1. Don’t be late
A lot of the times, the location booked for the interview is booked for a certain amount of time and there may be other people / productions using the space after your interview so please allow yourself enough time to get to the set on time or 5-10 minutes before your specified time.
Few times when we were filming interviews for VladTV, the person being interviewed kept on postponing the time and after we were all setup, we allow for an hour maximum of wait time after which we cancel the shoot. We are simply unable to wait beyond that as we have to cover the location, gear, crew costs...
2. Don’t get stressed out
The camera can make some people feel uncomfortable, yet it is important to let that go and not even think about it. We've had times when the person on camera didn't have much previous experience talking on camera and was unable to be himself / herself, you know that person who just hangs out with friends and is able to just be. We usually try to open up with some small talk to put a person at ease, talk about everyday unrelated things to get the person's mind off the camera. That usually helps. There is really nothing to it, however keep in mind that the camera sees and feels all. Your slightest hints of emotions, gestures, everything. So be in control.
3. Don’t fidget
I usually ask the person on camera to settle into the chair, get comfortable, relax and have fun. Don't shake the leg, don't rock back and forth...
It may not be every day that the person is in front of the camera, so it's our job to make sure the person on camera has fun and is enjoying the experience. There is really nothing to it. When a person is fidgeting on camera, we sometimes have to reshoot the interview or parts of it, which takes time, causes delays and other inconveniences.
4. Don’t be too serious - it’s all about personality and good spirits
This point relates to not getting stressed out. Sometimes people get too serious, or too stiff and it takes away from the experience. We as professionals in the video industry try to bring out the best in you, make you look your best in front of the camera since that creates lasting memories. We want you to have a fun experience so you can tell others about it over dinner or bring it up at a bar, it's a great conversation piece.
5. Don’t be mean to crew
Sometimes we hear stories of celebrities or people being mean to crews. TV / Film industry is at the forefront of equality movement as well as treating people fairly and we really enjoy what we do. Every person and every position is important and we want everyone to have a great time, regardless of the level of their involvement. We want people to want to love working with you and not be part of "on-set horror stories" as those spread via social media at warp speeds and once one person knows, then everyone in the industry knows.
These are just some food for thought. Do you want to shoot perhaps some corporate interviews???? Send us the details of your project to Art@C137prod.com or Call / Text at 310 620 3934. Let's talk today.