Telling your story for your company’s video
Congratulations (or condolences) on you being selected to be in front of the camera for that corporate video. Here are some tips and things to keep in mind to help you out.
Most interviews are conducted “documentary” style—you’re being asked questions by an off-camera interviewer, so you’ll look at them and not the camera. When you look directly at the camera and talk, it’s usually a “spokesperson” role, and is very different to the interview we’re talking about here.
Many people desire to have the questions beforehand. There are pros and cons to this. Most likely, you’re being interviewed because you’re an expert in the subject matter—speaking off the cuff will have a more natural feel. However, you can be more prepared if you were given the questions before the interview.
Also, many people are going to feel nervous—that’s natural, so don’t fight it. By worrying about being nervous, you will only become more nervous, and it will be a cycle you’ll want to avoid.
What to say, what to wear, and more tips for a corporate video interview
• What to wear—avoid tight patterns (close lines, etc.) Avoid bright colors, especially white and red.
• Avoid other companies trademarked logos (for instance, if you’re doing a less formal interview and you’ve got a Nike tee shirt on, with the big swoosh).
• Depending on how you want to present your company, you can choose, business, business casual, or casual.
• Repeat the question back in your answer. Most of the time, we won’t be using the audio from the person asking the question, so we need the context for your answer. If you answered “30,” we would have no frame of reference. Makes a lot more sense if you say “my age is 30.”
• Talk to the interviewer—ignore the cameras.
• Try to not say “as I mentioned before” or “again…” When we edit, we’re looking for a sound bite—a two to five sentence answer. We might ask related questions, trying to get a variation on the answer. So in the final edit, we won’t hear your earlier response.
• Your audio is super important—try not to talk when the interviewer is talking. Likewise, the interviewer shouldn’t talk when you are talking.
Take your time, try to relax. When people are nervous, they tend to speed up. Take a deep breath and you’ll do fine. At S-Films.com, we do everything we can to set you at ease when shooting your corporate video production.
