Interview setup

The constraint is a flattering, stable, well-recorded talking head. Put the camera on a tripod, frame at 50mm for a natural, non-distorting look, and shoot manual at 4K24, 1/50 with f/2.8 to soften the background and lift the subject off it. Light the face with a soft key — a window or a diffused lamp at roughly 45 degrees — and set S-Cinetone so the image looks good without grading. Face and eye priority with a slow transition speed keeps focus locked and gentle if the subject shifts.

Watch out for neglecting audio, which ruins an interview faster than any image flaw. Use a lavalier or shotgun mic, not the internal one, set levels manually with headroom, and monitor on headphones the whole time. Also mind the background: at f/2.8 it is soft but still readable, so remove clutter and add a little depth — a lamp or plant well behind the subject — so the frame has dimension rather than a flat wall.