Sadly, there are no easy options or tutorials, what you need to do is test the optimal distance of the built-in microphone by doing a couple of sample interviews with friends and testing how the voice is recorded by the built-in microphone – since there are literally as many types of built-in microphones as there are cameras with them, each one slightly more different than the other. Some have simple controls inside the camera user interface, others do not. Then just try to make the best of the audio data with the help of run-of-the-mill, cheaper editors like Apple’s Final Cut Express (a cheaper version of Final Cut Pro). Even with apps cheaper than what the “pro’s” use, one can remove instances of annoying background audio and replace the general “buzzy” background sound of raw footage. With practice you ought to spend about 7-10 minutes editing one clip such as this for really a 5- out of 5 points result. Which is in a category of “very good”, but not “excellent”.

Second of all, when making a clip for the web try not to have the person being interviewed/ acting as the talent framed from the below or from the above – it will make the person uncomfortable, since in these situations somebody is talking to the camera as if towards other people and is against the basic rule, which is neutrality and it demands that people be represented from the eye-level just like if you or I would be having a conversation in a cafe or behind a table you would look at the height of each others eyes etc.. rather than looking down on one another. It will also give a distorted view of someone’s facial features,which sometimes is not nice. Handheld cameras are not meant to be placed on tables.

It is much more difficult than it seems, is it not? One might think that recording with smaller and cheaper cameras is easier, but actually the opposite is true – filming footage with these tools is an art form as evidenced by some of the French films of the nouvelle vague epoque.

All the best,
Robert Jakobson