Note From Tongal: “Interviewing for Authenticity: A Field Producer’s Guide" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
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So, you may have landed yourself a job where the interview will tell the story. Perhaps your client wants the realistic touch of personal testimony, or maybe there’s a CEO who wants to speak directly to the heart of a company. What could go wrong? Surprisingly, a lot could go astray when working with ordinary people in front of a camera. People tense up, lose their train of thought, get nervous, and a plethora of other normal behavior when your fear of ‘public speaking’ brings back the PTSD of being 12 years old. I’ve interviewed an array of people from CEOs, to victims of domestic violence, to women who were trapped in human trafficking. The key to a compelling interview is making space for the person being interviewed to feel comfortable sharing their story. That space is yours to create.
Here are some quick tips for interviewing regular people to get the best out of a shoot:
1. Do your research
Before you speak to any talent, get as much background from your Producers or Executives on the story. Why is this story great? What will we use about the story to help convey our message? How are they connected to the organization/cause?
2. Pre-Interview: short, sweet, and factual
I prefer to have a pre-interview ahead of time whenever possible. It allows you to get acquainted with the individual, do some digging into the story, and see how the talent is at general communication. Things to keep in mind:
- Introduce yourself and give context to who you are and how you’re connected to the project (you can never be sure how much a producer or project coordinator has informed the person, and to be honest it’s great for them to get clarity from you). Make sure you double-check that it’s a good time to ask them a couple of questions, or if you should call back later. I’ve interwoven the tips below with a pre-interview script you can use to lead the conversation with.
“Hello, my name is Adam, I’m the director working with ____ calling about the interview we have for next Thursday. I’m just calling to ask you a couple questions about the story, do you have a moment to speak now?”
- Give them the information you have about the story and ask if it is correct. From there, you can ask for some more in-depth details to shape the story.
“So, I hear that you got sick last year and went through treatment here?”
- In these moments, I like to stick to what I know. For example, at this time I don’t know that the story I have heard from my team is accurate, so the most honest way for me to articulate it to the talent is what I have heard about her story from a producer or executive attached to the project. That wins trust, and doesn’t make the talent feel a false sense of ‘this person knows more about me than they should’.
- Stay factual and to the point. I typically don’t want the talent to spill out all their thoughts until they are on camera (I’d prefer to capture the emotion on film). I want to make sure the story is accurate, and gain insight into the events, timeframes, and details that impact the story at hand.
- Gauge the person’s personality. Are they a confident speaker? Do they articulate and recall their thoughts well? Do they speak in a manner that is simple enough to come across on film, or do they use more complex language? Do they speak English well, or would you need to subtitle them? The answers to these questions will help you go into a shoot prepared.
- Validate the individual. I thank the person for their time and try to leave on a positive note that will help them feel confident about the interview to come.
“Nancy, thank you so much for your time. Your story really is remarkable. It’s beautiful how you’ve been able to go through so much and be where you are today. That’s what excites me about this interview. Even just talking to you now I have been encouraged by your story, and I truly think this will help a lot of people.”
3. The best interviews start with food
Some of the best interviews I have ever done were traveling with a lovely Fijian producer named Vani. Her natural hospitality taught me a few things about people. We would never interview without showing up with coffee, getting lunch with the talent beforehand, or showing up with a bag of groceries (surprising but true). I was blown away by people’s receptivity to a shared meal (I guess we all have to eat?).
If possible, I give the crew time with the talent before the interview. We would often meet our talent at their local cafe and have lunch prior to shooting. People are comfortable in their favorite cafe and we build trust by taking their recommendation for lunch. We get to have light conversation, and the talent gets to meet some crew. I would bring along the DP, 1st AC, sound engineer, and producer to the lunch if they were all available. These people will work closely with the talent and a friendly face on set can go a long way.
4. The interview: comfort and transparency
When I’m interviewing, I’ve got tunnel vision. I’m concerned with the person’s comfort level, and the story. At the end of the day I need to walk away with a story that makes sense, can be cut in a logical manner, and where the talent comes across well. Tips when you’re rolling (and a few for before):
- People on set should help explain what is happening. If an interviewee has never been on TV, they may need someone to explain that a lavaliere microphone will need to be placed down their shirt. Yes, it has a sticky side, you can apply that right next to your sternum to get the best audio and it’s not noticeable. The pack goes at the back, and we can put it on this side of your chair so it’s hidden from the camera. Little bits of information can help normalize the experience for anyone.
