If you've ever filmed a video testimonial interview, you've likely had some painful moments when it comes to getting a convincing and authentic performance out of your talent. Whether it's a sticky sentence the subject just can't get past, a stiff performance, or an errant glance at the camera that ruins a great answer, there are a lot of things that can go wrong.
As a video producer who has conducted hundreds of interviews with C-suite executives, non-profit leaders, and rank-and-file employees across the world, I've learned that the best way to get a solid performance from an interviewee is to realize that what you're doing is building a bite-sized relationship. By building trust, establishing rapport, and demonstrating care and understanding, you can help your subject deliver a performance that will drive results.
Here are my top three tips for establishing that rapport quickly and maintaining it through the shoot.
Understand the Subject Matter
One of the biggest challenges I've faced in my career is building a reputation as more than "the video guy." It's imperative that you, as the interviewer, invest the time in understanding the subject you're discussing, especially when you're likely speaking to an expert.
Your job is about more than just creating a slick video, you are telling a story, and the wrong prompt, a missed opportunity, or a poorly framed question can derail the narrative you are building. And, to make matters worse, your subject will likely recognize this. That burned social capital can take the wind out of the sails of the interviewee and kill the energy for the remainder of the interview.
Ditch the Teleprompter and Script
Nothing sucks the air out of the room more than an executive who is clearly reading a teleprompter. After all, no one becomes a business leader because they wanted to be an actor (that's politicians!) When you prescribe the text you want a leader to communicate, you can introduce stumbling blocks, like clunky phrases, or shift the subject's focus from the content of the message to the specific wording.
I've seen it time and again, but this can lead to dry, robotic performances that just don't hit right.
Instead, spend some time putting on your media trainer hat. Build time into your shoot schedule to coach the subject through your questions. Talk to them concretely about their key talking points. Rebuild the questions to add leading language that reminds them of where they want their answer to go.
For example, if you want your subject to speak to a specific core value of the organization, say, "put customers first", a good question could be something like "In what ways does this new initiative put customers first?"
This is obviously the most generic corporate value, but it illustrates how to lay in the language you want to hear, as the interviewee will likely subconsciously mirror your language, if you've built that rapport.
Eye Contact is Key
Finally, and this probably seems quite basic, ensure your body language reinforces that this isn't an interview, it's a conversation. Lean in. Mirror the body language of your subject. Smile at good answers (they'll likely respond in kind!), nod your head when a talking point is nailed.
These kinds of subtle affirmations will raise the energy level in the room and get you the kinds of performances that will make your job much easier in the editing bay.
Most importantly, have fun with it! Your subject will respond positively if it seems like you are enjoying your job. And, at the end of day, why wouldn't you be having fun? You're getting paid to connect with someone and learn more about something that's important to them.
So, get out there and start making some friends in front of the camera!
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