• Are your video interviews compelling?

• Does your audience feel naturally connected with the people featured in your company’s video?

• Are you asking questions that create “one-of-a-kind” responses your viewers will remember for a long time?

If not, you’re not alone. Remember…

Appearing on-camera is NOT natural

It’s not everyday that we appear on-camera for an interview. That’s exactly why the questions you ask your “heroes” need to be framed in a way that makes them forget where they are. Ask questions that allow the person on-camera to share their story in a natural way.

Self-editing is NOT helpful

During an interview, it is completely natural to edit what one is saying. The interviewee is thinking of the “right” answers. That’s a recipe for disaster when trying to capture honest and real emotions from someone.

Telling our story IS natural

In capturing a story for a company through personal interviews, simply ask questions that are, well, personal. It’s that simple.

How do you get around these common traps? Easy. By asking questions that frame a business through a person.

Over 24 years of interviewing hundreds of people, I’ve developed a cache of questions I keep on hand at all times.

These are my favorite questions. These are the ones I use over and over in almost every interview, regardless of the story. You can use them, too. Just tweak them as needed.

I love them because they work. Every time.

11 Stimulating Questions to Capture Your Company’s Video Story

1. In simple terms, what did your life look like before you worked/volunteered/here?

2. Describe your “Ah-Ha!” moment that shaped your decision to work here/start this company/join to volunteer?

3. What was your biggest fear before starting this job/position/company/idea?

4. What have you learned from that experience?

5. What does this means to those watching this film?

6. What do you love the most about what you do?

7. Do you have a metaphor for what it’s like to work/volunteer here?

8. In your mind, who would be a great fit for this company/product/service/team?

9. Can you imagine a world without this company/service/product/idea?

10. If you could destroy one myth about this company/job/culture, what would it be?

11. What’s at stake?


Of course, there are plenty more you could ask. But you get the idea.

Steal these questions. Use them. Spin them to make them yours. Put ‘em to use in the real world.

Oh, yeah. One more thing.

Let me know how they work for you. Drop me a comment. I’m curious.

---Tom

11 Stimulating Questions to Capture Your Company's Video Story

The single biggest key to capturing an engaging and honest interview is creating a feeling of comfort and safety for the person being interviewed.

I've been interviewing 30 people for the past two weeks for a large film, so the art of interviewing is very much on my mind now.

In this post, I'd like to share with you one secret I've learned from filming hundreds of interviews over the past 23 years.

Understanding and implementing this simple technique will help you capture ideas, feelings and dreams from your interviewees; or, as I like to call them, your "heroes."

The "Hero's Home:" The Interview Set

The two pictures below are photos of an interview set for a corporate documentary I'm currently producing and directing. Since I have many interviews to capture for this program, we created a mini-studio in a quiet and large conference room. This will be the "Hero's Home" over the next five days of filming.

Feeling Nervous? Probably!

Imagine yourself arriving on this set for an interview. Chances are you might be filled with a bit of anxiety and perhaps even some nervousness. That's pretty normal. But hopefully you wouldn't be as nervous as this person was...

A long time ago, I had someone totally freeze-up at the start of the interview. I'm talking the "deer-in-the-headlights-I-ain't-saying-anything" kind of freeze-up!

Experience has taught me that most people need about fifteen minutes to warm up to the camera and then the interview is really off and running. By then, nerves have settled and the stories are flowing. The hero is now comfortable sharing their journey and story with us.

But this interview stopped the clock. Boom! Uh-oh. What am I going to do to make this person feel comfortable? What do I say? To make matters worse, I had other interviews lined up for the day. This one moment was about to throw off the entire production schedule...not a good place to be in.

"I Know You're Nervous. It's OK"

So we stopped filming. I leaned my chair forward so no one else could hear me and I whispered this to my "hero" interviewee:

"I know you're nervous. I understand how you feel. But you know what? You are totally free to say whatever you like. There's no need to edit yourself and second guess what to say. You know why? Because not only am I the director here on the set, but I'm also the guy in the edit room two weeks from now taking your words and telling your story the way you want it told. Your words are safe with me. I'm here for you."

"Really? I can say what I want?" was the response. "Yes, you can."

