Conducting Interviews - Get your best results

Planning

  1. Date - Have a backup, just in case
  2. Location
    1. Convenience vs. quality
    2. Site survey (if necessary) - look for:
      1. Aural interferences
      2. Lighting problems
      3. Size of room (larger is better)
      4. Power outlet availability
    3. Outdoors? Need to consider:
      1. Noise - you have little control (wind, traffic, etc.)
      2. Light - even less control over the sun; watch for harsh shadows
      3. People - walking into your shot, bumping your camera
  3. Length of session - inform your interviewee beforehand
  4. Questions - provide for yor interviewee beforehand
  5. Attire - if possible, you’ll want them to avoid bright colors (solid whites included) or finely striped or patterned clothes - they tend to look bad on camera
  6. Help! You’d do well to recruit a student or friend to help during the shoot
    1. They can help you set up
    2. More importantly, they can monitor the camera while you’re conducting the interview, allowing you to completely concentrate without worrying about your subject moving out of frame, the mic going out, etc.

Shooting

  1. Equipment
    1. Camera - make sure to test recording/playback before leaving for shoot
    2. Tripod - a must for a sit-down interview
    3. Tape(s)
    4. Microphone - you’ll need one. Types:
      1. Lavaliere (clip-on) microphone - the most common interview mic; be sure to conceal cable under shirt, behind suit jacket/tie, etc.
      2. Shotgun mic - often attached to a “boom” pole’ requires a second person
      3. Camera mic - attached to the camera, often internally - not recommended for interviews; picks up room noise at the expense of interviewee’s voice
    5. Lights/Reflectors
      1. They can make your interview look very professional, and can make an average or ugly room much less noticeable. But:
      2. They’ll dramatically increase your ’set-up’ time
      3. If used improperly, however, they can make your picture look awful
      4. You’ll want to make sure you not only have lights and stands, but attachable “barndoors” and a diffusion/reflection object (umbrella, “bounce card,” diffusion paper, scrim, etc.), which come included with most lighting kits
      5. Practice before you go to your shoot!
    6. Set-Up
      1. Attach your camera to the tripod
      2. Attach your mic to the camera
      3. Insert your tape
      4. Frame your shot
        1. Keep your tripod “loose” to allow for re-framing during the shoot - the subject is bound to shif in his/her seat
        2. You may also want to decide on a couple of different shots with your camera operator (a close-up, a wider shot, etc.) for variety. But only reframe your shot in between answers, never during one
        3. Generally, the visual component of your interview should be as unobtrusive as possible
      5. Test your mic level
        1. If you have the option, set your camera’s audio levels in the menu to “auto.” Many times, this is the only option
        2. Simply talk with your subject, or ask them a question to check their audio level, and mainly to make sure the mic works
      6. (Optional) Set up your light(s)
        1. The main objective is to separate your subject from the background while avoiding shadows, both on and behind your subject
        2. If possible, position your subject next to a window, and use natural light
        3. Watch your cables - they’re easy to trip over

Interviewing Your Subject

Keep in mind that the interview goes much smoother if you can concentrate on it alone, and not worry about your shot, lighting, etc. - again, bringing someone else along is a huge help.

  1. Make them comfortable - you can do this by chatting beforehand, or beginning the interview with some casual banter, gradually leading into the first question - a comfortable subject looks much better on camera than an uncomfortable one
  2. Make sure they talk to you (not the camera) - this actually depends on the nature of your project, but “direct address” is typically reserved for a “host,” rather than an interview subject
  3. Make them feel that they are the most important thing in the world at that moment - nothing is worse than an interviewer looking more at his/her questions on his/her lap than the subject. Be an unnaturally attentive listener.
  4. Don’t interrupt or cut them off - that’s often impossible to edit around -after they’ve finished an answer, give a second or two before beginning your next question
  5. If needed, don’t be shy to ask them to repeat an answer - two situations commonly arise
    1. They’re interrupted by an outside noise, or stumble at some point, in which case, let them finish their statement and then politely ask them to re-state - often it’s better than the first one
    2. They ramble on, and you’d like a more concise answer - most people can and will, if asked, rephrase and summarize a lengthy answer if given some parameters - many realize that it’s in their best interest to look and sound as good as possible
  6. Make sure you get what you need within the time you have - odds are, you won’t be able to come back and do it again
  7. When you’re finished, sometimes it’s a good idea to get b-roll of them doing something pertinent (typing at their desk, talking with a colleague, etc.) while you still have the camera set up - you never know, you might need it
  8. Lastly, it’s a good idea to record 10 or so seconds of “room tone,” which is basically the sound of the room with no one talking - it could come in handy when you’re editing your footage if you need to insert an aural pause (covered with b-roll or something else, obviously)
  9. Strike your equipment quickly, thank them, and let them get back to their lives