MediaArtTutorials
Chiaroscuro Interview (Pairs)
Goal
In this assignment, you will create a 30-second interview video that uses chiaroscuro lighting as a compositional and conceptual constraint.
The focus of this exercise is light, framing, camera coordination, and audio clarity, not complex narrative development.
❗ Attendance and engagement are part of the rubric.
You are expected to work actively during class time and participate in all in-class activities.
Project Overview
- Format: 30-second interview video
- Lighting: Chiaroscuro using a 3-point lighting setup
- Cameras: Manual (M) Mode / Video + Three-camera setup
- Aspect Ratio & Frame Rate: 16:9, 1920 × 1080 px, 30 FPS
- Audio: Record using both shotgun and lapel microphones. No music is allowed.
- Location: Assigned workstations in Togo Salmon Hall / McMaster U
- Collaboration:
- Work in groups of 10 students for technical setup and support
- Submit in pairs (each pair submits their own project)
Examples
The Fog of War (2003), by Errol Morris
→ A canonical example of controlled, interview-based chiaroscuro, where low-key lighting isolates the subject against darkened backgrounds. Subtle shadow shapes facial features and reinforces themes of ambiguity, reflection, and moral uncertainty, demonstrating how chiaroscuro can operate within professional documentary conventions.
▶️ Trailer
▶️ Full Documentary
(IWOW) I Walk on Water (2020), by Khalik Allah
→ This film exemplifies extreme chiaroscuro in a documentary context, using a single, directional light source to sculpt faces emerging from darkness. Light functions as an act of encounter, emphasizing presence and vulnerability.
▶️ Official Trailer
▶️ Long Trailer / Excerps
⚠️ Content Warning: This work contains the use of the “N” word in several moments, spoken within the social and narrative context of the film. It also depics drug use and mental health issues.
No Quarto da Vanda (2000), by Pedro Acosta
→ An influential example of low-light, interior documentary filmmaking, where chiaroscuro emerges from minimal available light rather than staged setups. Faces and bodies appear partially illuminated against deep shadow, demonstrating how darkness, duration, and stillness can convey intimacy and marginalization.
▶️ Trailer
▶️ In Vanda’s Room (2000) - Opening
⚠️ Content Warning: This film depicts drug use, addiction, and precarious living conditions.
Activities
Complete the following in order. Ask the professor or TAs for support or feedback.
- 1. Interview Prompt - Idea Phase - Complete before class
- 2. Group Organization & Setup
- 3. Recording
- 4. Equipment Wrap-Up
- 5. Post-Production: Assemble in Premiere Pro
1. Interview Prompt - Idea Phase [Complete before class]
Note: It is highly recommended that the interviewee be another student outside your pair, ideally from your station group of ten.
This allows both members of the pair to focus fully on camera operation, framing, lighting, and sound during recording.
You are not graded on what is being said.
Do not spend excessive time developing content or scripting responses.
Speaking Length
- Aim for 45–60 seconds of recorded interview content
Extra content allows you to cut between cameras and shape pacing.
- Your final edited video must be 30 seconds
- You do not need to use all recorded material
Choose ONE Interview Prompt
Each pair must select one of the following prompts:
- Observation
“Describe a place you pass through often but rarely pay attention to.”
- Routine
“Talk through a routine you do almost automatically.”
- Light & Space
“Describe how light changes a space you know well.”
- Presence
“What helps you feel grounded when you are overwhelmed?”
- Time
“Describe a moment when time felt slow.”
The interview prompt is a tool to support your work with light, framing, camera coordination, and sound, not a writing or performance exercise.
Respond in your own words.
No acting, no character work, no memorization.
The interview should feel natural and unforced.
What to Focus On Instead of Content
Use the PDF worksheet below to help you decide:
- Framing and composition for each camera
- How strong the contrast should be
- Where shadows fall on the face and body
- Whether you want a more intimate tone (warmer light) or a more neutral tone (cooler or balanced light)
📄 Download / View Brainstorming & Sketching Worksheet (PDF)
If you use the physical version of this Worksheet, you must scan or take an image of each page and combine them into a PDF file.
You can use a simple Word document for this process.
Optional: https://www.ilovepdf.com/ - Choose: JPG to PDF.
Submission
- ➡️ Export as PDF
- 📄 Filename:
Group-#-Brainstorming.pdf
2. Group Organization & Setup [40m]
You will be assigned to a station group (10 students).
All equipment required for each station will be pre-arranged in the designated space.
Each station will also include a printed spreadsheet listing all equipment assigned to that station.
