We did a same-day shoot and edit for Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo last week at the Regenstein Center for African Apes, and it presented a common situation worth noting.

We were only doing a single interview, and someone from the zoo asked if we would like to sit the subject next to the animal enclosure to use it as a backdrop. That’s when a silverback gorilla walked in and sat down.

I declined and the person suggesting it was surprised. I explained that on the surface it looks like a great backdrop. I mean, come on, gorillas are pretty cool, but think about the backdrop from a visual perspective.

If you’re interviewing someone and a gorilla walks up behind them, will you as the viewer be looking at the interview subject or the 800-lbs. gorilla?

A good interview backdrop is one that looks nice, but also isn’t distracting. Keep the focus on the person being interviewed, not the backdrop.

–Tony Gnau

VIDEO: Lincoln Park Zoo – Dr. Fisher Birthday Party

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