Vox Pops

The vox pop is one of the most powerful elements a radio program can have. As the name
implies it is the voice of the people. In earlier days these were also called Man in the Street (not
gender sensitive) or simply Streeters.
A vox pop is an edited montage of comments from people about an issue or topic of interest.
They do not have to be on serious subjects but can be.

They are never a substitute for opinion polls and are not surveys.

Accept that the piece will be a random sample of some peoples opinions
Its not a statistical exercise
All respondents should be asked the same or a very similar question
The interviewers voice is very seldom heard (sometimes a re-asking of the question is
included to remind listeners what the piece is about but only if it is not clear or the piece
is longer)
How will the package fit in to overall programming: will it begin a bigger feature or
break- up a longer piece
Is it a Lets go and see what happens stand alone piece

Having no firm idea of whats 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
Dont work well as long pieces of audio
Sound better when theyre 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 theyre 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 doesnt 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:

Vox pops

Read on

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 its permissible to record in most public places, e.g.: the street, the beach and parks - on
any privately owned property, supermarkets, stores, stadiums etc its 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.
Its a snapshot of peoples 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.

Dont ask permission to ask the question
Dont 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 its about people, its this that
most perhaps lends the recording of vox pops their charm and entertainment.

From BBC training site

1. a vox pop consists of a montage of voices and opinions recorded on location (often your
nearest main shopping street)
2. vox pops are cut together rather than carefully mixed
3. a vox pop is normally 20-40 seconds - any longer will sound very laboured
4. a vox pop is an excellent piece of texture for a radio package or as an introduction to an
interview or discussion
5. the vox pop purports to be the views of the general public but it never is - its those six
people you persuaded to stop and talk to you on a cold rainy Friday morning. Dont
present your vox as being a scientific survey of public opinion
Vox pops draft 1

6. a vox pop should include a range of voices: young, old, male, female, multi-ethnic,
sensible, outraged, funny, unreasonable
7. the vox pop should be audibly on location but not drowned by passing lorries, blaring
music etc
8. the best vox pops are pacey, quirky, memorable
9. normally the reporters voice does not appear in a vox, except perhaps to ask an
additional question or reiterate the original question
10. it often rains when you have to go out to record a vox

People Hate doing vox pops

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.
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 thats 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 youre asking busy people to stop and talk into a microphone, so you
need a juicy question about which theyre likely to have an instant opinion.

what will you ask?

Ask an open question so that you dont 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. Youre not
recording a documentary

Be prepared: the vox pop checklist (2)

Vox pops draft 1

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 youre on a street or in a park you probably
wont, 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 theres
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....

Getting more from

your interviewees (2)

Use a prop - try the old Thats Life technique of getting people to taste/drink something,
or take a relevant object (so long as its 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 readingget people on the street to recite a line of poetry youve
typed out for them to read from. This technique was used to brilliant effect in Alan Halls
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

Vox pops draft 1

Positive reactions:
Everythings fine and its a very good idea

in a quiet high street

in a busy street, passing sheep

volcanic activity near by

16th-Century Vatican Rome, in a busy market

16th-Century Vatican Rome, in a busy market, during a thunderstorm

Negative reactions:
Its terrible and the government should do something.

in the rain

in a railway station

in a late 19th-Century London street

Editing a vox pop

The simple approach is to edit fast and therefore just edit in the order in which the recordings
were made. This is usually boring. Instead there are strategies for editing that will strengthen
the item
1. listen for related themes or comments
2. listen for opposing comments for contrast
3. develop a story structure for what people have said in other words you can edit a
narrative by assembling just the best bits n an order where each clip complements the
one it follows but at the same time advances the arc of the story.

Vox pops draft 1