Before beginning setup, your station group must:
- Locate all equipment listed on the spreadsheet
- Double-check that every item is present
- Write down the equipment number for each item you receive
Each group is then responsible for:
- Setting up cameras, lights, and audio together
- Following the W2 – Tech Walkthrough
Station locations and group assignments will be:
- Posted on Avenue to Learn
- Printed and posted in the space
- Shown on slides in class
Space Configurations
As a group, you will:
- Set up the backdrop (if available)
Even without a black backdrop, you can still create a chiaroscuro scene by prioritizing strong contrasts between light and shadow across the frame. The background does not need to be completely black.
- Position the subject (seating placement or stading)
- Set up the three-point lighting arrangement
- Establish clear light–shadow contrast
- Position all three cameras (see below)
- Connect and test shotgun and lavalier microphones
⚠️ Handle all equipment with care, especially lighting gear.
Divide tasks evenly and support one another during setup.
Camera Configuration
Camera A — Frontal View / Eye Level (Tripod)
- Primary interview shot
- Visual anchor for the sequence
- Lens: Default kit lens
- Focus: Manual
- Microphone: RODE VideoMic NTG (on-camera shotgun)
Camera B — Side View / Eye Level (Tripod)
- Positioned approximately 30–45° from the subject
- Emphasizes depth and facial structure
- Lens: 50mm
- Focus: Manual
- Microphone: RØDE Wireless GO II or Audio-Technica AT899 Lavalier
Camera C — Detail Camera (Handheld)
- Close-up details: hands, gestures, partial facial features
- Allows subtle movement and visual variation
- Lens: 85mm
- Focus: Manual
All cameras must follow the settings outlined in the Week 2 Tech Walkthrough.
Lighting and white balance must be finalized before recording begins.
3. Recording [2h]
Each pair records two full takes
- Organize a clear recording order within your group of 10
- Time per pair: 12 minutes.
- The group is responsible for self-managing time throughout the activity.
During recording, each pair may adjust:
- Framing of the Main Camera (Camera A)
- Position and framing of the Side Camera (Camera B)
- Framing and movement of the Handheld Camera (Camera C)
- Lighting intensity and color temperature (warmth)
- Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
During recording, each pair must NOT change:
- White Balance
- Position of the lights
Recording & Syncing Footage
- Press record on all cameras
- Stand in front of the subject and perform a single loud hand clap
The hand clap creates a clear visual and audio sync point, making it easier to synchronize footage from all cameras during editing.
- Wait 2–3 seconds, then the subject may begin speaking
- Do not stop recording on any camera until the end of the take
- Record the full interview as one continuous clip in all cameras
- Repeat the same process for the second take
4. Equipment Wrap-Up [20m]
When all groups have finished:
- Power off all equipment
- Use the equipment list provided at your station to confirm that all items are present
- Store cameras, lenses, lights, and audio gear properly in their assigned bags
For each piece of equipment, ensure that all associated components are returned to the correct numbered bag All components (e.g., batteries, SD cards, cables, mounts, adapters) are engraved or labeled with the same equipment number
- Leave all equipment at the station for the instructor to collect
⚠️ Handle all equipment with care, especially lighting gear.
Divide tasks evenly and support one another during wrap-up.
5. Post-Production: Assemble in Premiere Pro [Begin in Class]
Check:
- W1 - Tutorials - Premiere Pro Fundamentals
- W2 - Tutorials - Importing Camera Footage & Multi-Camera Editing in Premiere Pro
General information:
- Resolution: 1920 × 1080
- Import footage from all three cameras
- Synchronize the audio and image from all three cameras
(Do this before trimming or sequencing clips) - Use cuts to create visual rhythm
- Total duration: 30 seconds
- Allowed transitions:
- Jump cuts
- Fade in / fade out
- Cross overs (simple/subtle temporal overlap between still images)
- Add Title and Credits
🚫 Restrictions
- No Music
- No colour correction in Premiere Pro
- No visual effects or filters
- No animated motion effects
- All lighting, white balance, and contrast decisions must happen during recording
Submission
- ➡️ Export as MP4, codec H.264
- 📄 Filename:
Group-#-ChiaroscuroInterview.mp4
Project Info PDF
Create a one-page document including:
- One representative still image
- Title
- Year
- Authors
- 3/4-line artistic description
Submission
- ➡️ Export as PDF
- 📄 Filename:
Group-#-ChiaroscuroInterview.pdf
📤 Submission (in pairs)
| Item | Required Filename |
|---|---|
| Brainstorming PDF | Group-#-Brainstorming.pdf |
| Final Chiaroscuro Interview MP4 | Group-#-ChiaroscuroInterview.mp4 |
| Project Description PDF | Group-#-ChiaroscuroInterview.pdf |
⚠️ Follow the submission protocols carefully. Incorrect submissions may result in lost points.
Credits: Jessica A. Rodríguez
AI Disclosure:
Microsoft CoPilot and ChatGPT was used for editing and clarity only, as well as to create some to the image visualizations. AI is not used to generate original course content.