To make this easy for the participants to follow, I divided the Tips in 3 parts.
<> PART 1 : Preparation Before The Interview
<> PART 2 : Conduct Interview
<> PART 3 : What Next After The Interview
Although interview techniques are quite the same, different people have different interview tips. So these are what I've learnt after trainings and many interviews that i conducted. I guess you guys have your own tips too that I'd love to know. So please share!! =)
So here go the tips...
PART 1. PREPARATION BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Ask Yourself : What? Why? Who? When? Where? How?
Before an interview, make sure you are well prepared. How to know if you are well prepared? Easy!! Ask yourself the 5 W’s and 1 H question. (Thats what I always do and it works. I hope it works with you too!)
1. What is the interview for? You should already have a vision of your story prior the interview:
- What the major topic and a story mapping do I have in mind? (ie : a peace campaign of an organization, how a young people who become a youth biz ;the lives of kids on the streets etc). When you have a topic in mind and a story mapping, you will have a route for your questions to flow out and be focused.
- What the appearance of my story’s going to be on media? (as a feature, a news story, an interview, an opinion piece.). The story will be on TV, radio, newspaper or newsletters.
- What kind of media am I going have my story on air? (women magazines, youth TV channel, school newspaper..) This is important! You will have to use different kinds of equipments for your interviews because each type of media requires different technical standards (ie: if you work for radio then you have to record the voices and sounds very clearly, loud enough…But if I write a story for a newspaper then I just need to record normally so that I could play back and listen later to get information, ..)
- What do I know about the interviewees and their expert fields? Have some backgrounds, basic facts of whom you will talk to. If possible, do some research on people, orgs you will interview on previous articles, internet, various sources you can access .If you interview people on issues like economics, technology… you don’t have to be experts in the fields but necessary to know some technique words or some backgrounds of the subjects. Researching will be of great help: you have an idea of why this person, org “worth featuring” and at same time make sure you wont go on same roads but actually cover some NEW things, aspects, angles about them.
- What do I want to know from the interview? New information, details or new aspects, angles on a person, a topic that you did not see in your research and will bring your story into a complete drawing. Make a list of questions you will ask . Keep the questions short, easy to understand and focused.
2. Why
- Why do I interview this or that person or feature this org, event? Think of the reasons that make people you interview “stand out”. When interview them, you will investigate on those reasons and discover them with your questions. You might write about same people, same projects, same orgs, but make sure you have YOUR OWN reasons why you choose interview/feature them! Make your writing new, unique and like no others before!
- Why this person/org story related to the readers?
3. Who
- Who am I going to talk to? Make sure you know names, basic information about person you are going to interview. Contact them to ask for permission for interview. Remember their full names and have their contacts in hand! (it sounds easy but hey its what many journalists forget – just imagine the amount of data, names, events they have to memorize everyday from the news). Think of people that are related to the person you interview or the story you cover. You might want to interview them as well so you can have different reflections/point views on people and event you cover.
4. When
- When should I have the interview? Choose the right time!
+ Check your calendar and set a time suitable for you and your interviewee. Set the time and don’t be late.
+ Check out the time that allows you to have better observation, details for your story. For example: If you write about a Peace workshop at a school, ask the time of the workshop, come to the workshop, interview the kids before and after the workshop.
5. Where
Where can I have the interview? Choose a place and arrange it with the interviewee. A good place is where
+ the interviewees feel comfortable to spend times there talking with you ; respect their choices and privacy.
+ places related to people, orgs, events featured in your story so that you could have an overall picture and more observations
+ where you can record sounds, pictures, etc. without being disturbed and interrupted. It would be good to come and check the place prior the interview if you can.
6. How
- How am I going to conduct my interview? There are several ways on telephone, emails. But always try to organize a face-to face meeting. You will have a better inside scoop and better personal observations which will put the colour to your story.
PART II: CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW
Beginning an interview means finding answers for: What? Why? Who? When? Where? How? from your interviewees. But don’t rush! Take it step by step.
<>Introduce Yourself:
- Plan your introduction. Introduce who you are, what you are doing. Use simple words!
- Ask them if you can use your equipments (if you have). Some people don’t like recorders and video cams. Respect their choices! Explain the reason for recording.
- Get your pens and notepads ready.
<>Ice breaking :
- Don’t stress your interviewees. Don’t force them to answer or make them share their stories with you.
- You don’t have to start asking questions right away. Chit chat, icebreaking a bit! But be careful, some people do not like “blurring around”. Depend on different people, decide what you should do. Don’t be too strict with your words. It is not a Q and A session. It is a conversation! BUT don’t be too informal. The main point: make people feel comfortable, trust and talk to you.
<>Start your interview
1. Ask your questions but don’t stick to them: When things are “warmed up”, start off with your prepared questions, but you don’t have to stick to them all the time. Actually a lot of cool information pops up during the conversations that you want to investigate on. However, keep in mind the story map and major topics. Make the best use of the 5 W’S and H’ questions. Again questions should be short, easy to understand and develop.
