HOW TO do GREAT on-camera INTERVIEWs
GET ‘EM WARMED UP--
Any time two people meet to talk, there's going to be nerves. And nervousness isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means you're excited, you're paying extra attention, and your energy levels are up. The key is to get things on a positive track and make the energy work for you and not be crippled by it.
That means you don't jump in with the most sensitive questions right at the top. Ask about the easy stuff.
"What is your name and how do you spell it?"
"How old are you?"
"Where were you born, and where do you live?"
"How many people in your family and what are their names?"
GET ANSWERS IN WHOLE SENTENCES--
If the interview is being recorded, get the person to include the question in their answer.
Q: "What is your name?"
A: "My name is Frank."... NOT, "Frank"
Why? Because when editing, the person's answer won't make sense without hearing the question. “Yes” and “No” answers don’t make sense when you don’t hear the question, because the interviewer’s voice is often cut out from the final piece.
USE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS--
Ask open-ended questions— questions that cannot be answered by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
“Why do you prefer cats over dogs as house pets?” NOT: Do you like cats better or dogs?
“What do you enjoy about camping in the mountains?” NOT: Do you like camping in the mountains?
DO YOUR HOMEWORK, FIND A THEME-- Try to find a theme for your questions. Is this going to be about 'Being female in a male dominated workplace?’ or is it ‘Coping with change?' or 'Developing new markets?” etc. etc.
If you have the big picture of what you're looking for, you will quickly spot the answers that you find meaningful, and you’ll notice the unexpected answers that you’ll want to follow up on.
ASK A PROVOCATIVE QUESTION--
Interviewing is never about showing off how much you know. In fact sometimes the best answers come from stupid (sounding), or provocative questions.
Ask a painter, “What’s paint?”, Ask an English professor if his students wouldn’t be better prepared for making a living if they just went out and learned a skill rather than learning about Shakespeare.
Sure you’ll ruffle their feathers, that’s the goal! Get ‘em bit annoyed and you’ll see what they’re made of. If they push back with gusto, you’ll get great energy and maybe a surprising answer.
SHOW AND TELL-- Ask them to bring pictures or objects of special meaning. A prop sometimes makes it easier to tell a story. A prop also makes it easier for viewers to visualize the story.
B-ROLL-- Shoot extra footage of the person walking around their house or office. Follow them around as they walk, and 'look over their shoulder'. Shoot static shots of the things they examine, or hold.
Why shoot all this stuff? You can use this while you hear them talking, and you can show something about how they move in the world and the world in which they live. Shoot them doing something they like to do: painting a picture, cooking rice, whatever it is, for the same reason.
THE FINAL QUESTION-- After you’ve asked everything you planned to ask, ask one last question.
It should go something like this: "You've heard all my questions. Is there something that you feel you would like to add?"
Sometimes the answer to this question will be a gem. It will amaze you and make you ask a bunch more questions. Just as often, however, they may say: "No, you asked very good questions." and then you're done. It can go either way.
