How to Interview Yourself (Split Screen Video Production Tutorial)

Explained “self interview” Series Properly and the workflow I’d recommend:

1. Script each video (very little room for ad-libbing with this type of content)
2. Film each version of yourself (interviewer, then interviewee) with two cameras rolling for each version.
   Note – it’s not necessary for the interviewer or interviewee to pretend they are “listening” to the other talk since we can cut to the 2nd angle of the person talking.
3. Camera A should NEVER move once you start filming.
4. Camera B will alternate positions based on the version of the person being filmed.
5. Do not let your body cross the half-way mark of the frame. At the same time, make sure your lighting is even and does not cast any shadows across the half-way mark.

Plan for capturing the content:

1. As the interview starts, you would have Cam A locked as the main shot (where the split screen will happen in post-production editing).
2. Cam B would be a close up angle shot. Unless you have an identical twin or clone… film each person separately.
3. Film the interviewer first.
4. Then, move cam B1 to the B2 position and film the interviewee.

Critical Tip:

As you film each “person”, make sure not to cross the center line (black line) with your hands or body movements, and avoid casting shadows over the center line. (see “Figure 04”)

Once you understand the process this technique is pretty simple to film. The editing is where it gets tough…

Pricing:

This sort of editing goes beyond the scope of what we normally cover in your monthly edits
(non-linear time editing, split screen compositing, multi-camera versioning).

For a series of 10 “self-interviews” produced in the manner above (following the same format of your monthly series), the amount for this batch would be $1,000.

Let us know if this works for you and we can move forward with the project.

If you found this interesting, would like some more insight, let us know!