In that moment, I gave this person permission to speak freely. It worked beautifully and we moved on to capture some really great feelings and ideas.

On Being a "Story Steward"

Before I record any conversation, I tell the "hero" to speak openly from their heart. I tell them not to edit their thoughts and second-guess what "corporate" wants them to say.

But here's what I learned a long time ago: the hero doesn't know who is the steward for their story. They don't know who is crafting their story once they leave the set. They have a certain level of apprehension while speaking in an interview. They're thinking, "Who's seeing this after I leave? Who's editing my words and ideas? Who's taking care of me when I'm not here anymore?"

The "Green Light" Effect: Create a Feeling of Safety and Comfort for Your Interviewees Heroes

Telling your "hero" ahead of time that their words and ideas are carefully entrusted to the film director or "story steward" gives that person a "green light" to say what's on their mind. This secret solves the fear that a hero sometimes faces before the interview starts. The door is now open to a real heartfelt conversation.

The hero knows who is responsible for telling their story they way they want it told. They also know it's not some disembodied corporate person they have to please...they feel safe and comfortable.

And feeling safe and comfortable on camera, like feeling safe and comfortable at your own dining room table with your family, is how the heart loves to tell a story.

---Tom

My Secret to Capture the Perfect Interview

I am delighted to share with you my interview on Phil Gerbyshak's, "Make It Great!"

If "Make It Great!" isn't part of your daily reading, you're missing out on a ton of thought-provoking news. From leadership tips to personal growth insights and fascinating interviews, Phil is a "go-to-guy" for reading material you won't find anywhere else.

Phil's interview with me covered lots of ground, including:

• what has been the best advice I ever received;

• how a day with Seth Godin crystallized my vision and mission;

• what is the one thing anyone can do to become a better storyteller, and

• how to work with the "suits" when creating a corporate video.

"Blogger's Fog"

I remember soon after starting this site struggling with "Blogger's Fog." You may remember the feeling; figuring out blogging etiquette, the new technology, finding your voice, etc. At some point, I bumped into Phil and before I knew it, his hand and heart helped me through the mist and haze of the virtual world. No matter the issue, small or large, Phil was always there for me.

Thanks, Phil, for embracing my work and sharing my ideas with your network. I am most grateful for this opportunity.

---Tom

P.S. Be sure to grab Phil's feed or newsletter updates.

P.S.S. Phil's heart is as huge as his unforgettable smile! That's just how Phil is.

Interview with Tom on Make It Great

How did the enormous potential of corporate videos get reduced to a commodity?

What happened to the magic of a corporate video strengthening a community and triggering conversations?

Unfortunately, far too many companies handle their video as a commodity. Just listen to the corporate language-it says it all:

• "Can you make a video?"

• "We need a DVD."

• "Our sales force needs a video."

It doesn't have to be that way.

I explain why in my two-part conversation with Conversation Agent, Valeria Maltoni.

You can download our conversation, "*Ask(?)Away: Take Your Brand from Commodity to Community*" in an elegantly designed PDF and have the conversation in one handy place.

Better yet, share and spread the PDF with those who could benefit from our exchange.

A purposefully designed corporate video can stimulate conversations and get people to act.

I hope the "Ask(?)Away: Take Your Brand from Commodity to Community" conversation is a step in the right direction towards filling the gap between broken corporate videos and creating opportunities for videos that are personal, meaningful, dynamic and soulful.

Thank you, Valeria, for acknowledging the critical role videos play in corporate communications and for pushing the conversation into new arenas.

The Ask(?)Away exchange was a breath of fresh air. Clearly, there's plenty of room for fresh voices to extend the discussion even further.

---Tom

Commodity to Community with Corporate Videos

Sometimes we just don't see the easy way. Then we try too hard.

When it comes to being on-camera, the easy way works remarkably well.

Remember:

It's a lot easier to tell your story by being yourself than it is trying to tell your story by being what others want you to be.

Sounds ridiculously obvious, but needs reminding.

People like Sandra Fransen share the same thinking.

Don't loose sight of the easy way by over-crafting your corporate video story. Then it becomes difficult. To watch.

Next time...try taking it easy.

---Tom

Where is the Humanity in Corporate Video