Source: https://youtu.be/ZKSzrJkHtVg
Chris Evans & Scarlett Johansson - Actors on Actors - Full Conversation
Oh, I love this interview so much. As a journalist myself, however, I have noticed some stuff that I would like to share if you guys do not mind.
1. Relationship between Chris and Scar - let me tell you one thing. While I spend 90% of my free time just watching interviews (I am weird, I know) I can see when the actor is comfortable with the journalist. I always believed that it was the journalist’s job to do anything in their power to make the person who he/she interviews (not only actors) comfortable. The camera, the microphone and being put on the spot is very stressful even for someone like actors who are doing this every day for a living. So this is why I was just melting to see their relationship. I saw the interviews they are given, even together and let me tell it is different when they were both answering the questions. But here. They were both playing the devil. The journalist. This job is so much more than just sit down and ask the question. You spend hours, sometimes days (if you’re really dedicated and want to make a special interview) preparing original questions, possible answers to them, and then some follow questions (Its not always possible to do that, but it helps because it makes you feel more prepared - and if the answer is not what you expected you are surprised and it shows- but I will talk about the importance of expressions later). Sometimes you do have to as some awkward questions but this is when it shows that that the journalist is a) prepared, b) comfortable with the person he interviews and vice versa. For example, if journalist cringes while asking this question or doesn’t keep eye contact he/she no longer get the interviewee’s trust.
And here? Of course, it helps that they are friends and know each other for a long time. There is this natural openness between them. Not to mention that they are both actors talking about actor things. So they do not ask a question for the purpose of doing the interview and sell it to as many people as possible, but they just have a friendly discussion. And they genuinely enjoy what they talk about it and it shows, makes it people want to listen to them.
2. Expressions - EYE CONTACT is the most important thing in the entire world. It shows the person that you have a respect and listens to what he/she wants to say. Ok, before you say that Scar is not keeping an eyes contact during answering the question. Yes, you are right, but this is not what I mean. I am talking about this other side, the journalist. Imagine telling someone a story and they just looked away from you. You would definitely think like he/she was ignoring you.
Smiling, nodding a little ‘yep’, ‘yea’, those are all the indicators that you are being listened to. Those simple movements and actions make the conversation go smoother.
And coming back to cringing. There were times when Scar went there... Asked Chris about his anxiety not really asking him it. It was a way of giving him a space to run away if he wanted to. This also showed Chris that Scar was interested in knowing more, despite knowing him so well already. The same way Chris asked her about the divorce situation. He has put that in a film perspective, which gave her a sign that he was not ‘attacking’ her personally.
3. No notes! - I love this. I had notes in one of my interviews. It was for my thesis and with a person, I was looking up and I was stressed so I assumed having my answers written down would relax me. But no. It put me in a words prison where I focused more on the questions I had written than on what the guy said. An interview is not only about asking questions. This is a discussion and if your head is stuck in the piece of paper there is no way you will be able to have this conversation. Plus not having notes with you gives you more opportunity to look at the person and read their body language. See if the hard question you wanted to as should be asked now or it should yet wait as the person is not yet ready.
4. Camera.... - Jesus Christ. This was the only thing that drove me crazy during this interview. There are some basic notes about camera setting during interviews. First of all. The MOVING camera is for MOVING interviews. It should not be used at the sitten or standing interviews as it just a) takes the attention out of the people and make people look around and b) makes you dizzy. I may be wrong though... maybe just me.
The person is THE CENTER of lense attention. Firstly the person should be in the middle of the camera ( in this kind of interviews), there is no way that the person would be cut ( example of Chris where half oh his body was cut at some point. There should be a distance between the person’s face and the end of the lense frame.
Remember THE PERSON should be the main object and the camera should focus on that.
Other than that? It was amazing. I smiled, laughed and made me want more so good job, especially for people that are not journalists!
