Making Connections with the Interrotron Method
March 11, 2019
We love shooting Interrotron style (a signature method of filmmaker Errol Morris) for an intimate and captivating interview where the subject looks directly into the camera.
This creative method allows the subject to connect with the camera, and thus the viewer, in a manner unlike any other. When the narrative calls for a powerful story, filming in this style is a great way to capture the raw emotion of the storyteller. We’ve used this tactic to tell the stories of seniors unable to afford health care, NEA members voicing their support for Hillary Clinton, educators fighting for classroom time as a result of standardized testing and the importance of the ACLU.
The arrangement involves two cameras and two teleprompters (or monitors) where the subject is looking directly into a monitor that’s mounted underneath the camera lens. While looking into the monitor, the subject sees the face of the director. The same setup works for the director- the B camera captures the director’s face while the monitor shows the subject. The subject can be filmed while making eye contact with the director while also maintaining eye contact with the camera.
Check out some of our favorite spots filmed using the interrotron method below: