Interviewing for
Radio> Vox pops>text only version
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:
a vox pop consists of
a montage of voices and opinions recorded on location (often your nearest
main shopping street)
vox pops are cut together
rather than carefully mixed
a vox pop is normally
20-40 seconds - any longer will sound very laboured
a vox pop is an excellent
piece of texture for a radio package or as an introduction to an interview
or discussion
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
a vox pop should include
a range of voices: young, old, male, female, multi-ethnic, sensible, outraged,
funny, unreasonable
the vox pop should be
audibly on location but not drowned by passing lorries, blaring music etc
the best vox pops are
pacey, quirky, memorable
normally the reporter’s
voice does not appear in a vox, except perhaps to ask an additional question
or reiterate the original question
it often rains when you
have to go out to record a vox
Some people find doing vox
pops a traumatic experience, but it doesn't need to be so bad - in fact, it
can be fun.
We did a quick vox pop of
experienced radio programme makers to find out how they got the best out of
their vox pops. Link to transcript of vox pop about their pet hates,
their tips for success, and the menace of people dressed
in purple.
Be prepared: the vox pop
checklist (1)
what is your subject matter?
The subject of your vox
pop needs to be something that people will have a definite opinion about -
often an item that’s in the news.
Choose a specific or
topical subject ( like nurses’ pay, or a favourite book).
Avoid vague or woolly
subjects (the existence of God, or the state of the English language).
Remember that you’re
asking busy people to stop and talk into a microphone, so you need a juicy
question about which they’re likely to have an instant opinion.
what will you ask?
Ask an open question
so that you don’t end up with a series of yes/no responses.
The question should be
simple and quick to understand.
Keep a couple of supplementary
questions in reserve, but no more than two. You’re not recording a documentary
Be prepared: the vox pop
checklist (2)
location, location, location
Where are you
going to record your vox? A location with steady background atmos is good
but avoid distracting noises, eg sudden surges of loud traffic, music, beeps
from a pedestrian crossing.
Do you need permission
to record there? If you’re on a street or in a park you probably won’t, but
you will need permission if you record in a station, department store, shopping
centre, on public transport etc.
is your equipment working?
Check that your recording
equipment (DAT or minidisc, mic and cans) is in good working order before
you leave the office.
Take spare batteries.
shoes
Wear comfortable
shoes!
Getting more from your
interviewees (1)
If it's relevant, ask people
for more than just an opinion: for a vox on boasting, get them to boast about
something; for a vox on nursery rhymes, get them to recite one. Then there’s
singing, rapping, being insulting, pronouncing the word "scone"…
Scones So how do you pronounce 'scone'? Here's
a vox pop on this deeply divisive and controversial subject - but please draw
your own conclusions....Link to text version
Getting more from
your interviewees (2)
Use a prop - try the
old That’s Life technique of getting people to taste/drink something,
or take a relevant object (so long as it’s small enough to carry) and ask
people what they think of it. The rude carrot never fails.
Have fun with
the way people are likely to answer the question.
Use a vox instead of
a reading…get people on the street to recite a line of poetry you’ve typed
out for them to read from. This technique was used to brilliant effect in
Alan Hall’s award-winning Knoxville, which you can hear in the next
module, the Vox pop vault.
If all else fails…
…here are the ultimate all-purpose
voxes to cover two opinions
BBC Training and Development
offers a wide range of training courses to help you develop your skills as a
programme maker. Try your hand at vox pops with face-to-face radio courses:
