6 Mistakes People Make When Filming Interviews (And How to Avoid Them)
Filming interviews can be a powerful way to tell a story, share insights, and connect with an audience. However, it’s easy to overlook certain details that can affect the quality of your interview and its message. Whether you’re filming for a documentary, a corporate video, or an EPK (Electronic Press Kit), avoiding these common mistakes will ensure your interviews are engaging, professional, and impactful. Here are six mistakes people often make when filming interviews and tips on how to avoid them:
1. Neglecting Proper Lighting
Lighting can make or break an interview. Poor lighting can result in shadows, overexposure, or distracting glares that detract from the subject’s face, making it difficult for your audience to connect. The key to avoiding this mistake is ensuring proper, even lighting.
How to Avoid It:
Invest in soft, diffused lighting to avoid harsh shadows. If you’re shooting indoors, use key lights to highlight the subject and fill lights to soften any shadows. Natural light is great, but make sure it’s consistent and not too bright or dim throughout the interview.
2. Ignoring Audio Quality
Bad audio is a surefire way to lose your audience’s attention. Even if you have a high-quality camera and great visual composition, poor sound will make your interview unwatchable.
How to Avoid It:
Always use a quality microphone, such as a lapel mic or shotgun mic, rather than relying on built-in camera audio. Test the audio levels before you begin, and monitor them throughout the interview to ensure clear, consistent sound.
3. Failing to Plan for the Environment
The setting of your interview plays a crucial role in the tone and professionalism of the final product. A noisy, cluttered, or poorly chosen environment can distract from the subject’s message and make the interview seem less polished.
How to Avoid It:
Scout the location ahead of time and ensure the space is quiet, clutter-free, and visually appealing. If possible, choose a location that aligns with the tone and theme of your interview. For example, a corporate executive might look best in a clean, professional office setting, while an artist might feel more at home in their studio.
4. Not Framing the Subject Properly
Proper composition is essential in creating a visually appealing interview. If your subject is framed poorly—such as being too close or too far away from the camera, or placed too high or low—it can make the video feel awkward and disengaging.
How to Avoid It:
Follow the rule of thirds and ensure your subject is positioned slightly off-center, with their eyes at about one-third of the way down from the top of the frame. Keep a bit of space above their head, and ensure they’re looking toward the camera or slightly off to the side in a natural way.
5. Asking Closed-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions, like “Did you like working on this project?” or “Was it a good experience?” tend to result in short, uninteresting answers. While they may be easy to ask, they won’t help you get the deep insights or personal stories that make an interview compelling.
How to Avoid It:
Instead of yes/no questions, ask open-ended questions that encourage elaboration, such as “What was the most rewarding part of working on this project?” or “Can you share a memorable experience from your time with this team?” Open-ended questions lead to more detailed and engaging answers.
6. Skipping Post-Production
One of the most common mistakes when filming interviews is neglecting the post-production process. Even if your footage is great, without proper editing, your interview can feel unpolished and disjointed. Post-production is where you refine the content, ensuring that the final product is coherent, engaging, and professional.
How to Avoid It:
Always allocate time for editing. This includes cutting out awkward pauses, ensuring smooth transitions, enhancing audio quality, adjusting lighting in post, and adding graphics or branding where necessary. Post-production helps you tell a tighter, more compelling story and ensures your interview flows naturally. A well-edited interview can make all the difference in keeping your audience engaged.
Final Thoughts
Filming an interview may seem straightforward, but attention to detail is key to creating a polished and professional final product. By avoiding these common mistakes—neglecting lighting, ignoring audio, not planning the environment, poor subject framing, asking closed-ended questions, and lacking post production—you’ll set yourself up for success in capturing a truly engaging and impactful interview. With the right preparation and focus, your interviews will leave a lasting impression on your audience.
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