This week, I have been conducting a variety of interviews for my Syracuse Real Food Co-op documentary. I have spoken with almost all of the Food Co-op employees, Mark Kastel from the Cornucopia Institute, and a farmer at Navarino Orchards. I also have a number of interviews scheduled for later this week.
At first, I found the interview process more challenging than I had expected it to be . I went into the interviews with lists of questions for each different person, however, I feel like some of the answers I was getting were more basic than what I was looking for. I was struggling to get more interesting and thought-provoking answers. That is when I realized that this interview process is far more interactive than just reading off a list of questions.
Instead, I discovered that I would have to actively engage them on tape before I started asking the important questions. I would ask about their lives, days, and whatever else was applicable, and give them time to warm up to the interview process. Some people took longer to warm up to the camera, whereas others were able to authentically connect earlier on.
Similarly, I started to deviate from my list during my interviews, treating the process like a conversation rather than an interrogation of sorts. If I could get the subjects of the interviews to go on tangents, it was easier to capture their personalities and feelings on camera.
Overall, I hope to continue to improve my interview skills, and learn how to ask the most effective questions possible.
Below is an article I found particularly helpful: http://www.desktop-documentaries.com/interviewing-tips.html
