Interviewing Basics

As you begin filming, here are some tips and techniques for conducting successful interviews.

• Have a plan

Your interview plan starts before you write your interview questions. The first thing you need to remember is that not every interview is the same. Consider why you're interviewing this person: what specifically do you want or need from them? This question goes beyond information-- you need to think about what content you're getting for your documentary. What responses do you want on camera? What information will you use? These questions are crucial because you do not want to leave an interview with a bunch of useless quotes.

• Don't jump right into the interview

Take your time to establish a friendly setting. Set yourself up as someone who is interested in what the subject has to say. Establish your own knowledge and ignorance on the subject. A helpful lead question is usually something that gets the person talking about him or herself: “why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do here?” People are most comfortable telling stories, and stories are more likely to lead into great quotes for your documentary.

• Be an active listener

The best interviews mimic conversation, so think about how conversations generally work: there needs to be eye contact, back-and-forth discussion, and friendly reciprocation. Since you want the interviewee talking about 75% of the time (roughly), you’ll need to limit your responses to reflections and re-directions of what he or she just said. Use pauses in the conversation to either encourage the interviewee to expand on a topic by reflecting: “you said that your favorite part of the building is the third floor, what happens there?” or by redirecting: “the cafeteria sounds interesting, I’ll have to check it out later. What can you tell me about the basement?” These techniques show that you’re listening to the subject and not just taking notes.

• Don't feel rushed to move on

Encourage the subject to return back to a topic if you feel you haven’t received enough information. Remember, you are in control of where the interview goes. Don’t be afraid to return to something that was discussed earlier if you want the subject to expand or elaborate. The goal of the interview is always to get footage you can use.

• Practice rephrasing questions

Often, you won’t receive the answer you’re looking for the first time you ask a question. Learn how to rephrase your questions to get the interviewee going in the direction you’d like. For example, if you ask “what’s your favorite part of this job?” and the interviewee responds by talking about his favorite co-workers, try rephrasing using his or her own language: “they sound like a great group of people. What sorts of work activities do you all together that make the workplace so fun?” You know what you need out of this interview, so coach your subject until you get it.

• Leave the interview with a plan

As the interview wraps up, you’ll likely feel rushed, flustered, and exhausted— that’s okay! Have a plan in your notes for how to end the interview and how to move forward. It’s possible you may need to speak to this person again, so try to end the interview by thanking them for their time and asking if you could contact them in the future if you have any further questions or clarifications. Remember that this person just did you a huge favor by speaking with you, so let them know how much you appreciate their help.