My 5 tips for getting the most out of an on-camera interview
As a documentary director (and former local TV reporter), I’ve interviewed thousands of people in my career. People often ask me how I get such intimate performances out of real people without feeding them lines. (All the soundbites in this short piece, for example, were completely authentic.) So I finally wrote down a few lessons I’ve picked up along the way:
1. LOCK ARMS IN THE AWKWARDNESS
I take my seat across from my subjects long before the cameras begin rolling. It takes a long time for them to feel comfortable under the lights, especially with crew members hovering over and around them. My job in these moments is to normalize the situation and create a bond between us by making fun of the crew’s fussiness over the lights and acknowledging the absurdity of the moment. The idea: we’re in this together, and I’m going to take good care of them.
2. NEVER, EVER SAY “ACTION!”
When the shot is ready, my crews know to begin rolling silently and exit the eye-line of the subject. Technically, the interview never officially “begins.” Why? Because we’re not doing an interview. We’re having a conversation, and you never begin one by saying, “We’re going to start our conversation now.” So, I just keep talking, slowly guiding us toward our destination.
3. DON’T ASK QUESTIONS.
When you begin an interview with a series of type-written questions in your lap, it communicates a rigid, procedural stance from the start. And no wonder: that’s exactly the kind of response you’ll get from them. Most of my questions are not questions at all, but just statements and observations — just like you’d make in a conversation. Sometimes, I’ll respond with a simple “Uh-uh” or “Really?” or “You’re kidding” and just let the dead air hang awkwardly until the subject feels compelled to finish the thought. Dead air is the interviewer’s friend.
4. CUT BUT DON’T CUT.
If a subject simply can’t get comfortable on-camera, sometimes I’ll say “Let’s cut” but signal my crew to keep rolling. During these moments, the subject always relaxes, opens back up, and becomes able to access their emotions again. We keep talking, sometimes even discussing why they feel so nervous. (By the way, I ALWAYS tell the subject about my little trick afterward, and get their permission to use the footage.)
5. MOVE THE INTERVIEW OUTSIDE.
Sometimes there’s no getting away from the “talking head” interview, but I will do just about anything to avoid them. They’re environmentally stale and it takes something close to hypnotism to get subjects to conjure a memory that feels authentic. Instead, what I always do is look for real geographic places from their story to take them back to. If I can get them there — and I’ve gone to great lengths and expense to do this — half my battle is won. When I was a local TV reporter we used to call these “active interviews,” usually shot off-the-shoulder while someone is holding a photo album, sifting through the remains of their burned-down home, or showing us the schematics of a patent their finding. Here’s what happened the time I took a mother back to her bunk bed at the local rescue mission:
** BONUS TIP **
We film a lot of healthcare ads, and I often find myself sitting across from doctors and researchers who are so stuck in their own jargon none of us on-set can understand them. So I lead with this: “We’re at a neighborhood party and we just met. I just told you about my job. How would you tell me about yours?” My all-time favorite response to this question is below.