Interviewing
Interviewing can be one of the most delightful parts of podcasting...
Or one of the most daunting.
Interviews give you a chance to spend focused time with another person or group of people, really listening, but they also involve all the questions and power dynamics present in any interpersonal relationship. Thorough preparation can help you and your interviewee(s) have a positive experience.
Before the interview
Who are you interviewing? What do you imagine as the role of their voice in the piece?
Pro Tip: Simultaneously interviewing a few people who have a relationship with each other (sisters, friends, a mentor and mentee) can be a great way to build character in the story. Their dynamic will naturally come through as you talk.
Spend time brainstorming/writing out all your questions. If you need some inspiration, check out the Great Questions page
Pro Tip: Make sure your questions are open-ended: you will get way more interesting material then asking yes or no questions.
Since this is a sound-based medium, orient your questions to get the richest descriptions possible. Ask questions about sensory details. Ask your interviewee to tell smaller anecdotes inside the larger story.
Type your questions and organize them by category.
Practice with your phone or recorder (see next page, Recording an Interview, for different recording devices).
Make sure your phone or recorder is fully charged!
