Conducting an interview can be fun, enjoyable and a great way to meet people, however it is hard to master at first and can make the experience very different. There are so many factors that rely on whether or not an interview will go well, and a lot are factors which you cannot actually control. A lot depends on the person you are interviewing, their mood and personality, whether they enjoy talking and are chatty or are quite insular. Without some professionalism, engagement and the ability to set your subject at ease, then the interview may not go as well as suspected. I managed to find a video blog which goes over a few words of advice on how to conduct an interview.
A simple question often helps the subject to relax. You don't have to use it in the final edit, but the most important thing to come from this, is ease throughout the interview. Even if they get the question wrong then it means that you can all have a laugh and a joke about it, in general just creating a more comfortable environment so that the interview can benefit as a whole. As well as this, it is important to let the subject go through their stuff a couple of times, to allow them to warm up. Then from the point of view of the camera operator it is always worth shooting more than one run so that there is enough material to go through.
The set-up of the interview is a simple yet crucial thing to keep in mind. It's a good idea to have someone sat next to the camera, either from your team or, preferably someone the subject knows, asking a few questions so that the subject isn't having to deal with the pressure of looking directly at the camera. This also means that they do not need to freak out talking to the camera, talking to someone else is much easier. This way they can also imagine that they are having an informal question and answer session rather than an interview, also making it easier for the subject to keep eye contact with the interviewer.
By keeping answers short and in context, this enables a lot more flexibility and ease in putting it all together in regards to the final edit. In particular if you have got more than one camera rolling. When I say 'in context', I mean getting the subject to use company names instead of 'we' and perhaps even asking them to begin an answer with the question - that is if you don't want your own interviewing voice incorporated in the video - that way it is always clear what's being discussed about.
Leading an interview is not a simple task but once you get the hang of it after a couple of times it can be made really enjoyable. Personally I believe that a lot rides on the person you are interviewing and how they react and there personality.
A simple question often helps the subject to relax. You don't have to use it in the final edit, but the most important thing to come from this, is ease throughout the interview. Even if they get the question wrong then it means that you can all have a laugh and a joke about it, in general just creating a more comfortable environment so that the interview can benefit as a whole. As well as this, it is important to let the subject go through their stuff a couple of times, to allow them to warm up. Then from the point of view of the camera operator it is always worth shooting more than one run so that there is enough material to go through.
The set-up of the interview is a simple yet crucial thing to keep in mind. It's a good idea to have someone sat next to the camera, either from your team or, preferably someone the subject knows, asking a few questions so that the subject isn't having to deal with the pressure of looking directly at the camera. This also means that they do not need to freak out talking to the camera, talking to someone else is much easier. This way they can also imagine that they are having an informal question and answer session rather than an interview, also making it easier for the subject to keep eye contact with the interviewer.
By keeping answers short and in context, this enables a lot more flexibility and ease in putting it all together in regards to the final edit. In particular if you have got more than one camera rolling. When I say 'in context', I mean getting the subject to use company names instead of 'we' and perhaps even asking them to begin an answer with the question - that is if you don't want your own interviewing voice incorporated in the video - that way it is always clear what's being discussed about.
Leading an interview is not a simple task but once you get the hang of it after a couple of times it can be made really enjoyable. Personally I believe that a lot rides on the person you are interviewing and how they react and there personality.
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Want to find out more about Video Production Norwich, then watch the video. For an interesting perspective on interviewing then have a look at Takeover Day to see new young videographers learning their trade.
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