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Before you start filming, you should prepare well in advance. That means to set up a time with your interviewee (one to two hours at least). It is good to get into the habit of doing research on the person. For example, if you know the interviewee or their family were in the United States during WWII, you might do some research on that time period. Use this preliminary research to form a list of open-ended questions that solicit more than simple “yes” and “no” answers, although you should be ready to deviate from your questions to pursue interesting lines of questioning. Remember, that your role as the interviewer is to listen, not to talk about yourself.
You will also need to draw up release forms so that the subject understands the ways that the interview will be used. It is very important to get a signed release form whether it be for your own research, for an archive (they probably have their own standard release forms), or for a documentary project. For examples of release forms click here.
EQUIPMENT
The Basics You Will Need:
A
Digital Video Camera (preferably
miniDV) that has audio input(s) for an external microphone (miniplug
or XLR) -
Tripod (make sure that it pans and tilts smoothly) 
Lavaliere Microphone (A basic
one can be found for around $30 at major electronic retailers)
A good pair of headphones- Tapes for your camera (remember to blank them out before use- that means record over the entire tape with the lens cap on this will make it easier to edit later on.)
- Extra battery
-
Editing System (Final Cut Pro, Premiere, Avid, iMovie, or other editing software)
- Lighting Kit (optional)
You should become familiar with using the equipment before going on a shoot. Know the camera’s different settings, such as how to manually focus, white balance, contrast/brightness settings, zooming, how to record and load tapes, etc. The last thing you need on the shoot is to compound your nervousness during the interview with trying to fiddle with the camera.
One of the most basic, yet commonly ignored best practices when doing video oral histories is checking your equipment before going out on a shoot. Many things can go wrong with your equipment, unfortunately they usually happen at the most inopportune time. Hint: Use a checklist of everything you need before going out on a shoot.
Watch Some TV
Before you even touch a camera, you should watch some TV. Ever notice the difference between your home videos and a professionally shot documentary? One of the best ways to learn how to create oral histories on video, is to look at other examples of work. Notice how these films frame their subjects, whether it is hand-held (picture wobbles) or on a tripod, the types of shots (Close-up, medium, and long shots) and what types of additional footage (called “b-roll”) such as video and pictures that they overlay over the interviews. For our purposes, documentaries and news programs are some good examples. Here are a few short Asian/Pacific American documentaries that will help you get started:
-
“Kasya” directed by Jean Joson (See it online)
- "Take a Look: NYC Chinatown Post 9/11," directed by Kevin Lee (See it online)
-
“More to the Chinese Side” directed by Will Gow and Sharon Lee
Getting to know your equipment
As with just about anything, practice makes perfect. Filming is no different. A lot of this primer can help you see how things are done, but until you actually do them, over and over again, you won’t truly understand them. Carry a miniDV camera around and find interesting shots, then try your hand at documenting community events, and doing lots and lots of interviews. You and your camera should be like one. Know each and every one of its functions. At the minimum, you should master manual focus, white balance, sound levels (if available), zooming, recording, contrast/brightness (exposure), and outputting to a TV or computer. Refer to the owner’s manual of your particular camera for more information.
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_ss/teacher99/toolkit/TOOLKT23.pdf
Planning Your Documentary: Writing a Treatment
A treatment is the guiding document of your documentary. It lays out the vision of the filmmaker, the goals and hopes of the video. It describes the ideal documentary that you would like to make. It will help guide the production aspect as well as being used as a fundraising document. It includes:
A) Summary/Vision of documentary. (Think VISUALLY)
B) Crew List and Short Bios.
C) Budget.
D) Production Schedule
E) Casting, Equipment, Format (miniDV, 35mm, 16mm, etc.)