Color Palette: Warm, earthy tones with golden highlights and rich skin tones

Contrast: Moderate—preserves detail in shadows but retains a punchy look

Color Grading: Subtle filmic warmth; matte blacks, desaturated background hues

Black Bars: 2.35:1 cinematic letterbox for added visual depth

Primary Shot: Medium close-up (headroom with chest visible)

Angle: Off-center rule of thirds, slightly eye-level or just below

Alternate Framing: Medium-wides and inserts for hand gestures, personal items, or emotional emphasis

Depth: Layered compositions with foreground and background separation

Camera: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro

Resolution: 6K RAW (delivers high-detail, punchy roll-offs)

Lenses: 35mm or 50mm for solo interviews; 24mm–35mm for group shots

Focus: Shallow depth of field for subject separation; occasional focus racks to detail

Description goes heKey Light: Soft and directional (Aputure-style LED with diffusion)

Positioned at ~45 degrees camera left or right

Warm color temperature 4000K–4500K

Fill: Minimal or none; high contrast ratios

Practical Lighting: Lamps or ambient sources in the background for depth

Backlight: Optional edge light or hair light for subtle rim separation

Texture & Tone: Rich environments with leading lines toward talent

Minimal Distraction: Backgrounds are thoughtfully dressed, slightly defocused

Environment: Interviews often shot in open spaces with plenty of headroom and visual separation

B-Roll: Capturing visuals that interact with the main story and points being made

Camera Movement: Tripod-mounted for interviews. Camera movement should be used whenever possible for B-roll

Group Dynamics: Natural interactions captured between statements

Microphone: Lav mic or boom hidden out of frame (Sennheiser or Rode preferred)

Room Tone: Controlled, quiet rooms preferred; carpet or treated walls help

Post: Balanced, with slight presence bump on vocals

Rhythm: Intentional pacing—breathing room between statements; cut to music

Transitions: Depending on the mood, intentional clean cuts, fast pace transitions, VFX used when needed

Lower Thirds: Clean, minimal that match logo/brand guide of each client

Do:

Frame for depth (foreground/midground/background)

Light for contrast, not flatness

Cut to insert shots to support emotion

Direct for authenticity, not perfection

Don’t:

Overuse symmetrical framing unless necessary for tone

Shoot with mixed white balance sources

Let the background compete with the subject