Video interviews are a great way to connect with customers and prospects on a more personal level. If you’re working with a corporate video production company, or a corporate videographer, it’s even more vital that these interviews are conducted in the right way.
This is because there are many ways for things to go wrong – for instance, if you as an interviewee feel uncomfortable because you are unsure of where you should be looking or what you look like on camera. It’s not just about how well you answer the questions that are asked, but how all aspects of your interview come across on film. Confidence, concise language, eye contact, lens type, lighting and backdrop all play a part in a seamless talking head or Vox pop video. Here are some amazing tips for creating and performing in great video interviews!
Be comfortable – Understand what is appearing on the camera
Being as comfortable as possible in front of the camera is crucial for a great interview. If you’re feeling uneasy, it will show on the screen. Ideally, the camera will be set up so that you, the interviewee, will have clear access to be able to see how you appear on the screen early in the production.
Ask to see yourself on a monitor or ask your producer or videographer to play back some sample footage so you can see yourself on camera. This will help enable you to adjust your posture and body language as needed, which is closely tied to how viewers perceive your content! The same will apply when you require corporate photography. Comfort is key when you’re are placed in front of the camera.
Open-ended questions will get you talking
Open-ended questions will let you as an interviewee speak in complete sentences and give you the opportunity of redirecting them if you stray off-topic. An interviewer asking open-ended questions will help engage you and keep you talking in an unscripted manner. Your responses will be more natural and you won’t come off as ‘robotic’ by attempting to remember and deliver a complex script.
Good examples are: “What’s been one of your greatest challenges?” or “Tell me about a time when things didn’t go as expected.” As a result, your responses can be rehearsed while sounding organic and you will be more engaged in the interview video as well. And most importantly: your viewers will love hearing the answers!
Many people find if difficult to elaborate on questions that can be answered directly with a simple yes or no. Make sure your script is based less around specific answers to questions and is based on engaging questions that will draw out the kinds of responses that you are looking to document on your video.
A good interviewer will keep you talking
A good corporate video production will employ a variety of tactics to keep you talking during your interview. Ideally, they will be well researched in your subject matter and taking notes on the day.
Example Interviewer Question: “Tell me about a time when your goal was achieved.”
If you can’t answer in two or three sentences or if you keep going off on tangents and don’t give concise answers, they will use their judgment as to whether they have gotten something they can edit down, or they may ask you the same question again and ask you to be more concise if possible. In this scenario feel confident that you are on the right track, trust your interviewer and try answering the question again without letting the last attempt affect your response.
If the interviewer doesn’t get an answer they think they can use they may prod further and ask further open-ended question like “What’s that?” or “Can you tell me more about that? What were some of the challenges?”
Keep eye contact with the person giving the interview
Maintaining eye contact can be difficult, but it’s necessary for a good interview. It allows the interviewer to ensure that you are paying attention and makes them feel like they’re being listened to.
If you don’t maintain eye contact with your interviewer you may find it hard to concentrate on what you were saying or what question was just asked of you. Keep steady eye contact to with your interview to maintain engagement and to help with being spooked or distracted by the camera.
Eye contact also helps in building rapport between the interviewer and interviewee, which is an essential ingredient for a good interview. It helps your subject feel like you’re listening and understanding what they are saying.
Use an external microphone (definitely use headphones), so you can hear yourself better while recording – Video Podcast Specific
The external microphone will allow you to hear your voice better and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Use an external mic and use headphones so you can hear yourself while you are talking.
This will help you stay on topic because it can be hard to concentrate if the sound quality isn’t up to par. The microphone will help maintain the consistency of your vocal volume during the corporate video podcast.
Use a professional-looking backdrop
A professional looking backdrop is crucial in corporate video production and can ensure the viewer isn’t distracted by something other than the subject.
A professional, high-contrast white wall, for example, with no clutter (don’t put anything on it), clean lines, provides the perfect backdrop for any interview and nothing that might distract viewers from the subject and their work.
If you are filming in your workspace, make sure it is clean and neat to avoid subjective observations of how organised or disorganised a space should look.
