Executive Interview Videos

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW VIDEOS

5 Steps Every Executive Should Take Before a Video Interview

Videos are being used more and more in businesses of all industries. Whether they’re used to connect with employees or stakeholders, train new hires, or to communicate a new bit of information, the need to use video is constantly growing.

 

It isn’t uncommon for these kinds of videos to feature executives from the company. For important messages, top leaders and recognizable faces should be the ones to deliver the information. But being a great leader doesn’t mean they will be a great actor.

 

Being on video can be stressful for some people, and if you’re nervous, it will come across in the final cut. To help executives create the best video possible, they will want to be fully prepared for what will need to be completed.

 

Here are a few ways that an executive can prepare for an upcoming corporate video shoot:

 

 

  1. Have a Pre-Interview with the Director

 

Talking to the director before the video is shot can help dramatically in easing nerves and feeling more comfortable before the video. The director and executive will have the opportunity to discuss the process of shooting the interview, go over what the interview will be about, and just get to know each other before the interview begins.

 

The executive will want to appear as prepared and collected as possible. Talking with the director before the interview begins can allow everyone to be on the same page and a better connection between the two parties to be established. When the executive is comfortable, the video interview will run much more smoothly.

 

 

  1. Don’t Put on a Show

 

When people get in front of a camera, they may feel a need to be entertaining. While there is nothing wrong with a bit of humor or personality here or there, if it isn’t who they really are, it can come across as forced and uncomfortable. On the other side, an executive may feel the need to be extremely professional or rehearsed, which can sometimes come across as cold and disinterested.

 

To keep a great flow to the video interview, the executive should always be themselves. They need to be knowledgeable in the information they are discussing, but it shouldn’t appear as if they are reading from cards or a script. In this kind of setting, there is no need to pretend to be someone that they are not. If they keep the focus on the goals of the video without over thinking how they appear, the video can turn out great.

 

 

  1. Be Prepared to Repeat

 

It is very rare that the video crew comes in and completes the interview all in one take. The executive may forget a portion of his response or outside influences may cause a shot to need to be redone. While this is completely normal for a video interview, the executive will want to be prepared to spend some time at the shoot.

 

We know that the life of an executive is very busy, but to get the interview perfect, some questions will need to be re-asked or re-shot. They should go into the video interview prepared to do a few takes in order to get the perfect response or video.

 

The video team will also give direction to the executive on the best way to answer the question. In many cases, what is an interview in recording will be edited to look as if the executive if just discussing the details of a matter. This means that statements or sentences will need to be crafted to account for the question that was asked that will not appear in the actual video.

 

 

  1. Get Ready for Hair and Makeup

 

For someone who has never been on video before, the need for hair and makeup may seem like an inconvenience. For an executive trying to squeeze a video in throughout their busy day, they may be reluctant to have the camera team apply powder or hairspray to them.

 

It is important to remember that the executive will want to look their best in the video interview. The use of powder and hairspray is frequently used in recording to prevent skin from looking shiny and oily and hair from blowing out of control. If the executive does not want to spend the rest of their day with hair and powder, or more makeup if necessary, they should plan the recording of the video accordingly.

 

 

  1. Dress Appropriately

 

Deciding what to wear on camera may not seem incredibly important, but the wrong outfit can actually be distracting and take away from the message the executive is trying to share. Things to avoid include large pieces of jewelry, large logos, or small patterns that may not translate well on screen.

 

When deciding something to wear, the executive should look for something with a bit of color – not black or white – but also something that isn’t going to be too loud on the video. Great options include navy and gray. The executive will also want to ensure that the outfit they decide to wear fits properly, without appearing too large or too tight.

 

The shooting of a video interview should be a fun process, but if the executive is not prepared for what is in store, it can quickly become time consuming, stressful, and the video pay appear not as strong as the company would have liked. To create a great video that the executive will be proud to send out to employees, stakeholders, or new hires, they will want to prepare fully for the video shoot.

 

These five tips can help them walk into a professional video interview ready and prepared to get some great shots. With a connection with the director and producer, an understanding of what the video should be about, a real perspective of what it takes to make a great video, and California’s Leading Video Production Agency the executive can be fully prepared to create something great!

 

Top 15 Tips for Shooting Engaging Video Interviews

One would think that capturing an interview on video would make it easy to capture emotions, make connections and set a tone for the session. That is not always the case, however. Often, videographers make the assumption they can just “roll tape” and do a bit of editing afterward, and the finished product is complete.

 

There are things that an interviewer/videographer can do to get the most out of the interview and the interviewee that will have a tremendous impact on the completed project. 25 Customs has the experience needed to produce a high quality, effective video that we can guarantee will meet all of your needs.

 

Some of these may seem like standard procedures, but it’s easy to lose sight of them in the overall planning and preparation.

 

 

  1. Extra Memory Cards and Batteries

We know, duh! We aren’t trying to insult your intelligence. This is just one of those things that often gets overlooked during the excitement of preparing for a shoot. Nothing is worse than being mid-shoot and being shut down because the batteries died.

