The interviewee must be as comfortable as possible so take time to have a chat and learn about her/him while you are discussing the weather. If you have time, start the tape early and lead naturally to the subject of the interview when the interviewee is relaxed.

As an interviewer, you must learn to ask open-ended questions. Don't ask questions that can be answered by yes or no. Instead ask your interviewee what she/he thinks or feels about something. Don't talk so much that you answer your own question.

Try to have questions prepared but be ready to follow an interesting new lead in the interview. Show you are interested but try not to give verbal cues. Instead nod your head and smile.

When preparing for the interview, ask yourself its purpose. Compose your questions to achieve your goal. Try not to be led
off the track during the actual interview. Keep your questions focused.

When technically setting up the interview, be sure to provide good sound and light but be aware that people can be intimidated by mikes pushed in their faces and bright lights. Consider using bounced light and lavalier mics. Don't forget the sound/video check but try not to intimidate your interviewee with the technology.

Also plan how you will frame your interview. Do you want a two shot with interviewer/interviewee sitting at a table or on a sofa? If so, try to keep the people as close together as possible. Be careful of decorations growing out of heads and backlighting.

You might try to shoot the scene over the shoulder of the interviewer but with the back of his/her head and shoulder in the shot. After the interview, the camera person can reverse position and shoot the questions being re-asked for later editing.

If the purpose of the interview is to get comments of the interviewee for later editing, then she/he can be shot over the shoulder of the interviewer. In such cases, position the camera so the interviewee will be looking into the lens while addressing the interviewer.

It would be easy to set up the camera (at interviewee head level) and ask questions from behind the camera. The problem is the interviewee might be intimidated by the camera.

One solution is to set up chairs facing each other as in the over the shoulder interview. Place the camera on a tripod close to the interviewer's shoulder. Simply reach over and start it recording while you warm up the interviewee.

Another approach would be former Burgeo Program Director Nancy Barter's CBC On the Road wharf interview. Nancy framed a two-shot of her guest sitting on the wharf, started the camera rolling, and then placed herself in the shot to conduct her interview.

Each person decides what topic they will be interviewed on; each exercise step is performed round robin. That is, each person gets the chance to use the camera; interview, and be interviewed in each exercise step. Two or three minutes should be long enough for each "interview".

1. Set up the equipment for "one interviewer/one interviewee as in sketch A-1. Announce your topics and conduct your interviews.

2. Set up the equipment for an "over-the-shoulder interview" as in sketch A-2. Announce your topics and conduct your interviews.

3. Set up the equipment for the "interviewee and interviewer on-camera" as in sketch A-3. Announce your topics and conduct your interviews.

4. Set up the equipment for the "interviewee and interviewer on-camera" as in sketch A-4. Announce your topics and conduct your interviews.

5. Watch the 12 interviews (if time); which method do you prefer? Why?

6. Disassemble the equipment for the next group.
NOTE:
This exercise will move at a smoother pace if the topics are announced beforehand and the interviewers have a chance to jot down a few questions.