Big Brother in your school Day 4: Filming the interviews

Amanda - transformed from Office Manager to news hound!

Amanda gets on the case and sends an email to a local school where CCTV cameras are used.

Simon replied to the email and we arranged a time to visit the school. Gavin and Amanda filmed an interview with 2 students and the Head of the Multimedia Department.

Preparation for any meeting is always important and Amanda thought very carefully about the equipment that would be needed to pull off a good video interview.

Amanda's checklist:

• Video Camera - make sure batteries are charged. Take blank videotape
• Tripod - to keep footage sharp and focused
• Microphone (if video camera doesn't have one - or even if it does - a mike can improve sound quality)
• Script and/or questions

  
  Our email discussing the interview with the police

 

The students were very nervous and we had to reassure them that nothing they said would be used against them. We also told them that if they felt uncomfortable during the interview, we'd stop and delete anything they didn't want on film.

Towards the end of the interviews, the fire alarm went off! A student had done the deed, so Amanda and Gavin got to sit in the office with the CCTV camera and scan the footage for the culprits. It was interesting seeing the technology in action.

We sent an email to thank the interviewees for giving up their time to help us out with our project, and sent Simon a formal letter to get permission from parents to use the footage from the students.

Then we went through the same process to get an interview with the Head of CCTV for Sussex Police.