A short clip to assist students in developing a Digiexplanation Interview. The Video to go with this presentation can be located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlAPZ3lHTRA

1. Tips for setting up to conduct and film an interview
By Ragnar Haabjoern
Research Assistant
Faculty of Arts & Education
School of Education
CREATING A DIGIEXPLANATION

2. PREPARATION
• Questions to consider
• Why?
• What is the interview’s overall purpose?
• What is the Digiexplanation for?
• Who is your audience?
• Answering these questions prior to even thinking about filming will create valuable
context for your overall project and production.

3. BUILDING BACKGROUND
• Questions to consider
• Who will you need to present a great story/interview?
• Where can you find this person?
• What networks can you utilise?
Ask, just ask! People are excited that someone else is interested about their research.

4. BUILDING BACKGROUND
• Develop good background knowledge of your interviewee
• The more you know,
The more they will be willing to share with you, and be open about their research,
their knowledge, their drive their intrinsic motivation to pursue this course of
investigation.

5. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 1
• Start creating interview questions you wish to put forward and have answered
during the interview
• You can story board this, Map the interview. Use symbols, keep it simple.
• Try and get a flow with your questions.
• Mapping the interview (Example Structure):
• The introduction
• The Diving In
• Added Extras (Interview Gold)
• Conclusion

6. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 1
• Send your potential interview questions to your interviewee
• Give them enough time to read these and synthesis good responses
• The more time you give, the more in-depth the responses you receive will be
• Surprises may startle your interviewee and break the flow of the interview

7. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 1
• Logistics
• Come to a mutual agreement for a time and a place to conduct the interview
• Give yourself a lot of time.
• You want to be as relaxed as possible to make the interviewee feel comfortable.
• They will only be as relaxed as you are!
• Take in to account travel time, parking, finding the venue, setting up your equipment
and introducing yourself to the interviewee.

8. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 2
• Self Preparation
• Watch interviews online!
• Get yourself in the mode of film maker and interviewer.
• Watch different styles and genres of interviews.
• Take notes while watching:
• Camera Angles
• Position of camera
• Flow of questions
• Make a plan, draw a picture of what your set up will look like.

9. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 3
• Equipment
• KNOW THY EQUPIMENT!
• If your not familiar with the equipment make a quick little film before your
interview.
• Check how to use focus of the camera and auto options.
• Check Sound levels
• Take note wind is not a friend of the interview!
• If you film outside make sure there is zero background noise and that wind
is not blowing into your mic.

10. PRE-INTERVIEW PART 3
• Equipment
• Charge Batteries
• Have spares
• Pack the day before
• Give yourself plenty of time to get all equipment organised

11. SHOWING UP
• Create a connection
• Greet your interviewee.
• Be Grateful
• Thank them for their time and willingness to participate
This relationship building will pay big dividends when it comes down to the shoot!

12. SHOWING UP
• Relaxed Atmosphere
Because you are so well prepared and there is adequate time,
Both parties know what is going on,
A relaxed atmosphere is created which will come through on the final product.

13. THE SHOOT
• Setting Up
• TAKE YOUR TIME!
• Don’t Rush!
• Set up the scene the way you would like it to look.
• If you need things to be moved, ask nicely.
• Take a sample screen shot or film briefly to test sound, light and focus.

14. THE SHOOT
• Lights, Camera, Action
• Start rolling!
• Make sure all mics and cameras are on, check blinking lights!
• Magic tip: Breathe-Take your time, Don’t Rush!
• Remember you are interviewing a person not a robot.
• Try and capture their personality through the lens and through your questioning.
If they are excited about their research/topic their enthusiasm will show up in the
final cut.

15. THE SHOOT
• Lights, Camera, Action
• This old saying is true:
“There is no business like show business!!”
Have fun with it!
You are capturing a moment in time.
You have the power to make this as thoughtful, powerful, poignant and/or entertaining as
you are willing to make it.

16. THAT’S A WRAP
• Thank your interviewee.
• If there is time, try and check what you have recorded all what you needed.
• Check that the sound and images work in the rough cut.
• You may wish to give the interviewee a tentative timeline of when you think the
interview will be ready for broadcasting.
• They will be excited about it and hopefully they will send it through their
networks for viewing.

17. THAT’S A WRAP
• Additional Multi-media
• You may wish to ask for additional resources such as images, documents, web
links etc.
• These can be embedded within your clip or added to the site you publish your
work to.

18. EXHIBIT, EXHIBIT, EXHIBIT
• Publish your work.
• Share it online.
• Give it a chance to be used by many different audiences.

19. FINAL TIP
• Be Courageous!
You may be totally out of your comfort zone with this. Its OK this is natural. Your
preparation will turn this nervousness into cinematic gold!
Have fun, Breathe, Relax
This is a innovative way to share knowledge and hopefully inspire others and
maybe even yourself!

20. PRODUCED FOR DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ARTS & EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION