1. Camera Angle: shooting an interview with the camera looking down on the interviews diminishes him /her; with the camera looking up it enhances him/her. Generally, mount the camera at eye level or just below –but sometimes you may have to make compromises to include a relevant part of the background. Children and old people: Wheninterviewing children and the elderly put the camera and yourself on their level.

2. Cut-always:most filming – including interviews- requires the condensing of time and action .this is done by using cute-always (and cut-ins). Make sure not only that you take cut –always but that they are relevant .if you are interviewing a doctor , the stethoscope on his desk may be relevant ;a picture of the Tag Mahal on his wall probably not – unless he is referring to a recent working trip to India. Close-ups of hand are often useful if the interviewee expresses emotion through his/her hands.

3. Double Check: At the end of an interview, make sure that the cameraman checks both picture and sound before the interviewee leaves. Vox-pops: short interviews with people on the street about a single issue can be useful for 'broadening' an issue but they are also a lazy way of pretending that you have done more research than you have. Use with care. Also try to keep the question with the same wording –then you can cut out the question when you edit the interviews together in a string. And remember to alternate the sides you shoot from.

4. Overlay: For variety, use the words of your interviewees instead of commentary. Left the person tells the story him/herself and illustrates it with pictures. The Opening shot: In some respects, this is most important shot of any video-report. It is the 'hook' which keeps your viewers watching. If it isn't grabbing or at least intriguing, you may lose theme. Never finish filming without thinking of what your opening shot is likely to be.

5. Symbolic Shots : Sometimes called 'visual metaphors ;These are the shots that tell in three second what otherwise might take thirty second of commentary .For example , the fall off Communism was symbolized by single shots: the statue of Lenin being toppled from its plinth, the sledge –hammer crashing into the Berlin wall , the red flag being torn down . Every story has its symbolic shot. Before you go out filming, think what they are likely to be and make a note.