How to Shoot an Interview on a Smartphone | HIKI NŌ Tutorial Series 89 Views Learn how to shoot professional-quality interviews using just your smartphone. This tutorial cov

Lesson Plan: How to Shoot an Interview on a Smartphone

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Grades: 6–8, 9–12
Video Resource: HIKI NŌ Tutorial Series by PBS Hawaiʻi
Subject Areas: Digital Media, Language Arts, Media Literacy, Visual Arts, Career & Technical Education

Lesson Overview

This lesson introduces students to the foundational skills of filming a professional-looking interview using a smartphone. Drawing on resources from the HIKI NŌ Tutorial Series, students will learn essential visual storytelling principles—framing, lighting, audio, and shot planning—and apply them collaboratively in a hands-on video production project.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify essential smartphone videography tools and explain their functions (e.g., microphone, tripod, lighting).
  • Apply core media production principles including composition, lighting, and sound to film interviews.
  • Demonstrate how to plan, record, and review a short interview using a smartphone.
  • Critique media work using relevant criteria, including visual clarity, audio quality, framing, and background selection.
  • Reflect on challenges encountered in mobile filmmaking and evaluate strategies for overcoming them.
  • Collaborate in team-based media creation with assigned production roles.

How to Shoot an Interview on a Smartphone | HIKI NŌ Tutorial Series

Standards Alignment

ISTE Standards for Students:

  • 1.2.b: Students engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.

National Core Arts Standards (Media Arts):

  • MA:Cr1.1.I: Use identified generative methods to formulate multiple ideas, develop artistic goals, and problem-solve in media arts creation processes.
  • MA:Cn10.1.6.a: Access, evaluate, and use resources to inform the creation of media artworks, considering relevance, context, and cultural influence.
  • MA:Pr6.1.6.a: Convey meaning through the presentation of media artworks using varied tools, methods, and technologies.
  • MA:Re9.1.6.a: Develop and apply criteria to evaluate a range of media artworks and production processes.

Materials Needed

  • Smartphones (1 per group, ideally with video capabilities of 1080p or higher)
  • Tripods, selfie sticks, or flat/stable surfaces
  • Clip-on microphones or smartphone earbuds with a mic (optional but strongly encouraged)
  • Portable lights, desk lamps, or access to natural daylight
  • Notebooks or planning sheets for scripting and shot lists
  • Headphones for audio checking
  • Access to HIKI NŌ Tutorial Series videos

Lesson Sequence

1. Media Literacy Warm-Up

2. Key Concepts Mini-Lesson

Facilitate an in-depth group discussion of core video production concepts:

  • Composition

  • Use the Rule of Thirds: divide the frame into a 3×3 grid; position eyes along the upper third.
  • Allow proper headroom and lookroom.

  • Lighting

  • Light your subject from the front or side using daylight or lamps.
  • Avoid backlighting, harsh shadows, and dark settings.

  • Audio

  • Record in a quiet environment; external mics reduce ambient noise.
  • Use the Voice Memos app or dedicated video apps with audio gain control.

  • Stability

    • Tripods, books, or furniture can stabilize the shot. Handheld filming should use both hands and elbows tucked in.

  • Location Scouting

  • Look for quiet, visually interesting locations with non-distracting backgrounds.
  • Encourage students to walk around the school to find potential filming spots.

Optional enrichment: Show a poorly shot interview and invite students to identify what went wrong.

3. Collaborative Project: Plan & Shoot a Video Interview

Divide students into small production teams with rotating roles:

  • Interviewer
  • Interviewee
  • Camera Operator
  • Director/Assistant

Each group will:

  • Brainstorm and write 3–5 interview questions on a topic of interest (e.g., school events, hobbies, a current issue).
  • Select a filming location using their knowledge of lighting, sound, and background.
  • Plan composition using sketches or screenshots.
  • Record a short test clip (10 seconds) to check for lighting, framing, and audio clarity.
  • Conduct and film the interview, aiming for 2–3 minutes of usable footage.
  • Capture 2–3 “B-roll” clips: these could include shots of the interviewee at work, walking, or showcasing relevant objects.

4. Playback, Peer Review & Group Feedback

Have each group present their raw footage to the class. Facilitate structured peer feedback using prompts:

  • Was the audio clear and free of background noise?
  • Did the lighting flatter the subject and create visual interest?
  • How effective was the composition (framing, headroom, background)?
  • Did the B-roll enhance the overall storytelling?

Students record feedback in their notebooks and respond with at least one idea for improvement.

5. Wrap-Up and Optional Extension

Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson: smart composition, lighting, sound, and preparation lead to more effective interviews.

Optional Homework/Extension:

  • Edit the interview using a free mobile app like iMovie, CapCut, or Adobe Premiere Rush.
  • Add titles, transitions, and B-roll to enhance storytelling.
  • Reflect in writing: “What did I learn about storytelling through video?” or “How can I improve my interview technique?”

Assessment

Formative:

  • Observation of group collaboration and use of video techniques during filming.
  • Participation in peer feedback and group discussion.
  • Reflection writing or oral debriefs on technical and storytelling challenges.

Summative:

  • Submission of a complete interview video with:

  • Effective composition
  • Adequate lighting and sound
  • At least one B-roll sequence
  • Clear narrative focus or interview topic

Use a simple rubric for grading, assessing:

  • Technical execution (composition, sound, lighting)
  • Planning & collaboration
  • Creativity & effort
  • Reflective analysis

Teacher Notes & Tips

  • Encourage creative risk-taking: students may find inventive angles or effects that exceed basic expectations.
  • Use classroom critique as a way to model respectful and constructive feedback.
  • If devices are limited, assign homework filming or stagger filming blocks across class days.
  • Reinforce ethical considerations around consent: interview subjects should understand the purpose and agree to be filmed.
  • Teach file management: remind students to save their videos to a common drive or email them to the teacher.

Sources & Additional Resources

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