PREPARING FOR YOUR VIDEO INTERVIEW

We are so glad that you’ve decided to let us help you to produce a video to help tell your story. Producing video is fun and exciting for us as well! But we realize for clients, particularly those who have never been through the process, that it can be intimidating. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.

Before we schedule your shoot, we need to help you get you prepared for a great experience! We’ve prepared the following tips to help you be aware of what’s involved, get ready for shoot day, and to help the shoot run smoothly, stay on time and on budget.

1. Know Your Audience

One of the first things to keep in mind is who you are directing your message towards. The better you understand your audience, the better you will be able to refine your message, find your voice, and help us to guide you towards your best presentation.

It’s also important to remember that your message should be consistent, and both reflect and support your mission statement. It should also portray the value you bring to your clients/customers.

2. What to Wear

What to wear? Simple. Wear what you would normally wear when meeting a client or customer for the first time. Just be yourself. Do you normally wear branded apparel? You know, a uniform or t-shirt, or polo with your company’s logo on it. If you do, great! Also make sure that the other key members of your team or organization are also dressed the same.

If your trade or profession normally requires a specific uniform such as a lab coat, scrubs, or similar attire then consider wearing that. Another thing to consider is that all employees should be wearing what is the most appropriate if we are also scheduled to capture b-roll footage, which includes wide-shots, background activity, etc.
In that case, branded apparel, their normal workwear, or mandated safety or protective gear should be worn as if OSHA were on the shoot with us, as they should anyway.

And don’t forget to wear a smile! But make sure it’s natural.
Engaging video is all about authenticity. So, both you, your employees and co-workers should be your authentic selves.

Acting naturally is less about acting and more about being yourself. Being professional, projecting the pride in what you do, and speaking the way you normally would to a client is, well, what you do right?

3. Trust the Editing Process

Producing video may look like fun. Okay, it is! But it’s also guided by experience and professional practices. What that means is, we’ll be shooting more than we need in order to make sure we’ve covered everything.

That means we will only be using a portion of what is said during interviews or what we’ve captured in the B-roll. After all, the story we’re crafting has to be complete and concise and fit into a specific, yet informative and entertaining timeframe. Not too much. Not too little.

It has to be just right and when combined with a great music track, voiced over segments, and informative graphics, well – that’s what good video is all about!

What about you? You’re not a pro? You’re nervous? Again, relax and be yourself. Everyone, even the pros, stumble or lose their train of thought. Don’t worry! Stop! Take a breath.

We can go back to where we stopped or left off. Editing will make you look smooth and polished in your delivery.

4. Prepare Your Message

Remember what we said? Acting naturally is less about acting and more about being yourself.
Being professional, projecting the pride in what you do, and speaking the way you normally would to a client is, well, what you do right?
Memorizing a speech or your responses or reading a statement – it’s not natural! How can you be natural and on point?

Review your key brand messaging elements ahead of time. Schedule some pre-shoot date preparation time.

Use it to review your mission statement, value proposition statement, positioning statement, vision statement etc. Jot down key talking points and key words that you want to work into your answers.

5. Do Not Read or Recite from Memory

This is an important tip to repeat. Yes, you don’t want to forget key talking points and messaging elements. So, remember the five P’s – Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance! You’re the pro at what you do. You know better than anyone what you do, how you do it and why you do it. Let that shine through.

6. Repeat the Answer in your Question

In an interview style video, the off-camera interviewer will ask you questions or prompt responses. They will not be seen or heard in the video. That’s why it’s important to frame your response or answer by stating a complete sentence which contains the question in your answer.

For example: What is your favorite color?

Wrong response: “Blue”

Correct response: “My favorite color is blue.”

Better response: “My favorite color is blue because it reminds me of water and all the days I spent at the beach with my grandmother when I was a child.”

7. Remember, it’s not all about you

Of course, we will be asking questions about you, your experience, and the business you’re in. We’ll also ask you about the value your product or service brings.

Your audience, both current and prospective customers or clients, will want to know about what your product or service can do for them.

Remember businesses and organizations solve problems. The customer only wants to know what’s in it for them.

8. Scheduling

It’s true. Time is money!

Please work with your account manager well before the scheduled shoot date to determine and inform them as to how many people will be interviewed. Your account manager will work with you to line up a projected production timeline.

What wastes time? What eats away at the budget? Not being prepared. Avoid downtime. Down time is wasted time. Time is wasted when you show up at a shoot unprepared or your key components such as location, B-roll list, key individuals, and products are not “good to go” and ready to assist in quality video production.

Once you confirm the key elements of location, B-roll list, key individuals, and products, we will create and supply you with a realistic timeline. The timeline schedules how long each interview should take once we are set up and how we will maintain an efficient workflow.

9. Do Not Look Directly into the Camera

Okay. There are two schools of thought regarding this. One is, to not look directly into the camera or you will turn to stone! Just kidding.

Connecting with the off-camera interviewer will result in a more natural interview. Staring directly into the camera, believe it or not, can be off-putting to the viewer.

Yes, there are occasions when it is necessary to drive home a point. But, for the most part, you are simply having a conversation with a prospective customer or a colleague.

10. See You at the Shoot!

You’ll do great! Just remember to know your audience, dress for the occasion and be yourself, and trust the editing process.

Just as important is being prepared and knowing your message instead of memorizing it or reading it from a script. Always repeat the answer in your question.

Focus on your current and prospective customers or clients’ needs, which is really about what your product or service can do for them.
Remember businesses and organizations solve problems. The customer only wants to know what’s in it for them.

It’s worth repeating, time is money! Prepare ahead of time, stick to the schedule you’ve agreed to. And, most importantly – let’s have some fun, work as a well-oiled team, and create some great videos!