In the business world, videos that revolve around interviews are marketing staples. From customer testimonials to corporate storytelling to organizational celebrations, it’s the best way to get a unique story straight from the source. This style of storytelling can help provide a feeling of authenticity and elicit trust by featuring individuals with a genuine perspective on a specific topic.
Having partnered with Hawaii’s top business leaders over the years, we’re frequently tasked with producing engaging videos, including those featuring on-camera interviews. Many wonder what makes a great interview video. Here, we share six tips on some of the best practices we employ when creating solid interview-style videos.
1. Define the Objective & Story
In any video project, a clearly defined objective is needed to develop an engaging story. Determining the target of the video, what the overall message should be, and who the best people are to tell that story, are essential decisions for a successful video. Equally important, is coming back to these decisions throughout the development process to ensure the project stays on track.
Once the featured on-camera speakers have been identified, crafting the story based on each interviewee’s unique perspective is critical. Even if the video features just one person speaking on camera, the story still needs to be developed in a linear fashion to maintain the audience’s attention and ensure that they can follow and understand the information being presented.
When working with our clients, we typically conduct a pre-interview. This entails conversing with the selected interviewees and learning more about their stories, how they speak, what gets them excited, etc. Sometimes we find secondary stories hidden in the broad topic on which they’re speaking, and can build talking points for them to share during the actual shoot.
2. Find a Desirable Location
Determining where to shoot the interview can be overwhelming, as the background, furniture, set dressing, ceiling height, accessibility, overall space and environmental noise, all need to be considered.
The background and furniture play an integral part in the setting of the interview. Audiences will garner a lot of information just on this aspect alone. It informs them on the type of video to expect and in what context. Choose backgrounds and furniture that represent your brand or are related to the story or the person being interviewed.
Dressing the set is also an important task to consider. Whatever background you choose should be dressed appropriately. For example, say you’ve chosen an office setting — determine if books, plants, photos or artwork are needed to bring everything together. When DS helped the Honolulu Board of Realtors (HBR) with their video, we started from scratch. We took a storage area in their building and turned it into a welcoming interview set with furniture, artwork and other items found around the HBR office. Check out the before and after photos below.
While not typically the first thing one considers when evaluating a space for an interview, production access, ceiling height and general space around the interview set is also a critical consideration. Everything needs to fit—including cameras, lights, monitors and more. See below for a behind the scenes look of Punahou School’s President’s “State of the School” address.
3. Favorable Lighting
An important aspect to consider when choosing a location is how the natural light (sunlight) will affect your set. Changing outdoor light — in intensity and quality — can alter the amounts of highlights and shadows casted on your subject and background. Sometimes the background is too bright because the sun appeared from behind the clouds mid interview; or sometimes your subject’s face has no definition because the clouds rolled in and covered the sun. Even when properly exposing for each scenario, this varying ratio throughout the interview becomes extremely noticeable when cutting different parts of the footage together. It ultimately creates a very distracting experience for the viewer. Consequently, controlling the light on set (by minimizing or eliminating the dependency of sunlight) and using strategically placed video lights instead, becomes paramount.
Another key reason to control the lighting on set is to create an aesthetic that favorably sculpts the subject. Sophisticated lighting techniques separates the interviewee from the background, plays up their best features, and brings out their facial expressions.
Take, for example, the two screenshots above. Using the same woman and interview set, we show the differences between using the existing room lights versus using video lights. The difference is in the details. Below are key points between the non-lit and lit examples:
Non-Lit Example
(Using Existing Office Lights)
- The background seems to become part of the subject on the same view plane
- Facial features flatten out and are not distinct
- The subject’s eyes look flat and dull
- The subject’s skin tone has an unappealing, sickly green tinge to it
- The overall image has a green hue due to the nature of the quality of office fluorescent lights
- It feels like the subject is on an uninspiring news program
Properly Lit Example
(Using DS Video Lighting)
- The subject is brought forward and is separated from the background
- The clarity and definition in the subject’s facial features are favorably captured
- The subject’s eyes twinkle in the catch light, looking bright and hopeful
- The subject’s skin tone is fresh-looking and true to color
- The overall image is color balanced
- The overall image feels reputable and professional, expressing genuine integrity
Additionally, lighting can play a critical role in defining the entire mood of the video. Is the video for a celebration, or does it cover a somber topic? Does it need to feel dreamy and light, or grounded and thought-provoking. Each instance presents an opportunity for different kinds of lighting scenarios.
4. Multiple Camera Angles
Using multiple cameras during an interview is one of the easiest ways to provide visual relief and variety for the viewer. Let’s face it, these days viewers’ attention spans are stunted, while their need for stimulation keeps expanding. The more we can vary the image, the better chances we have in keeping the audience’s interest.
Setting up multiple cameras also has advantages when cutting up footage in post-production. Even with a very compelling interview, being able to cut between 2, 3 or possibly more cameras, can contribute to subtle storytelling cues that create more depth and interest than just a single camera.
For most of our clients seeking interview-style videos, we’ve set up at least two cameras: a master camera framing the subject from about chest up (see left screenshot above), and a secondary camera providing a wider shot (see right screenshot above). For added variety, we typically have the second camera on a motorized slider, slowly trucking back and forth and executing a slight orbit around the interviewee.
5. A Good Stylist
Hiring a visually keen and detailed hair, make-up and wardrobe stylist for the interview shoot is an essential task. Focused on the look of each interviewee, stylists free up directors and producers so they focus on their key roles during the shoot. They provide solutions to common issues intensified on camera, such as the shine and redness from almost everyone’s skin. Stylists keep your interviewee’s look natural and consistent throughout the shoot—from covering blemishes to evening out skin tone. They also do something almost no other crew member can do – they give your interviewees the boost of confidence needed for a good on-camera performance.
Additionally, having a stylist on set is key to controlling wardrobe mishaps, wayward hair, make up flubs and more. Even the simplest act of noticing such details as straightening a subject’s shirt and collar just before rolling camera can help keep the production on track and on schedule. Stylists are indispensable.
6. Excellent Audio
This last point can make or break your video. No matter how powerful the story, how cinematic, well-lit and polished the interviewees are, if the audio is in anyway unclear, the video’s credibility, interest and viewership goes down the drain. Quality audio in any type of video is a key aspect that is taken for granted, and only noticed when there’s a problem. So it’s critical to employ the right audio equipment and method of recording — as it literally creates 50% of your video.
In conclusion, mastering the art of corporate interviews is greatly facilitated by partnering with a professional video production company. By combining the expertise of seasoned professionals and these best practices, organizations can ensure that their interview content achieves maximum impact and effectiveness.