Anna Nogaj

We got great feedback at our video training course “Creating video content for the web” that took place in Dublin in association with the PRII recently. Our team of experts shared valuable tips including how to effectively prepare for a video interview.

If you are going to be interviewed for a video (or are briefing someone who is) then these are our Top 3 Tips for a great interview:

1) Relax!

Easier said than done, but looking relaxed on screen is really important. 

Try to have a chat with the team who are doing the filming before they start recording. This means that you’re more likely to keep that conversational tone in front on the camera. When you’re answering questions, remember to talk as if you’re speaking to just one person-TV and video is really different from standing up in front of an audience and a one-to-one conversational tone looks and sounds best. Remember most interviews are recorded so this means that if you feel that you don’t understand the question or you’re not making your point clearly then you can stop the interview and ask the interviewer to repeat the question.

2) What not to wear

Don’t wear a white shirt or top-camera people hate the way they reflect so much light. 

If all you shirts are white and you’ve no choice  then make sure you wear a dark jacket to cover it up. Also don’t wear anything that has thin stripes on it either- they are what’s known the world over as “TV nightmare” shirts and ties and they’ll shimmer and look fuzzy on screen. Take into account what you normally wear during your working day-if your company has a smart casual policy and your staff have never seen you wear a tie then  it’s probably worth keeping it casual for your interview. Bear in mind  that the same happens in reverse, if you’re happy wearing a shirt and tie then don’t go casual. If you feel uncomfortable then chances are you’ll look uncomfortable too!

3) Don’t learn your lines

It’s usually pretty obvious when someone is reading out a prepared script, and equally obvious when they’re trying to remember a script they’ve memorised. Instead prepare for your interview by making a list of bullet points or “talking points” that you want to cover off. Then during the interview as your interviewer asks related questions, you can talk through them and make you points just like you would in a conversation. Try to keep you language simple, informal and straightforward too. The audience will be watching and listening to you, and they mightn’t have the time or the inclination to stop and rewind if they don’t understand what you’re saying.

And that’s it. Following these simple tips has helped us here at Agtel to make sure our clients come across really well on camera. They should make a big difference to how you appear on camera too.

If you would  like to talk to us about your video project don’t hesitate  to contact us.

Good luck with your video interview!