 

 

  1. Select a Style for Your Video

In order to select which equipment will be used, you will first need to select a style regarding what type of lighting is to be used, and if the interviewer will be included in the video or will they be off-camera. This step is critical, and once the style is decided, it will need to be explained to the rest of the team so everyone is aware of the look that is trying to be achieved.

 

25 Customs takes pride in producing top-notch videos for our clients that set the tone that will match the image our clients want to project. Every member of our team has a job and works together to create a cohesive and engaging video.

 

 

  1. Cameras, in the Plural

Decisions about which equipment is going to be used for this project need to be made beforehand. Choose at least two different cameras, it gives the shooter more editing options and is a good idea as a backup in the event a camera malfunctions.

 

 

  1. Scouting for a Location

Without a doubt, the location needs to be visited, and preferably, at the same time of day that the interview is to be conducted. The lighting scenario will need to be evaluated so equipment requirements can be determined. How much space is there? Do you need to bring in seating? This is an invaluable part of the interview preparations.

 

 

  1. Research and Preparation

Knowing as much as you can about the subject is paramount. Reviewing past interviews will give you some insight as to how the subject behaves during an interview. Are they tight-lipped or monotone? Do they fidget? Do they speak clearly? These are all things that can be gleaned by watching past interviews. The element of surprise needs to be eliminated as much as possible. The interviewer doesn’t want to be caught off guard and every scenario will need to be planned for prior to starting.

 

 

  1. Preparing an Outline

There is only so much planning that can be done before the interview, but the interviewer should have a general idea of how they want the interview to proceed. Start off with “soft” questions to put the subject at ease and try to ask open-ended questions to avoid yes and no answers.

 

 

  1. Reach Out to Subject

Be sure to communicate with the subject at least a few days before the interview. Discuss what will happen, what they can expect and offer suggestions for their personal appearance such as, makeup tips, hairstyles and clothing choices. All this will help to avoid issues the day of the shoot.

 

 

  1. Have a Professional Soundman on Site

For an interview, the best video quality in the world isn’t worth much if the sound is crappy. Bad sound quality will ruin the entire project. Make sure you have an experienced soundperson on your team whose sole job is to monitor sound quality during the taping.

 

At 25 Customs, every member of our team has the experience and knowledge needed to produce videos that have high impact and provide exceptional results.

 

 

  1. List of Questions

Even though you have made an outline for the interview, you will need to have a list of specific questions that you want to ask. Playing it off the cuff is not a good idea, there is too much you could miss. There is the option to give a copy to the person being interviewed, but this is not usually a good idea. It can lead to them preparing answers and coming off robotic or rehearsed. A better choice would be to just present them with a general list of topics that will be covered during the session.

 

 

  1. Avoid One Word Answers

Advise the subject to repeat the question when they are answering it. For example, if the question is “What is your favorite car?”, their answer should be, “My favorite car is the Corvette.” Just like you should ask open-ended questions, you should devise strategies like this for avoiding the answers being short and one word only.

 

 

  1. Set and Control the Pace

At no point, during the interview, should the subject be in control of the pace and rhythm. The interviewer needs to remain in control of all aspects of the interview. Stay on topic, avoid lulls and rambling answers. By modulating your voice and tone, you can “lead” the subject down the road you want to take and control their behavior to a degree. If you are calm and relaxed, they will be calm and relaxed. If you lose control of the interview, your video will suffer for it and your goals will not be met.

 

 

  1. Eyeline Options

Prior to setting up the interview, the decision will need to be made on where the subject will direct their answers to; will they look at the camera or the interviewer?

 

The choice has to be made prior to starting and the subject and the cameraman will need to be made aware. If the person should answer to the interviewer, it is very important that the interviewer maintains eye contact with them, otherwise, their gaze will start to wander. There are tricks you can use if the person is answering to the camera and has a hard time staying on point. One of them is to use a picture of the interviewer over the top of the camera gives them something to focus on.

 

 

  1. Keep the Camera Rolling

After the interview, it is a good idea to keep filming. There is no telling what unplanned or candid shots can be captured. These clips can be used in the editing process to enhance the video.

 

 

  1. Get Backup Footage and Sound

Taking the time to get some b-roll footage and record the location’s natural sound is an important step that will make editing the video much easier. Close up of facial expressions and the subject’s hands can be used during the editing process to make the video seem less one-dimensional. The natural sound clips are great when editing for sound issues, they make for seamless coverage.

 

 

  1. Don’t Shoot and Run

When the interview is completed, take the time to talk with the subject. Let them know what the next steps are, when the video will be ready, and ask if they have any questions.

 

If there is time, you can review the interview with the interviewee and see if there is anything you missed and if both parties are satisfied with the content.

 

If you are thinking about producing a marketing video, commercial or other video aid, please contact us. We would love to work with you and help you to grow your business and client base.