Television interviewers make it look easy, but the fact is, getting what you want out of the person you are interviewing on camera is much more difficult than it looks. The interviewee is nervous and facing a big camera lens, so it's the interviewer's job to ask the right questions and make them look good.
Instructions
1. Write your questions. You must first decide why you are interviewing the person, what you hope to get out of the interview and how you will use it. Write your questions based on the journalistic principles of who, what, when, where, why and how. Writing an outline using these guidelines is a must to make sure you have covered the subject completely. Show your interviewee the questions and discuss what you are looking for but don't rehearse. Practicing an interview can remove the spontaneity from their answers and could make them more uncomfortable during the actual taping.
2. Find an appropriate location. Putting your interviewee against a blank wall will make them appear one dimensional, create hard shadows and look flat and boring. Find a background that enhances your subject's hair and features, has interesting art work or plants and has enough room to maneuver your camcorder and tripod (and lights if necessary). If you are outside, put the sun to your back but don't force the interviewee to look into the sun and squint. Move your subject about 10-12 feet away from the background to create depth.
3. Frame the subject. The rule of thirds is critical when shooting a video interview. Mentally divide the screen into thirds, place the eyes of your interviewee at the top third line, and the rest of the picture will look balanced.
4. Sound and lighting. Once you've picked your location, shut your eyes and listen. Check for a low-volume radio in the next room, a fan, traffic noise, fluorescent light hum or an air conditioner that will certainly drown out your subject and ruin your interview. If you don't have external microphones, place the camcorder close to your subject to ensure that its microphone picks up the audio clearly. If your subject's face looks dark, add lamp light or open the curtains. Never put your interviewee against a window, because the camcorder can't handle the bright window light and will put your subject in silhouette.
5. Recording the interview. Make a test record to be sure your camcorder is working properly. When you press the record button for the actual interview, wait 5 or 10 seconds before starting. In television terms, this is called "pad" and allows your camcorder time to get up to speed and gives you room before the interview starts for editing purposes.
6. Have a casual conversation. Ask the questions like you were having a conversation, not just reading them off a list. Listen as you interview. If your interviewee says, "... that's the year I lived in Germany ...," your next question should follow that bit of information. It may turn out to be the best part of your interview.
7. Check the footage. As soon as your interview is complete, stop the camcorder and look at several sections to make sure the quality is consistent and the audio is good.
8. Shoot B roll. B roll is a television term meaning extra footage. After the interview, videotape your subject walking down the hall, talking on the phone or having a conversation with someone. Shoot the footage using wide, medium and close-up shots. B roll can cover problems you encounter as you edit your interview, such as taking out a wrong word or sentence.
