The morning or evening before we should just talk through the subject over coffee or dinner. Best is the evening before. You will have time to sleep on it. This usually ends up with you asking more interesting questions on the behalf of the audience. FOR THE CAMERA AND SOUND CREW I am far worse than a professional actor. I am very easily distracted. Every time you get up and move around you make me drop all the mental cards I am juggling, and these are often very complex cards, and it makes me angry as hell. Most of the re-shooting we have had to do is because the camera or sound crew has to move around. So, sorry. You can’t. Bring enough people and equipment that you can stay still during the video process. EQUIPMENT Three Camera Interview. Usually one or two overhead lights, and one or two backlights. We can do a two camera shoot if we film the opening and closing shots, but it is harder on the audience without frequent wide shots. We cannot do single camera shoots because the questions are too hard and time consuming to reconstruct. THE LOCATION Two chairs, table, fireside chat model. See the multitude of Charlie Rose shows on YouTube for how to ‘do interviews right’. Reasonably quiet. We have used restaurants, coffee houses, homes, and studios. DELIVERABLE A single ‘Rough Cut’ MP4 at no less that 30fps HD. And the source video of the three camera. For those that do not understand the term ‘rough cut’ it means you open and close with a wide shot, then cut between all three cameras cameras ignoring **what’s** being said, and simply try to keep the audience engaged in who’s speaking. This is standard interview editing. When we receive the video we will add titles, effects, and edit the content for quality and time, and render and publish the final video. The reason is that the content is only editable by those of us who understand what’s being discussed and some ‘bad’ shots end up being necessary, while some ‘good shots’ DISTRIBUTION we distribute using YouTube channels, and web sites and Facebook links to the YouTube channels. — SAMPLE OPENING SCRIPT — TITLE “Trust and the Circumpolar People” HOST INTRODUCTION Face the camera. “Hello, I’m ___________, and I’m here in ___________ with my friend Curt Doolittle of the Propertarian institute.” (Ad-lib… All we really need is both our names and the location). Today we’re going to talk about _____________. HOST QUESTION Something on the order of: “Curt, _____________________” (Ad-lib here….. the interviewer represents the audience, so just hold a conversation as you normally would, and interject whenever you feel you want to add something or clarify something.) CURT ANSWERS Thanks (host), and thanks for having me. (continued)