There are good videos, and then there are great ones.
These great ones make us feel something, and they tend to resonate authentically with our own lives.
This is what you want. You want your organization to separate itself from the crowded landscape online, and be THAT organization that truly cares about the community it serves. In order to craft such a powerful message, you need strong anecdotes and quotes from people in your marketing videos.
The people, as you can imagine, resonate more with your audience than straight data, but you need to know how to get the good stuff from your interviewees on cameras. Pre-interviews are an easy trick to doing so.
Here are a few thoughts on how to conduct an effective pre-interview.
Research, Research, Research
Pre-interviews are essentially recorded conversations with people before grabbing a camera. They are just casual conversations in which you ask questions related to the story you are trying to tell.
The questions you ask could, in fact, be similar to the questions you ask on camera, but you want to see how the person responds.
Things to keep in mind:
– Does the person come off as shy?
– Do you they know much about the topic?
– Can they speak from personal experience?
Pre-interviews are a unique opportunity to gauge who will shine in front of the lens.
Through these conversations, you quickly discern the individuals who possess a natural ability to articulate their thoughts, engage the audience, and convey the message authentically. It’s akin to a casting call, allowing you to choose the stars of your narrative.
Finding Hidden Gems
The magic of storytelling lies in its ability to resonate with the audience.
Pre-interviews are the treasure troves where you uncover the anecdotes and stories that breathe life into your marketing video. They are your chance to learn new details about the story and get a personal spin on topics.
Then, you will have more context and a deeper understanding of the topic, and it will take your story to the next level.
A Real-Life Example
Before we create a video, we always seek pre-interviews. We want to meet with a person early in the process, and we want to hear their perspectives on the story. We set up just a casual conversation, and we ask all sorts of questions.
And then listen!
I’m observing their personality, wording and energy level. I am, at the most basic level, assessing how we can fit them into the story
Is this person the centerpiece?
Do they tell interesting stories with emotion?
Will the audience be able to relate?
Our skiing video is a good example. We had phone conversations with most of the skiers before we arrived in Colorado. The conversations yielded all sorts of findings about trust, Para Alpine Skiing and just how fast they can ski.
From there, we had a better idea as to what we wanted the skiers to say on camera. Most of the comments the skiers made on camera were no surprise, minus a couple exceptions.
If you’re ready to take your video marketing to deeper heights, hop on my calendar. We’ve got you back.