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Filming

What it is



Filming can add colour and depth to research, or provide us with insights and opinions we may not have otherwise gleaned. It records the ideas, actions and feelings of stakeholders, often with great honesty.

Filming can be deployed in a range of scenarios for a range of purposes. From a user’s diary recorded on their mobile phone to a professional setup for interviews, the key is to find the right specific methods to get what you want. Who does the filming, where, how, with what and how it may be edited together for your audiences should all be considered before pressing Record.


What you get



You get out what you put in - everything has an impact on the way people will react and the things people will do and say in front of a camera.

The project often informs the decision to choose filming - and the options below may make your film more engaging, exciting and ‘real’ with footage of real customers, users, staff and participants talking about their experiences.

Service prototyping
Role play
Interviews
Video diaries
Ethnographic research
Presentations
Time lapse footage
A user’s point of view


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When to use it



Filming can record lots of ideas very quickly, condense long sequences of time and events into just a few minutes, and good editing and interview technique can produce statements and opinions which can engage project stakeholders.

Filming often requires sensitivity in how it is conducted in order to create an environment where the camera isn’t obtrusive and people can speak and act as freely and naturally as possible.

Organisation is vital - everything in front of the camera, rehearsed or not, is live. Being flexible and prepared makes sure that even the unexpected parts are recorded. Even sending users out with cameras to film what they want can benefit from some guidelines.