| The Art of the Interview

Learn how to ask the right questions and know when to ask them so you can produce a deeper, richer story

In non-fiction filmmaking and video production, the interview is critical in telling a story. Interviewing is not a science or a formula, but an art form. Good interviewing allows for exploration and discoveries which go below the surface to tell a more compelling story.

This workshop is for reporters, documentary filmmakers, and producers who want to create a stronger story through the interview process. Students learn to research a subject, find the right questions, prepare the interviewee, and create structure for dramatic interviews. The class screens and discusses a wide range of television interviews from the investigative style of 60 Minutes to the exploratory and intimate interview. Students learn to put the subject at ease, brief the camera crew, and work with time constraints and the editing process. On-camera interview techniques are practiced every day with local artists, fishermen, farmers, and world-renowned photographers and filmmakers. Through daily critiques, participants gain the confidence and tools necessary to prepare for any interview.

While our primary focus is on the video interview, the dynamics explored will also benefit reporters and journalists conducting interviews in other mediums, including radio and print.