2. Concentrate: you get two goals at same time: make the interviewee talk to you more and pick up new and interesting information that can pop up anytime during conversation.
3. Write down whatever you can while keeping your recorder running: it helps you to compile all the information later to choose what you need for your story. You might start your interview with a list of questions and topics. Amazingly, you can end up with more information than what you need and new ideas for new stories!
4. Use your sensory observations: sensory observation is a super tool for journalists! Use your ears, eyes, nose, etc. to observe the person and things related to that person. Write down your feelings about them, descriptions of what you observe. If you can feel them, know them then you will have passions to write down.
5. Find something NEW: keep your ears to new things, new perspectives and angles.
6. Feature Diversity: ask different opinions, perspectives, and viewpoints to reflect different sides of an issue or different thoughts on a person.
7. Make sure to let people speak out: if you write about a topic make sure the person who’s involved can speak out. For example: if you write about a youth then let his voice recorded, not his parents’ or adults’. Your story will have inside perspectives and importantly: informative, honest and inspiring. Don’t make people become just kind decorations for your show.
8. Show your respect: respect their privacy and make them feel they can trust you. Respect differences. You might interview people from different culture, religions which are strange to you. Don’t make them confused. Show respect.
9. Don’t be too clever: journalists often know beyond information they give out .You don’t have to say everything you know. Don’t try to be too clever and never set your perspectives on the interviewee’s.
10. Don’t get them stressed: get the interviewees pay less attention to your equipments like recorders, video cam, they may be stressed about them and get nervous. Don’t force them to answer your questions. If they say NO to your question, it means NO. Make them feel comfortable and safe with you.
11. be sensitive and be careful: don’t rush in making questions. Listen and look. Then decide what to do. Care about the interviewee’s feelings (through their body language, language, the way they behave...). Don’t do anything if you are not allowed to.
12. Clarify but do not disturb or interrupt: Don’t try to disturb and interrupt when people talking. Find ways to stop them naturally and clarify points of view you are not clear. If you suddenly interrupt and stop them, they may get nervous of continuing.
13. Face all situations: there are cases when your interviewees say some lie or show opinions totally different from yours. Don’t be defensive or aggressive. Don’t try to force them to pew out the truth or argue about their viewpoints. Remember you are interviewer. Learn to listen and face different situations.
14. Control your feelings: you will have different feelings, emotions in different situations: depressions and sadness when interviewing HIV girl, fiery when interviewing a racist. Be sure to control your feelings, be soft and strong at the right times and don’t forget the story in your back head.
15. Timing: you may com up with many new ideas and questions. But make sure you go where you want to go and ask the right questions in a specific duration of time.
<> Conclude your interview:
- Fast check names, facts, numbers… the last time before conclude the interview.
- Ask them if there is anyone else you should interview, any other resources could be of help to the articles (pictures, sounds, articles...)
- Give them your contacts in case they want to contribute more information later.
- Don’t conclude the interview in a shocking manner. Have a little chit chat to make the interviewee refresh. For example: Ask them what they think about the interview. It’s also good for you to have some comments and probably critiques back for the better interviews in future.
- Tell them when you can meet them again. But don’t promise if you are not going to do that.
PART 3: AFTER THE INTERVIEW:
Many people think when interviews finish, hurray, works over! Actually it is not. Many people try to figure out how to have good relations with media. Interesting enough, good media person should try to have good relations with those they interviewed as well. If they can do so, they will be the first the interviewee think of when they have some interesting news, events to share with public, which is what the journalists “are hunting” for. Also if the interviewees like you, they can be those who provide you with many introductions, ideas, linkages and connections which will be great for your future interviews, stories and features.
So here you are: some of “what to do’s” after the interview:
- Check all information: recheck again all information that you get from the interviewees especial events, facts, data, names, numbers. As mentions above, sometimes interviewees would lie or they themselves would make mistake with the facts because they are human too. And it’s not them but YOU who will be responsible if there are any mistakes when the story comes to the public. So save yourself by checking carefully!!
- Write your story and send a draft to the interviewee: write your story with your passions and information from the interview. Remember journalists write whatever they want to write. Editors publish whatever they want to publish. So it’s necessary to let the interviewee read your draft. Also they might give more information, suggestion to your story. And most important: they know you are not just a “news hunter”, writing for writing’s sake. Again this is to Show your respect.
- Thank the interviewee : when your story is published, contact the interviewee just to say thank them, what they think about the story and ask them to keep in touch for further cooperation,...It takes only a couple of minutes to make a phone call but its worth!!
- Prepare to face reactions: you will get different reactions from the interviewees after the story is published. Be prepared to face all kind of reactions. Be receptive to critiques and comments. Again don’t be defensive. The interviewees can be happy or disappointed with your story. In all situations, listen to them, think about their comments, learn something for yourself .But never let different reactions discourage you to future interviews and stories. Be brave to write down what you think and share it with people.
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