Sometimes the hardest part about creating a video for organizations is not the video itself; it’s finding “the right” person to talk on camera.
They want to include everybody, and they feel bad not asking a person to speak on their behalf. I understand. It is hard to leave people out, especially if they mean so much to you and your organization.
At the same time, it’s not realistic to interview person who has benefited from your organization. If you do, the video — the story, in particular — will be all over the place.
That’s why you need to first identify a game plan first. Spend a second to pinpoint what slice of a story you want to tell.
Why Authenticity Matters
Keep the stories related to your organization real. People will be able to tell if the stories are made up or not a reflection of reality.
Authenticity acts as the beacon, drawing in your audience and anchoring them emotionally to your brand.
Find The ‘Talkers’
The key to capturing genuine testimonials lies in finding individuals comfortable with sharing their stories on camera. Ideally, you want to find people who have a reputation for being outspoken, even talk.
I apologize if this sounds rude, but quiet, shy individuals may not be the best fit for your video. That is, unless, the story revolves around them. Otherwise, aim for people who just might have career in public speaking.
Preparation: The Unsung Hero
Before throwing a camera in a person’s face, make sure they know what you are interested in. You can bring this up when you initially approach them about being on camera, and it will allow them to think about possible things to say.
You could, if they request it, provide a list of questions in advance. These questions could be similar to the ones you’ll ask for the interview, but I highly recommend asking spontaneous follow-up questions as you see fit.
You want the interview to make sense for the viewers. If that means digging a bit in the interview, have at it with respect.
We often do pre-interviews before videos. We’ll interview people and record just the audio, and we’ll see how their answers match up with the story. (Admittedly, this is kind of like an audition for a performance. If you discover a person is quiet in an interview setting, then move onto another person. That’s the nature of a video.)
What Not to Do in Interviews
Avoid turning your interviews into scripted performances. Authenticity thrives in spontaneity and genuine emotion. Steer clear of over-editing, which can strip away the raw, relatable essence of the testimonial.
Instead, aim for a balance between polish and raw authenticity, like a diamond in its natural state, refined but not stripped of its inherent brilliance. You always can ask people to rephrase things to help your viewers.
Examples Of People To Interview
To help you narrow down people, here is an example on potential people to interview for a story.
Let’s say you want to tell the story of how your organization transformed the community’s perspective on persons with disabilities. Because of your efforts, the city is more accessible, more inclusive and more open to making accommodations.
You might want to seek interviews with the following:
– the city mayor
– your executive director
– an outspoken family or person who has directly benefited from the updates around the city
If you’d like help taking your video project to the next level, hop on my calendar. We are for you.