The interview is one the most hidden opportunities to truly tell a story. The art of the interview allows one to tell a story inside this mutual conversation. The best interview guides the subject through an experiential process revealing the true texture of a larger story.
When I prepare for an interview, I do not create a list of questions. I spend lots of time before the actual on-camera interview to prepare for the larger story. I like to actually spent more time understanding a few things: audience, purpose, and delivery.
But when it is time to finally sit down and begin the interview on camera, here are a few items to consider.
The first five minutes of the interview is usually throw away content. These are questions and answers that might not typically end up in the final video project. The person being interviewed typically takes that long to get over the lights, the camera, and the fact they are actually being recorded. So those first five minutes are all about building trust.
Here are 5 interview questions to build trust:
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Tell us your name and your professional title, and spell your name.
– This allows the videographer to set the final shot and make sure there is a good audio level. - Introduce yourself as if you were speaking to a classroom of students.
– This allows the person to understand what it means to answer questions in active voice. - What are you doing this coming weekend?
– This allows the person to begin trusting the experience, sharing a personal story. - Share with us why we are sitting and talking today.
– This helps the person articulate the purpose of the story and begin contextualizing the experience. - What is your passion? What gets you up every morning to tackle the day?
– This allows the person to begin preparing for the heart of the interview, to focus on the task at hand, and begin adjusting to a conversational tone.
Once trust is established and the conversational tone begins to emerge, I typically guide the interviewee through the rest of the interview process. In the back of my mind, I have a goal that I want the person to articulate a few specific points. My goal is to guide this process so that the conversation drives all the way to that one question. I want them on the edge of their seat ready, so when I pop the question, it rolls right off their tongue with no hesitation.
As storytellers, we are advocates. We are advocates for finding and telling rich stories. Our goal is to help organizations to find content advocates, storytellers inside organizations.
To learn more about our Content Advocate Program and Who Are the Storytellers inside your organization, click here to read my eBook.
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