The Audio Interview – Ten Things to do Before you Begin

Audio interviews, whether for podcast or broadcast or streaming – or even just for fun – fall into three parts: before, during and after. This sounds obvious, but interviewers are often too focused on what needs to happen during an interview. The essential work that needs to be done before and after is often forgotten. And the result can be a substandard interview, or at least one that’s not as good as it could be.

In this post I’ll talk about what reporters need to do before the interview, if they want to excel.

1. Read In
Preparation is everything. Find out everything you can about the subject at hand, and about your interviewee. That research will help confirm that they’re the person you really do want to talk to.

2. Act as Your Editor
Interrogate yourself, the way an editor might: why are you speaking to this person? What are they bringing to the table? What are you going to ask them? What do you think they’re going to tell you?
Be skeptical. The more you test yourself, the sharper your motivations will become, and the better the interview will be.

3. Draw up Your Questions
Have a detailed plan for your interview. Know where you want to go and what you want to know. Craft your questions to follow that plan and elicit the knowledge you seek. Be detailed, but be specific. And be disciplined: you’re only going to have a certain amount of time with this person. You can’t ask a million questions, so prioritize.

4. Communicate Early, and Communicate Well
Booking guests for interview is one of the toughest jobs in production. It requires great communication skills. Reach out to potential subjects as early as you can. Be clear and direct about what you’re looking for and why you want to talk to them, specifically. Use email, phone and social media to connect with people initially, but always follow up with a detailed email. And be polite! You’re asking them to devote their time. That’s not a small thing. the more courteous you are, the more likely they are to meet with you.

5. Prepare for Rejection
Not everyone’s going to want to talk. Some won’t be willing. Others won’t have the time.
Have a backup, in the event that your chosen interviewee says no. It’s often a good idea, especially if you’re on deadline, to reach out to multiple sources. You may have to turn some of them down, if you’re lucky enough to get multiple positive responses. That’s better than having no-one to talk to at all.

6. Request Time and Location – But be Flexible
It’s your interview, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If you want to interview a person outside their factory when the gates open in the morning (because you want that sense of time and place), ask. The worst that can happen is that they say no. You may have to compromise, so be flexible. In the end, what you want is the tape, and you may have to surrender some ground to get it.

7. Think About What to Wear
Clothes matter. They send a signal. Your interviewee will receive that signal, loud and clear, and will react accordingly. Think about how your attire and your deportment will land, and dress accordingly.

8. Check Your equipment
The night before you tape, run a full check on your recorder, mic and cables. Test them with a dummy interview, and listen back.
Load your recorder with fresh batteries, and make sure you have spares.
Check the contents of your field bag: recorder, cables, mic, spares, headphones, water bottle etc.

9. Arrive Early
It’s not enough to be on time. You have some work to do on site before your subject arrives. You want to be able to jump into the interview without any delay. So arrive 15 minutes early and do the following:
-Check your equipment, again. Is your recorder working? Where are your backup batteries? Where is your notebook?
-Find a place to conduct the interview: somewhere quiet and comfortable for both of you. Will the sun be in anyone’s eyes? Is there an airconditioner running? Is there construction or loud traffic noise?
-Check your levels. Do a quick dummy conversation, and listen back. Does everything sound ok?
-Check yourself. Are you hydrated? Have you eaten? Interviewing is a stressful business. It’s important that you take care of yourself in advance.

10. Take a Moment
Look over your notes one last time. Take a breath, and tell yourself that you are ready. That you are prepared. That you are in control.

And go for it.