Facts and Feelings

In documentary and corporate work, interviews may tell the entire story. This calls for a director who's analytical enough to prepare the right questions, but also emotional enough to make the subject feel relaxed.

Over the years, I've interviewed CEOs and sales reps, doctors and patients, and working professionals of every description. I collect comments that are spontaneous, honest and informative. But my approach will vary with the project.

In pure documentary work, I may not want a question list; such projects are often about discovering the story as you go. But more often, I approach the job with a pretty clear sense of the story I expect people to tell. That's why developing the questions is part of my prep.

If you're putting together questions for an interview, realize that their tone, depth and sequence are critical. Avoid compound questions—ask about one topic at a time. Juggle the sequence until you have a smooth, natural train of thought. And never ask Yes or No questions. You want people to expand their ideas, to share their feelings. Remember, a good interview is a conversation, not a deposition.

Creating a Safe Place

People being interviewed tend to be nervous, impatient or both. It's up to the director to deal with such emotions. And this begins before the subject even arrives. A pre-interview phone call is always a good idea, even if it's nothing more than a quick introduction and a snapshot of the project. If you can talk through the issues in greater detail, so much the better.

When it's time to start shooting, lead off with these words: "We're just gonna have a conversation." And that's a promise you must keep. Maintain eye contact. Let your face display empathy. Encourage people to go off on tangents; nine times out of ten, that's where the editor will find gold. And when you're finished, always ask, "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

Beware "Content Tunnel-Vision"

An interview is fundamentally about what people are saying. But the small details of sound and image matter more than you may realize. Many great interviews have been spoiled by a dry mouth, bad hair, crooked tie, linty lapel, or distracting background. Even experienced directors can become so focused on the content that these details become invisible... until the footage is screened later.

My insurance is to always brief the crew before the shoot, to make sure they know to interrupt if they see or hear anything that might compromise the recording. Dry mouth? Get the person water. Crooked tie? Straighten it. A shiny nose? MAKEUP! Such things seem trivial when shooting, but they can ruin an otherwise perfect interview.

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Production still by Mike Oates.