- Ease into the questions. Every interview is different, but from your producer brief and pre-interview, you should have an idea of the story and where you are going. I usually start with questions at the beginning of the story arch I’m going after. But first, I’ll ask something stupid on camera while everything is rolling.
“How are you feeling? What did you have for breakfast this morning? So are you an Angels fan or a Dodgers fan?”
- This throws people off, resets them emotionally, and takes their minds off of the things at hand. Now that we’ve all taken a deep breath, let’s get into the story.
- Start Minimal. I like to ask open-ended questions early on, and let the talent give their recount of the information. This helps them get out what they think they need to say, and all the while I’m listening to hear what parts I can use, and what elements need to be filled in.
- Fill the gaps with clarifying or leading questions. Understanding where the conversation is heading, and what you need the talent to say is crucial. Leading a question into your ‘needs’ for the story helps you keep the story going in the right direction.
- Use clarifying questions to debunk misconceptions or bad language. Often a talent may say something that just sounds off. Maybe their vernacular wasn’t great, or maybe it was insider language that may be lost on a broader audience. Help yourself out, and ask them a simple, but clarifying question that helps them expound on a thought or idea.
I remember we were interviewing a woman about a domestic violence story in Australia. She had now become an advocate and had all this hindsight and rhetoric that most people would not be up to speed on. We asked her in the middle of the interview about the escape process. I knew that this was the beginning of her story and wanted to get more information about the recovery, housing, and aftercare. So to let her articulate that, we asked a very narrow-minded question, “So, once you leave is that it? Is it all easy after that?” This launched her into a long and truly captivating explanation of what it’s like and what it feels like to leave and have nothing. There is a lot of psychology around giving people the opportunity to say “no” and clarify what actually happens. Sometimes you have to build in an obvious “no” into your line of questioning because what comes out of a great clarification can be gold for your film.
- Talk as little as possible, but overly communicate. Sounds counterintuitive, but I promise it is beneficial. Most of my communication while in an interview tends to be non-verbal. You lean into the questions that you have. The facial expressions you give the talent help cue them if you are understanding, validating, or appreciating what they have to say.
- Leave space. I intentionally give extra space after a talent finishes their thoughts and before I begin my next question. This allows the talent to take a breather, and keep talking if it’s appropriate. You never know how a powerful line from a talent can come after they just take a breath, gather their thoughts, and get to reflect on their story.
- Acknowledge vulnerability. Some stories I hear are extremely powerful. When someone gets through saying something particularly difficult or vulnerable, sometimes the most appropriate response is to pause a second, take a deep breath, and say, “wow, thank you so much for sharing that” before trying to keep plowing through your questions.
- Guide them to reflection. I was told once there are the facts, and there is the story. Most stories that matter hinge on people’s perspectives, insights, and opinions on the situation. When I try to drive story there, I use roundabout tactics to give them an opportunity to consolidate and reflect.
“So, we’ve been talking about how you started this company. Why do you think at that time you had the courage to jump into the uncertainty of starting a new business? What was it about that moment that changed for you? I mean, I’m sure you didn’t wake up that morning with the idea? You said yourself it was something you had thought about it for a while. What changed?”
- Finally, give the opportunity for them to say anything else. I often preface it with a reassurance that I’m happy, but in case they’d like to speak further into something.
“Wow, everything you have said is great, and I really think it articulates the story so well.” (I look at a producer, then back at the talent) I’m happy, I think we have so much great stuff that we’ll be more than set to tell the story well. Is there anything else that you’d like to say, or think we might have missed?”
- Make sure you have other perspectives. Every interview I do, no matter how big or small I will always have that moment where I make eye contact with the Producer (or, if I’m on a small set, the DOP). I have an open relationship with those people. They are thinking about the story as well, and can add a question at the very end if they want. That level of trust you build with your team elevates your work. Maybe it’s an additional question, or a last minute lighting change before rolling.
Last but not least, make sure you put in the work prior, trust your team when they bring ideas or suggestions and trust yourself once you get rolling.
