The Art of Interviewing

Interviewing is an art which is approached with far less careful thought than it deserves. There is more to it than the routine, all-purpose line of questioning which scarcely varies whatever the topic–the journalistic equivalent of the telephone sales pitch. The best interviewers are not satisfied unless every time they appear they unearth a small nugget of truth or open the door to wider understanding. Beginners have a tendency to think of all television interviews in the terms of the lengthy, combative setpieces conducted in studios at prime time and are surprised to discover the existence of a wide range of types, each calling for subtle differences in approach.

Preparation

The first rule of interviewing has nothing to do with journalistic ethics or technique. It is: find out who you are interviewing and why. Don’t wait until the camera is rolling and expect the interviewee to come to your rescue. Some will. Others will enjoy your discomfort and the opportunity it presents. Nothing is more guaranteed to undermine your credibility with the audience and dent your confidence than an interview which gets off on the wrong foot, the subject prefacing the answer to your first question with the correction to a name or title. Embarrassment all round–at your expense.

Once you are armed with the basic details, ask yourself what you expect from the interview. Facts for the record? An opinion? Or a mixture of both? Is it to be short and incisive or leisurely and gently probing?

The extent and depth of your research will, of course, vary according to the kind of interview involved and the time allotted to it. A thorough examination of background material is more likely to be necessary for a searching political interview than with the eye-witness to a robbery.

Questions

Some journalists do not prepare questions in advance, preferring to ‘wing it’ and let the interview run its natural course. There are very few circumstances in which this is a good idea, and few practitioners can get away with the technique. Spraying questions about as they come to mind is undisciplined and is bound to lead to confusion, omission and repetition. Aim to approach the subject naturally and logically.

But unless there is a danger of running out of questions there is no need to write down a long list and stick to it regardless. If you are afraid of ‘drying’ it is worth jotting down a few to jog the memory. Spontaneity is better achieved with a broad outline of the ground to be covered and the details left until the interview gets under way.

The set-piece interview (1)

One of the main categories to be found either in the studio or on location, the classic single-camera set-up has the lens pointing over your shoulder at the interview subject.