The document provides tips for conducting interviews. It emphasizes that an interview should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. The interviewer should make the subject comfortable, ask open-ended questions, listen more than they talk, and focus on getting interesting sound bites. Key tips include beginning with "tell me about", asking follow up questions, mirroring responses back, and focusing on one issue at a time. The environment and lighting for a video interview are also important factors to consider.

1. It’s Not an Interview;
It’s a Conversation
Don Goble
Ladue High School
St. Louis, MO
email: dgoble@ladueschools.net
website: www.about.me/dongoble
Twitter: @dgoble2001
#JEAai

2. Interviewing:
Learning to Listen
 Find a connection point – relationship
 Make time for the interviewee - don’t be in
a rush if at all possible
 Do not interrupt the speaker
 Focus on the speaker with your EYES

3. Interviewing:
Learning to Listen
 Help the interviewee think through your
question - Rephrase if necessary
 Ask questions that really let the person
know you are listening – Paraphrase
 Don’t EVER judge a person’s answers

4. Interviewing:
Optimal Location
 # 2 Takeaway! Environment/Location is
CRUCIAL for a video interview!
 Interview should occur in the appropriate
environment, if at all possible (at an event,
game, somewhere near action to get
reaction)
 Zoom your FEET not the LENS

5. Interviewing:
Optimal Location
 Survey your location for possible noise
distractions or interruptions (wind, cars,
siren’s)
 Survey your location for lighting (if
applicable)

6. Research
 Learn as much as you can BEFORE the interview:
– Ask friends, colleagues, parents, etc.
– Search the Internet (social media)
 BUT, once the interview begins, be CURIOUS
and NAÏVE!
– People won’t give you good answers if they
think you already know them

7. Asking Questions
 Think about the purpose of the interview
– Objective questions = facts
• “How much…”
• “How many…”
• “What happened…”
– Subjective questions = opinions
• “Why……”
• “Would you explain…”

8. Say your name and spell it!
 Hit record and ask them to say their name
and spell it. (audio check)
 Now you have a record of the persons
name to create graphics later.
 Spelling people’s names wrong = BAD!

9. Asking Questions
 # 1 Takeaway! Begin EVERY video conversation with
TELL ME ABOUT!
 Great conversation starters begin with
– TELL ME ABOUT…..
– “How did..?”
– “What if..?”
– “Why do you..?”
 Ask Open-Ended questions
– Cannot be answered with a yes or no response.
– Do not offer a choice

10. Asking Questions
 Mirror
– Tell your interviewee what you hear him or her saying,
then ask, “Did I get that right? Is there more?”
– Remember not to interrupt or disagree; that blocks
your ability to listen.
– Mirroring checks your understanding
– Anything else you would like to add?

11. Asking Questions
 LISTEN more than you TALK!
– Listening is more than just waiting for your turn to
talk.
– You are interviewing to LEARN!
– If you are talking, you are not learning anything.
– Use your ears more than your mouth.

12. Listening
1. Eye contact
2. Taking mental or physical notes in the person’s
own words
3. Involves suspension of judgment
4. Is not ANALYZING what the person is saying as
they are saying it.
5. Create a safe space where whatever needs to
happen or be said can come through.

13. Package the interview
1. Pull only the BEST sound bites (a.k.a: quotes)
1. Short, clear, concise sound bites are the best.
1. Paraphrase quotes for Voiceovers or Stand-
Ups.
1. “Make them laugh before you make them cry”
-- Les Rose and Steve Hartman (CBS News)

14. It’s not an Interview, it’s
a Conversation!
1. Focus on one issue at a time
2. Be naïve
3. Be tough
4. Be human
5. Be honest
6. Empathize
7. Practice interviewing!

15. Interviewing Styles
 Both interviewer and subject visible in camera
shot
 Interviewer not visible, but heard
 Interviewer and subject in different locations
entirely ("remote”)
 Interviewer not visible and not heard
*Preferred

16. Over the Shoulder Shot
 Interviewer not visible and not heard
*Preferred
 Camera is set over the shoulder of the
interviewer
 Light ALWAYS behind the CAMERA
 Eye level
– Sit = Sit or Stand = Stand

17. Interview C.O.O.L Characters
 C.olorful
I don’t want to
 O.utgoing
watch BORING
 O.pinionated
videos!
 L.ively

18. Role Play Interview
 2 Volunteers?
 Find a partner and interview each other
for the next 10 minutes

19. Interview Tips
 Plan ahead and present your project to
possible interviewees as early as
possible.

20. Interview Tips
 Be clear about what your project entails,
what kinds of questions you’ll be asking,
and what will happen to the finished
product.
 BUT, never give your C.O.O.L. character the
questions ahead of time!

21. Interview Tips
 Remember people are putting their
stories in your hands, so you want to
establish a level of trust and assert your
own intentions to represent them fairly
and accurately.

22. Interview Tips
 Be sensitive about people's privacy and
do not intrude on them if they are
reluctant about any aspect of the
project.
 Invite interviewees to become active
participants in the project.
 Ask your subjects to tell stories.

23. The next 26 from Aaron
Manful
 http://thenext26.com/the-next-26-great-les
 Lesson 4 – Short News Packages
 Zip file of lesson, scoring guide, etc.

24. Q&A
or
sample student
videos?

25. Contact
information:
Don Goble
Ladue High School
St. Louis, MO
email: dgoble@ladueschools.net
website: www.about.me/dongoble
Twitter: @dgoble2001
#JEAai