How to ask questions for the video journalism interview
Interviewing for a video story is unlike any other interview. You need to elicit responses, but you need focused and complete sentence answers, not one-word answers or partial sentences.
Take yourself out of the video by coaching the person how to answer questions. by including the question in your answer.
How old are you?
“18” – Cannot use that
How old are you?
“I’m 18 years old.”
Tell me about your life as a detective?
“I get to spy on people and figure out what they are doing to gather evidence for the investigation.” – Cannot use that
Tell me about your life as a detective?
“As a detective, I get to spy on people and figure out what they are doing to gather evidence for the investigation.”
If they do not answer the question including the question. Stop the interview and ask again, reminding them of the need to include the question in their response.
1.) Relax your subject. Begin with the small talk…and first question on camera should be the ever familiar “say your name and spell it.” This takes care of two problems – pronunciation and proper spelling. You might also add, “what is your official title” in some cases.
2.) Don’t talk while the subject is talking. No “uhs” or “yeahs”. Nothing. Anything you say will be recorded and unless you have time to edit out all of your interruptions, just keep quiet and nod your head.
3.) Ask questions that require a full answer. Don’t ask questions that draw one word answers.
Examples:
BAD: “Do you agree with the President about the need for increasing the number of American troops in the Middle East?” An experienced subject will say yes or no and then expand…but you may just get a straight yes or no.
GOOD: “What is your reaction to the President’s agenda to increase the number of American troops in the Middle East?” You should get a good response to this one.
BAD: “Do you think the Governor is doing a good job?”
GOOD: “What are your thoughts on how the Governor is doing?”
4.) Once you’re through with your agenda, ask one final question: “Do you have anything to add?” or “Is there anything I may not have brought up that you’d like to discuss?” This may take you in a whole new direction (or not), but it does allow your subject to vent or bring up issues you may not know about. In one case you allow them to let off steam (remember, you don’t have to use it) and in the other case you may pick up some critical information.
Guidelines for shooting interviews:
1.) Make sure the light is good. If it looks bad in the viewfinder, it is bad.
2.) Make sure the audio is good. If you think it sounds good, you’re wrong. It is either good or not good enough. Use a clip-on or stick mike up close and make sure you wear a headset when you check audio.
3.) Use a tripod for your interview. Every time you breath, the camera breaths with you and moves, and that’s distracting to the viewer.
4.) Have the subject look at you, not the camera
5.) If you have interviews with opposing views, set them up so they are looking in different directions. Subject #1 might look to screen right/Subject #2 might look to screen left. This creates a sense of conflict visually.
6.) If the background is boring, find a background and light that make the person interesting, like an environmental portrait. If this is impossible, fill the screen with your subject.
7.) If the background is interesting, frame the subject so they fill about one third of the screen with the background framed behind them.
8.) Pre-roll the camera. In other words, start the camera AND THEN start the interview. Allow ten seconds before and after the interview. That way you don’t lose any critical sound and you create room noise. Why room noise? You can use it for editing later. If you keep the camera rolling after the interview, sometimes revelations are heard when the subject thinks the camera is off. Make sure they are aware the camera was on so as not to fool anybody.
IN CONCLUSION:
The purpose of a video interview is to elicit complete responses. Your voice should not be used, unless you are doing a voice over. Remember, it is not about you, it is about the story and information.
You can download this handout here.
