How to Record Vox Pops for Radio
The Conditions for Recording Good Audio from Passers-Bye
Aug 19, 2009
Vox Pops, or to give them their full and correct title, “Vox Populi,” purports to be the “Voice of the People,” but they seldom are. As a feature it is often no more than a random sample of a few passers by, chosen to give a bit of depth and alternate sounding audio to the broadcasting tapestry. It can however effectively and very quickly add colour to any subject and also spring up some amusing and unusual inserts.
Rules of Vox Pop Recording
So are there any rules to follow in getting the best out of the Vox Pop feature. Is recording the general public or any random group of people fraught with difficulty in order to achieve only unexpected and random results? or are there right ways and wrong ways to record the best Vox Pops?
The simple and obvious answer is yes but at the same time because there are so many variables including human beings, no rules apply! There are however some conditions that can increase the chances of recording useful and interesting audio.
- Accept that the piece will be a random sample of some people’s opinions
- It’s not a statistical exercise
- All respondents should be asked the same or a very similar question
- The interviewer’s voice is very seldom heard
- How will the package fit in to overall programming: will it begin a bigger feature or break- up a longer piece
- Is it a ‘Let’s go and see what happens’ stand alone piece
Having no firm idea of what’s expected from Vox Pops can also produce some good ideas for future programming and features. Talking to listeners and potential listeners is always worthwhile.
Techniques for Recording
Having accepted that anything can and often does happen when the general public are asked for their opinions, there are a few things that can be done in advance to ensure that the audio can not only be used but is effective and entertaining. Recordings can be organised anywhere depending on the subject but most if not all are done in public places e.g.: in the street, trains stations, airports, outside concert halls, shopping centres etc, and therefore vox pops:
- Are generally cut or roughly edited together
- Are usually no more than 60 seconds in total
- Don’t work well as long pieces of audio
- Sound better when they’re fast paced, with short answers
- Sound better with mistakes, laughter, stumbling, all human frailties left in
- Are better recorded without too much obvious background effects, ambiance is fine.
- Because they’re a snapshot of opinion, use a cross section of people and opinions
A Vox Pop interview is not the same as other radio interviews and doesn’t allow for considered responses. The tactics involved are more of a guerrilla attack, get in quick, ask the question and get out. To do this a few simple procedures will help the success of the operation:
- Make sure the equipment is working! And fully charged; test it beforehand, and select the most appropriate microphone for general recording.
- Listen through headphones in the area the recording will take place
- Is the ambiance appropriate for the piece
- Is the background noise distracting or does it add to the overall audio
- Get confident with the equipment, and concentrate on the vox pop responses
While it’s permissible to record in most public places, e.g.: the street, the beach and parks - on any privately owned property, supermarkets, stores, stadiums etc it’s advisable to get appropriate authority.
Asking Vox Pop Questions
The one thing to remember most about the recording is the greatest element involved is people. It’s a snapshot of people’s opinion with very short answers, so the questions should be short. Techniques that help get the best answers include:
- Ask the question and wait for the response.
- Don’t ask permission to ask the question
- Don’t ask if they mind being asked
- Look the interviewee in the eye, connect with them
- Ask open ended question, “How do you feel about xxxx,” or “Tell me what you think about”
- Choose subjects people will have an opinion on
- Ask appropriate questions and ask them in appropriate places
- Ask follow up questions if appropriate, and know what they are
Because the outcome is so variable and so undeterminable and it’s about people, it’s this that most perhaps lends the recording of vox pops their charm and entertainment.
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