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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Need Interview Tips for Mulitmedia
Brian Hollingsworth, Photographer
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Austin | TX | USA | Posted: 12:03 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> I've been looking for interview tips and techniques to make my multimedia better, but most of the books I've seen are either for print or for broadcast. While many of the techniques might carry over I've found that what was successful for me when I was just writing an article doesn't always translate to a good multimedia piece.
I've seen the Ira Glass interviews on Youtube, but he doesn't really address the kind of questions that elicit the great story telling responses he uses for This American Life.
Any good books/ articles that you'd recommend?
Thanks-
Brian H. |
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Matthew Ginn, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 12:27 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> If you haven't already been to Transom.org (http://transom.org), go read some of their "guests" pages. Various well-known audio producers (including Ira Glass) have written there and commented back and forth with the readers.
Another good listen, when you have time, is the Third Coast Festival's conference archives (http://www.thirdcoastfestival.org). If you click on the "Conference" tab, you can listen to their forums and workshops from the past 8 years. |
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Tom Knier, Photographer
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Lancaster | PA | USA | Posted: 1:04 PM on 01.12.09 |
| ->> Just talk to the people. Ask the questions to which you personally would want to know the answers. Being conversational with the interviewee goes far into getting good sound from them. |
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Stanley Leary, Photographer
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Roswell | GA | USA | Posted: 1:08 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> I haven't found a book yet either, but I can tell you some things I have learned over time.
I find it easier to shoot a project and at the end to do the wrap up interview which often by this point I am able to ask people to summarize what we have seen today.
Next I find knowing your time frame and realizing how many points you can make in your time frame helps you to focus the interview questions so as to lead the subject.
I also find stringing a few questions together helps the flow of the audio. Please start with your name and title and then can you tell me about .... that we just saw/experienced?
I have also found that interviewing someone loosely without recording helps me to find the jewels and then asking them if I could record them saying ______ that you just said. Can you do that for me? |
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Adam Renault, Photographer
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Traverse City | MI | USA | Posted: 1:21 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> Tom has is right.
When someone sits down for an "interview" with sound equipment in thier face they tend to freeze if they don't have experience.
The best way, IMO, is to know the foundation of your story and have a conversation around that. Feel free to go off on rabbit trails, this will get the person relaxed. Asking two part questions will help too. This forces more than a one word answer from the person you are interviewing. |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 1:31 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> First off, don't even call it an interview. Call it a conversation, or something informal, like a chat.
Be prepared, know the story and have some questions in mind.
Don't ask yes-or-no questions, or factual questions that can be answered with short responses. Instead, ask things like "Tell me about..." , "How did it feel when..." , "What did it look like/sound like/smell like..." , "What does it mean to you..."
Remain engaged with eye contact, and let them talk without interruption.
I think the more you make it about a conversation between two people and less about the equipment and the process, the more comfortable your subject will be. |
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 1:40 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> "Remain engaged with eye contact, and let them talk without interruption."
To add to that. At some point, Be like Yoda. Don't say anything, just be quiet, pause, let an semi-awkward silence grow and see what they say. People will want to fill the void and break the silence, this is when you can get some of the best stuff. |
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Matthias Krause, Photographer
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Brooklyn | NY | USA | Posted: 1:53 PM on 01.12.09 |
| ->> I would say it really depends on what you want to accomplish. The suggestions are all good if you have a lot of time. Because not only will you have recorded 30 minutes or more, you also have to listen to it again and than cut it. So itīs much better to ask some pointed questions in the end and wrap it up in five minutes when you are on deadline. You really need to know where your story is going before you start and already mark you cutting points, if you want to be efficient. If you have all the time in the world, let them talk, sure. But you will be surprised how much work it is to condense things to three minutes or less. And thatīs about how long a good multimedia piece should be with VERY FEW exceptions... |
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Peter Wine, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Dayton | OH | USA | Posted: 2:31 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> To add to what Patrick said... in general, don't be too quick to respond verbally. You can nod and give eye clues to them, but try not to speak any more than needed, and when you do, try to allow a second or two between when they stop and you start talking.
Not just because it of what Patrick said, but also it makes editing easier. I can't tell you how many times I listen to an interview later in the edit room and wish I had held my tongue for a second instead of stomping on their last words.
Doing that also makes it seem that you didn't pay any attention to what they said. By giving them a second, it show them you are listening, and not just ready to 'pounce' with your next question.
My two cents. |
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Tom Knier, Photographer
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Lancaster | PA | USA | Posted: 2:35 PM on 01.12.09 |
->> An addendum to what I posted earlier...
Try to talk to people while they're in their "element." Folks are much more at ease when in their natural environment. You'll get great sound, too, if you hook a lav mic up to them and just let them go for a while on their own, doing what they normally do. Talk to them while they go about their business and you'll be amazed how comfortable people become. |
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