CIVIC LIFE PROJECT

WHAT YOU WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN
YOU CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW!

Find the right place to conduct the interview!

The most important thing you want to consider is sound. Even if you line up the most fascinating interviewee in the world you will have nothing if your audience can’t hear what he/she says. You can check an example on Youtube if you need to be convinced:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=904420064

Choose the place carefully. Are people going to walk in…. Is the set going to fall on your head…?

http://www.yourdailymedia.com/media/1122335826


Be prepared.

Know your subject
Know all you can about the person you are interviewing
Review pre-interview notes if available
Have your list of questions ready
Have a release form ready for your interviewee to sign

Be courteous

Greet your interviewee and introduce him/her to your crew

Make sure the he/she can sit comfortably and is not bothered by the lights
Explain how you’re going to record the audio for the interview
(You will place a mike (wireless or not) on your interviewee)

Ask them whether he/she would like some water or if he/she needs anything to feel more comfortable.

If someone has a very shiny skin, you might have to put a little powder on him or her. Ask for their permission and explain that the camera amplifies defects and that the powder won’t show (men are usually nervous…)



Explain how you are going to conduct the interview

• You will cut your questions in the editing so the interviewee has to give full answers.

i.e: what color is the sky today?

If the interviewee answers with just the word “blue” you can’t make sense of it if the question is not included. So your interviewee will have to answer your question by repeating elements of your question to make a full sentence:

“Today, the sky is blue…”

Let them know you might have to respectfully interrupt them if you need them to rephrase and answer.

Let them know you might respectfully interrupt them if they start digressing away from the answer to your question.

Let your interviewee that they can stop at anytime if they want to rephrase an answer they have given.

Make them comfortable and relaxed. Many people get nervous in front of a camera and you want to establish a connection with your interviewee so they forget as much as possible of the technical side.

Speak to them as the director, the camera and sound -person adjust the lighting and audio.

Do not speak about the subject of your questions. You run the risk of having your interviewee having the impression they already spoke about the subject when you ask them the question on camera.

i.e. “Like I told you before…”

Or they will say something really good and you won’t ever get the same thing on camera.


Remember to:


• Begin with “warm-up” questions. Remember the person you are interviewing might not have been interviewed before. Make them comfortable by asking them to speak about what is easy for them. You can use questions about their general background or what they do as it relates to your subject. Don’t go right away for emotional, deep or difficult questions.

•Ask open questions. Avoid questions that can be answered simply by a yes or a no.

• Avoid leading questions.

• Make eye contact

• Listen attentively

• Ask follow-up questions

• Speak clearly

• Help clarify information

i.e: if your interviewee uses “insider” language or acronyms that the viewer might not understand.
i.e: “well when the BOE met…” have your interviewee rephrase so they say “the Board of Education”

• Do not read mechanically from your list of questions

• Be genuine, curious, interested… and grateful that the interviewee is granting you time to help you with your project.

• To conclude ask the interviewee whether you left out anything that they would like to talk about. Ask them whether there are any questions you should have asked.


Before you wrap

Check with your director and/or DP whether there are any additional shots they need (cutaway, B-Roll, wider shot). Record one minute of “room tone” with no other sound than the “sound” of the room.

As you wrap

Thank your interviewee and everyone on the crew. Make sure that the location is left exactly as it was or better. Make sure all the gear and any other stuff is not left behind.

Few days later

Write a thank you note to your interviewee and let him/her know that you will keep him/her posted on the project.

Also let the members of the crew and anyone who might have helped know how much you appreciated their help.

Keep note of all people involved who should be mentioned in credits or “special thanks.”