Choose the right lens
The best lens to use will depend on who is being interviewed and where they are. For example, if a person is in a small space, then an interview video could be shot vertically from their eye level to fill up as much of the frame as possible. But if someone is sitting at their desk or standing in an office, a wider lens for more context and to show their surroundings should be selected.
A wide lens is better if you are in an office or sitting at a desk so that the viewer can see the rest of the space around you. If your office or location is in a small space, shoot the video from eye level. Be aware of who and what are behind you because it may be distracting if there are windows nearby or there are people or other moving objects in the background.
Take breaks when needed
Unfortunately, it can be easy for you as the interviewee in the video to get tired or bored, so taking enough breaks is crucial. Take breaks every 15 minutes if possible to keep fatigue from happening or boredom.
Taking breaks also helps prevent misunderstandings or disagreements about what has been said. It can also help rejuvenate your energy allowing you to be more engaging.
It’s also a good idea to as for built in breaks so that you can discuss topics with your interviewer. A good interviewer or video producer will take note of what has been discussed during each break, then work it back into the conversation when you come back.
Plan your looks
It’s important that you as the interviewee are well-prepared for your appearance in the video. Viewers of your interview will likely feel more at ease if they can see you looking groomed, polished, and professional.
This means taking care with hair styling or putting on makeup as needed; wearing something appropriate to the occasion, and having a clean interview space to film the interview. If you don’t have an appropriate space to film, ask your videographer or video production company for a list of indoor locations to film.
It’s also a good idea to wear breathable clothing and be aware that the lighting and nervousness on the day may make you feel very warm and uncomfortable.
Practice before the interview
It’s always a good idea to practice before filming. Whether you’re being filmed ‘in conversation,’ reading from a script, or are involved in a role-play scenario, practicing beforehand will help keep things natural.
Practicing also helps ensure that you’re not going to forget any key points or information. But don’t go overboard; too much practice can sound robotic and rehearsed. Remember out tip from above, a great approach and alternative to scripts are questionnaires with open ended questions.
You will be able to practice but the answer won’t have to be the same every single time while you still hit your key points.
Smile during the interview
Smiling goes a long way, smiling helps you look natural on camera u to appear more attractive and engaging. So the next time you’re about to perform an interview, remember that a little smile goes a long way!
Be mindful of body language
Body language can reveal a lot about someone’s personality. Viewers will make judgment calls on whether you are being truthful or not based on how comfortable you appear in front of the camera, and your level of interest in what is going on around you.
To help you get better at reading body language- practice watching people who are really good at it! For example, when someone looks down while answering a question or changes eye contact from one speaker to another, they appear to be lying. Being mindful of body language will go a long way in helping you to deliver great interviews as an interviewee.
You should also be mindful of your own body language. Don’t be too stiff, be afraid to smile, and make eye contact!
Have water on hand
Making sure that you, as an interviewee, are hydrated will help you provide a better performance and will allow the production team to get better quality sound. A dry throat can lead to a lot of noise and, in turn, make it difficult for people to hear what is being said on camera, it may also distract you while the lights are on!
Water breaks are also a great way to gather your thoughts, reflect and stay engaged and talking. It will also give you a chance to breathe and ease the momentum. Additionally, it will help you combat any dry mouth, making it difficult for you to answer questions.
Final Thoughts
If you’re considering corporate videography for your company, we can help. A great corporate video production will engage viewers and showcase the best of what your business has to offer while also highlighting its story. We know what looks great on the camera and that means you can be confident that you will appear confident and natural in your corporate interview video.
We want to make sure that every potential customer who watches it walks away feeling like they know more about your brand – because if they do, then there is a greater chance of them becoming one!
Contact us today with any questions or needs so we can get started on creating something amazing for you.
Christopher Lichti
Christopher Lichti is the founder and lead content strategist at Video Outcomes, a video marketing, corporate video production and corporate videography company based in Melbourne, Australia founded in 2017.
Christopher's background in developing video content for ppc campaigns on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn started in 2014. On the days he is not making videos he is making music and playing with his kids.
