Interviews are an essential part of many video productions, whether you’re creating a corporate video or filming a documentary. But it’s not always easy to conduct a successful and engaging interview, especially if you’re not an experienced interviewer. Fortunately, with a little preparation and some simple tips, you can conduct interviews that produce great video content. In this blog post, we’ll share five quick tips to help you conduct successful and engaging interviews.
- Be Prepared and Familiar with Your Questions
The first step to conducting a successful interview is to be prepared. Before you start the interview, make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve and what questions you need to ask. Prepare your questions in advance and make sure you’re familiar with them before you start the interview. This will help you stay organised and focused during the interview and make the most of your time.
- Let the Conversation Flow Naturally
It’s essential to let the conversation flow naturally during an interview. While it’s important to stick to your questions, don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions or explore interesting topics that come up during the conversation. This will help keep the interview engaging and allow for more in-depth responses. Try to be conversational, and don’t be afraid to share your own experiences or insights.
- Listen and Engage with Your Interviewee
One of the most important things you can do during an interview is to listen and engage with your interviewee. Show interest in what they’re saying, maintain eye contact, and use positive body language to help them feel comfortable and at ease. This will help them open up and share more insightful responses.
- Encourage the Interviewee to Respond with Reference to Your Question
To ensure that your interview is coherent and makes sense in the final edit, encourage your interviewee to respond with reference to your question in their answer. This will help ensure that their responses are relevant and easy to understand, even without your questions being heard. If necessary, repeat the question in the interviewee’s answer to provide context and help viewers follow the conversation.
- Stay Quiet as They Respond
Finally, it’s important to stay quiet as your interviewee responds. Avoid talking over them, including simple expressions like “aha,” “yes,” or “mmm.” Even laughing out loud can interfere with the audio and distract from the interviewee’s responses. Instead, listen attentively and take notes if necessary. This will ensure that the interviewee’s responses are clear and easy to understand, and will help you avoid any awkward or distracting audio interference in the edit.
In conclusion, conducting successful and engaging interviews is an important skill for any video production. By following these five quick tips, you can ensure that your interviews produce great video content. With a little preparation and practice, you can become a skilled interviewer and produce compelling video content that engages and informs your audience.