Holly Powell - Final Major Project
Alcohol Moving Image Interview Research
Style
This video is more so looking at facts rather than conducting an actual interview. It's informative, explaining the facts of alcoholism, but I want to make a video gaining someone's views on alcohol instead because I think it would be a good opportunity to get someone else's perspective, which this video does not.
Content
It uses a guide for other people to tell when you're an alcoholic by recognising the signs. They explain about binge drinking and some general information to be able to figure out if your loved one is an alcoholic. They then offer advice on how to get help if concerned about a friend or loved one's drinking and provide an (American) number to call.
Tone
The tone is very serious, which matches the information being given out and expresses the importance of the awareness this video is trying to raise. It's constructed to be very straightforward and has been written really well.
Style
This interview was originally broadcast as part of a news segment, interviewing a psychiatrist who knows all of the signs of alcohol abuse and provides help. It is a back and forward interview with the news anchor talking to the interviewee, which I don't want to do with my interview. I want to focus purely on the interviewee, who I want to just be a normal person with strong morals and opinions, rather than showing two people on the screen and having neither acknowledge the camera - I'd rather the interviewee directs their opinions straight to the camera so that it has a more realistic and honest feel to it.
Content
The psychiatrist explains the signs of alcohol abuse to be able to figure out if someone you know or love is an alcoholic. She also talks about the recommended guidelines ad moderation when drinking. She also explains that you have to question sometimes why people are drinking more than what they should.
Tone
The tone is serious but has a little bit of a relaxed edge to it, because although it's an interview, the news anchor and the psychiatrist seem to be on a friendly basis. The interview is casual and laid-back, but I think that this makes it look less serious and it's not being treated as it should be.
Style
The video doesn't focus on alcohol as the main subject, but mentions it as part of a meeting between Tom Hardy (a former addict to crack cocaine and alcohol) and another former addict, Kenny Ross, talking about their past experiences. Being more laid-back, relaxed and honest fits this interview well because it isn't an actual interview - it's just two people talking about 'climbing their personal (Mount) Everest' and having overcome addiction. The previous interview seemed like it downplayed the seriousness of alcoholism because that was the main purpose of the interview - to raise awareness of alcoholism and advertise help, but it's approach made it seem like it wasn't being treated as the serious subject it should've been. However, the casualness in this interview is differently because it's talking about overcoming addiction, which is inspiring and motivational, convincing an audience to give up alcohol because of the story they can tell afterwards about how they turned their life around. The interview is honest and open, also showing that even actors and celebrities can develop addictions and win, then help other people overcome theirs, which is the biggest kind of encouragement there is. It shows that anybody can get help and win their fight, which I think is one of the best approaches I've seen towards the topic of alcohol addiction amongst other things.
Content
Both the interviewer and interviewee explains how they've overcome addiction and how they got mixed up in their addictions in the first place. They show encouragement that anybody can overcome their problems, and the interview does this in a natural and welcoming way. They show that no matter what, there is support available and help that you can get, bringing them to the point of being former addicts who can help others.
Tone
The tone is laid back and relaxed because it's an informal interview in an informal location. It's honest and there's a radiation of happiness from both men because they can speak about how they overcame their addictions to help others, which is a great encouragement to an audience to show that they could do the same. The interview isn't trying too hard, and actually feels very familiar because of how open it is, plus using an actor who's a former addict also makes the audience feel like they know him anyway, so they'll believe what he's got to say more. Using someone else who is just a normal person leading a normal life also shows that there's someone exactly like them that has gotten over an addiction, so they would be able to do it too.
This video interviews young people about alcohol, asking them a variety of questions about whether they've drunk it before, what kind of effect it's had on them, where they get it from and what they think about the legal drinking age. While it's informative, it's boring and repetitive because there's only one camera shot used, and the young people don't really have any personalities to make the video interesting. They all think alike with wanting to lower the legal age limit to drink and buy alcohol because they believe they're all "mature" enough not to get completely drunk and abuse alcohol, which sounds ridiculous. I think they need to be more educated themselves before giving their opinions on the subject when they barely know anything about it.
Style
This interview is very serious and formal, asking a variety of questions about what young people think about alcohol. It feels repetitive and boring because there's only one camera shot being used -the interview goes on for a long time but the young people aren't exactly entertaining. They have dull personalities, which means the video isn't interesting.
Content
They ask whether these young people have drunk alcohol before, what kind of effect it's had on them, where they get it from and what they think about the legal drinking age. The young people all think alike with wanting to lower the legal age limit to drink and buy alcohol because they believe they're all 'mature' enough to to abuse it.
Tone
The tone is serious but also very dull. The young people seem to believe they know exactly what they're talking about and believe they wouldn't abuse alcohol, but it seems like they should find out more about it and actually listen to those that have struggled with alcohol and how quickly it can take over their lives, because they seem to be unaware of the severity of alcohol.
Looking at these interviews makes me understand that I want to create one where the focus is entirely on the interviewee. I've asked someone that is entertaining and knows how to make the most of the time he has in front of a camera, plus how to capture an audience and understand how to make them listen to every word, so I want to focus on that as much as possible. I want to get his thoughts across in the most straight forward and simple way possible, and I think that just showing him during the interview helps to make the flow easier. I also know that I don't want the shots to be basic and I don't want to use just one, like the last interview does. I want to make my interview interesting by changing the shots and having the editing different to a typical interview, also with the questions wrote out at the bottom of the screen and then fading away. I think the third interview inspired me the most because of how low-key and natural it felt, which is the kind of atmosphere I want for my interview. I want my interview to be similarly laid-back, in a nice environment where it just feels normal, with the questions practised but the answers thought of on the spot, like a normal interview should be. I know I wouldn't want to follow the last interview, but rather the third interview's techniques. The first two interviews are okay, but the third interview really helps to put into perspective the kind of direction I want to go in with my interview.