The Stockade Works Industry Sessions
A professional development series for the emerging and established film and tv workforce
Stockade Works is proud to continue The Stockade Works Industry Sessions, a series centered on professional development, skill-building, mentorship, and networking for film and television workers in the Hudson Valley and beyond.
The Sessions bring together working professionals, industry leaders, and emerging talent for hands-on workshops, conversations, and networking opportunities that support long-term, sustainable careers. Each event is designed to be practical, welcoming, and grounded in real-world experience, with space to learn, ask questions, and build relationships.
Whether you are early in your career, transitioning into new roles, or looking to sharpen your professional toolkit, these sessions offer accessible, high-impact learning paired with genuine community.
Overview
You have a powerful story to tell. This workshop will help you capture it beautifully.
In this hands-on, information-rich session, you’ll learn how to shoot, light, and record high-quality interviews that look polished and sound professional. Whether you're creating a documentary, branded content, or narrative work, strong interview technique is essential and often underestimated.
We’ll break down the core elements that elevate an interview from basic to cinematic, including lighting design, camera choices, composition, and clean audio capture. Through real-world examples and practical demonstrations, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to make smart, creative decisions on set.
What You’ll Learn
Lighting
Essential lighting concepts for interviews
1-point, 2-point, and 3-point lighting setups
Creating a specific “look” and understanding why it works
When to use hard vs. soft light and how each shapes your subject
When natural or minimal lighting is the right choice
Camera & Composition
Framing and composition choices that support your story
Lens selection and what it communicates about your subject
Angle of view and ƒ-stop considerations
Filters and when to use them
Camera selection based on project needs
Camera placement, movement, and editorial implications
Sound
Capturing clean, usable audio for interviews
Boom vs. lavalier microphones and when to use each
Proper mic placement, distance, and technique
Recording directly into camera vs. using an external mixer/recorder
Setting proper levels and avoiding common mistakes
Understanding how a room affects sound and how to improve it
Workflow & Decision-Making
How to integrate post-production into your on-set decisions
Planning your shoot with lighting and camera plots
Tools and software for visualizing your setup
A practical framework for making confident creative choices
How You’ll Learn
This workshop combines live demonstrations, video examples, and real-world case studies from professional productions. You’ll see how different lighting setups, camera choices, and sound techniques come together to create distinct looks and moods.
We’ll also review ground plans and production setups used in the field, giving you insight into how professionals approach interviews at every level.
Who This Is For
Emerging filmmakers and content creators
Crew members looking to strengthen camera, lighting, or sound skills
Documentary and narrative storytellers
Anyone who wants to improve the quality of their interview footage
Whether you own your own gear or rent, this workshop will help you make better decisions with whatever tools you have.
Why It Matters
Great interviews don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of intentional choices in lighting, framing, and sound.
This workshop gives you a clear, practical approach to making those choices so your next project looks better, sounds better, and connects more deeply with your audience.
Date: June 13, 2026 - PLEASE SELECT A TICKET FOR EITHER SESSION 1 OR SESSION 2 BASED OFF OF YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS DETAILED BELOW.
Session 1: 9am-1pm (Beginner)
Beginner
If you have some experience shaping light and framing interviews—and feel comfortable setting up your DSLR, video camera and audio—this workshop is designed to help you build a stronger visual foundation and refine your eyes and ears.
Session 2: 2pm-6pm (Intermediate/Advanced)
Intermediate
If you’ve already spent time lighting and shooting interviews across different projects, but are looking to elevate your craft, expand your creative toolkit, and approach interviews with greater intention and cinematic depth, this workshop will offer fresh perspective and practical insight.
Location:The Asterisk 273 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, NY
Registration Fee: $150
All registrations are final. No refunds. If you cannot attend, contact us in advance regarding possible transfer or future credit.
Stockade Works believes that the film, media, and tech industry should be accessible for all people. Should you have any accessibility needs for this event, please email us at info@stockadeworks.org
Rick Siegel - Director of Photography & Lighting Design
Rick Siegel is an award-winning Director of Photography whose work in film, television and brand spans more than 30 years, in both domestic and international productions. His body of work includes narrative feature films Bomber (Paul Cotter, director), Trust, Greed, Bourbon & Bullets (Scott Kawczynski, director), and short films The Shovel, The Dare Project, Buy It and 20 Dollar Drink. Recent non-fiction projects include two Netflix feature documentaries - Dick Johnson is Dead (Emmy Award winner), and Becoming (Emmy nominated). Rick has designed and photographed over 200 music and comedy projects including Miley Cyrus: Stand by You (Peacock), Bill Murray’s New World: Cradle of Civilization, Chelsea Handler: Evolution (HBO). His Fashion Week and fragrance credits include Vogue World Runway Show, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Mark Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and Donna Karan. His work with Cartier includes jewelry presentations for top tier clientele. Additional commercial clients include Condé Nast, Duracell, Reebok, and Time-Life.
Awards: 1995 EMMY – Outstanding Achievement for Single Camera Photography – Crash the Curiousaurus (ABC)
2024 EMMY - Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video - Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (ABC)
2025 EMMY - Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video - Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (ABC)
Mike O’Brien - Sound
Mike O’Brien is an experienced audio professional well-versed in all aspects of location sound from ENG to EFP to multi-camera live events to narrative and documentary films. His broad range of skills cover all aspects of location-based audio engineering, video engineering (including 35+ years of New York Fashion Week live events for top tier and up-and-coming designers), camera operating, and media management. Facile with broadcast systems and digital cinema cameras and a mentor to scores of new and established audio-video professionals.
His professional approach, problem solving, and calm demeanor have resulted in stellar productions and happy clients for over 39 years.
