I think the Interrotron is a really smart invention. I think it's definitely clever to think of a way for the interviewee to never lose eye contact with the audience or the interviewer.
For the audience, I definitely think the Interrotron makes an interview more engaging. It feels more personal and much more intriguing to watch someone talk when they're actually looking at you, and not off to the side or something. In that way, I suppose it would make the film or interview more effective.
From the interviewee's standpoint, I feel like it would be really awkward to be interviewed and filmed via a contraption that basically looks like you're talking on Skype. It would make it feel not-very-formal to me, since there's no big camera and someone isn't sitting there taking notes on me, etc. In a way, it might make the person more honest and comfortable if they feel like it's less formal and there's less pressure. On the other hand, if they do feel awkward or weird, it might take away from the interview. I suppose it depends on the person being interviewed, since all people would react differently to certain situations like that.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I really liked the Interrotron. Like you said, it was much more engaging and it made it more interesting for me. I felt more like I was talking with him, rather than watching an interview.
ReplyDeleteI understand your point on the effect it might have on the interviewee. I would awkward if I were to use an Interrotron. I think I would just prefer the regular method of interviewing, but that's just me.
There was a scene were McNamara stared into the interrotron for a good half a minute with a look that seemed to carry a huge burden on it. I think the interrotron was crucial for this moment. It is often said that the eyes are the most direct extension of one's soul and the fact that the expression was not only there, but directed straight towards the camera and fixated on a certain point, to me, made it seem that he was conveying emotion to me exclusively. It was a glare that was incredibly difficult to escape and very uncomfortable for me to sit through. I'm sure this was the point.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how different the responses are here about what it might feel like to be interviewed with the Interrotron -- I think Morris believes he has found that subjects are more at ease with the contraption. Probably it takes some time to get used to, but I'm guessing it's usually considered less alienating than simply staring into a camera (though some interviews don't ask the subject to look into the camera at all). The comparison with Skype is an intriguing one -- though I'm not sure how 'we' feel about Skype either... in some ways, it feels more uncomfortable than, say, a phone conversation, though I'm sure some people who have used it extensively are quite used to it and feel almost like they're in the room with the conversational partner...
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the Interrotron would be alienating to the interviewee. I definitely feel a little weird speaking on Skype sometimes and that is with friends discussing everyday topics. I don't understand why there can't simply be an interviewer and a camera put on the interviewer, so that as the interviewee speaks, he talks to the person and the camera. The need for the Interrotron seems like a bit of a stretch, and an unnecessary one at that.
ReplyDeleteGood job in pointing out skype. It is a very nice tool to communicate with but totally awkward to talk on. It is something that takes a lot of getting used to, but if you are filming that many hours of interviews I think one could grow used to it easily.
ReplyDelete