INTERVIEW FORMAT

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the areas that comprise the format of an interview.

Now that you know the different types of interviews and the methods with which to conduct them, we will examine the standard interview format. Simply stated, all interviews have the following three parts: l The opening l The body l The closing

THE OPENING

The opening clearly identifies you, your subject and the topic. This allows your audience to know "up front" whether the interview has any direct interest to them. Additionally, the opening can give your location to establish a local tie-in or explain any background noises.

THE BODY

The body is the interview itself - the actual questions and answers. At this point, the interview takes shape and becomes a reality.

THE CLOSING

The closing is an abbreviated form of the opening. During the closing, you can summarize briefly the content of the interview and once again identify yourself and your guest.

The opening and closing may be the most important parts of the program, since the opening grabs the audience's attention and the closing provides a conclusion to the story being told.

After you have determined the focus of the interview and formulated your questions, you may write and record the opening and closing before you talk to your guest (if time permits). If you want ambient (natural) sounds for the opening and closing of a radio interview, take your script along and read it at the interview site. For television, memorize those parts you will do on camera. Of course, if you need additional information that you will gather during the interview, you can record the opening and closing afterward.

Keep in mind that you may deviate from this interview format. Be creative with visuals or audio and vary the wording of the opening and closing so your audience is not barraged with "carbon copy" interviews.

LIVE AND TAPED INTERVIEWS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the types of live and taped radio and television interviews.

Only under the most extraordinary conditions will you conduct a live television interview; therefore, we will not cover it in this section. However, when you plan a radio interview, you should consider whether you want to present it live or on tape and address the concerns of taped television interviews. Both the live and taped interview methods are covered next.

LIVE INTERVIEWS

Live interviews, especially opinion interviews, are difficult to control from both a propriety and sensitivity aspect. However, there are several ways you can conduct live interviews on radio. They are as follows: l Studio l Remote l Telephone

Studio

The studio interview is usually either a personality or informative interview. Make sure you have enough microphones in the studio for all interview participants. Although a common setting for a live radio interview, the studio interview tends to present a sterile atmosphere. Additionally, a strange location may intimidate the guest, preventing him from really "opening up."

Remote

The remote interview is either the informative, personality or "man on the street" type of interview and it is often conducted at a specific event. The major disadvantages of a remote interview are the limitations in station equipment and the lack of control over the environment. Nevertheless, this type of interview gives you the advantage of timeliness.

Telephone

The telephone interview can be either an opinion, an informative or personality interview. Good audio levels are sometimes hard to get during a telephone interview, so make sure you consult your engineer before airing the interview live. Furthermore, make sure you inform the interviewee of your intentions before you air the discussion live.

TAPED INTERVIEWS

The taped or "canned" interview is the preferred method of presenting a radio or television interview. Although it usually lacks action, presence and spontaneity, the taped interview gives you total control of timing, format and content and it allows you to choose the means or location to bring out the best in your guest and subject.

When you tape an interview from a remote site, make sure the background noise enhances the interview, rather than disrupt it. Your knowledge of the directional capabilities of microphones and selecting the correct one will help you in this area.

You can respond quickly to news events by taping interviews over the telephone. Use only portions of the interview as news inserts or actualities because the audio quality is generally poor and would become distracting over a long period. If your questions are to be used as part of the interview or actuality, make sure the audio levels are balanced.

You may have no choice as to whether you do a television interview in the studio or as a remote. If you do have a choice, the studio is preferred for a self-contained interview program. The studio provides a controlled environment. The sets are ready, shots and camera movements are planned, audio is checked well in advance and the crew is prepared long before the interview begins. As you learned in Chapter 14, the set determines the tone of the interview. Viewers form their first impression from the set. It should complement the interview and not compete for the viewers' attention.

Many of the radio or television interviews you do will not be in a studio. By recording an interview on location, you add excitement, realism and a sense of being there. Often an interview subject is much more comfortable in his own office or surroundings - rather than in a studio - and this usually leads to a better interview.

Before you tape a remote interview (if time permits), survey the location to avoid problems. Your primary consideration should be checking the acoustics and deciding if ambient noise will be distracting. The use of background noise can enhance the interview if it is unobtrusive and blended at a level that does not overpower the conversation. Remember that your equipment may record noise you are not aware of from air conditioning or other electronic equipment. Identify an alternate location if you think you will encounter problems.