10 things you always wanted to know about vox pops
(but were too afraid to ask)
Vox pop is short for vox populi, Latin for voice of the people.
It sounds simple enough, recording voices of passers-by, but there's
more to vox popping than meets the ear. Years of experience
on the street have produced the following pearls of wisdom:
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a vox pop consists of a montage of voices
and opinions recorded on location (often your nearest main
shopping street)
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a vox pop should include a range of voices:
young, old, male, female, multi-ethnic, sensible, outraged,
funny, unreasonable
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vox pops are cut together rather than
carefully mixed
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the vox pop should be audibly on location
but not drowned by passing lorries, blaring music etc
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a vox pop is normally 20-40 seconds -
any longer will sound very laboured
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the best vox pops are pacey, quirky,
memorable
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a vox pop is an excellent piece of texture
for a radio package or as an introduction to an interview
or discussion
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normally the reporter’s voice does not
appear in a vox, except perhaps to ask an additional question
or reiterate the original question
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the vox pop purports to be the views
of the general public but it never is - it’s those six people
you persuaded to stop and talk to you on a cold rainy Friday
morning. Don’t present your vox as being a scientific survey
of public opinion
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 it
often rains when you have to go out to record a vox
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A vox pop about...
