5 tips for successful video interviews with your employees

A video interview is not an easy exercise. Even more so when it comes to interviewing employees from the same company. Here are some tips for doing the exercise in the best possible way.

Convincing not to learn by heart

To reassure employees before they speak, it can be tempting to give them the script. If some people will content themselves with knowing it (a wise decision, because it will have just the expected effect: reassure.) The person realizing that they have a perfect command of the subject. Others, on the contrary, will seek to learn by heart, and that is where the problems are likely to start. Indeed, reciting a text by heart in a natural way is a much more difficult exercise than it seems. We all remember the tone of recitation in primary school (whether it's poetry or multiplication tables), a perfectly monotonous tone that struggles to capture attention. To learn by heart is to risk falling into this pitfall. We tend to use each other again to use the exact word, where a synonym or another turn of phrase would have done the trick perfectly, and would provide naturalness! In short, learning by heart means risking a memory lapse, breaking spontaneity. The teleprompter can be an alternative in only two cases. Otherwise it also breaks the natural side. This is a good solution when the person has multiple short answers and you mix several speakers for a very dynamic result. For longer speeches, a very good command of the teleprompter is essential to appear natural, but if the theme is very technical, complex, and the interviewee does not have time to prepare it, it will remain a wise alternative.

Make yourself comfortable

Depending on your content, you can choose to involve collaborators in the creation process by involving them in the writing of the text, for example. In this way, the person can appropriate the text, even unconsciously, for D-Day. Do not hesitate to call the people beforehand to explain to them how the shooting went (number of people present, technical device,...) In this way the person will be less impressed by discovering 10 technicians and a green background! There are usually several takes during a filmed interview, this simply makes it possible to correct any small mistakes (a poorly formulated point, an inadequate facial expression, or even a sound problem...). Two to three times per question is perfectly normal. Alert your stakeholders to remove any misinterpretation. And of course, patience, kindness, are the key words!

Adapt!

It is possible that the employee has the impression of being bad at the speaking exercise requested. In this case two options are possible:

• It's bad (it happens)
• He feels like he is (that happens a lot!)

In this second case, remind him that editing can (almost) do magic. By moving from one camera to another or zooming in on the image, you can erase a lot of hesitation. It is also possible that the interviewee's words are supported by illustrative images, which makes the edict in his speech even easier. You can even suggest that he watch the shot he has just taken in order to be reassured about the rendering. If the person is indeed in trouble, feel free to offer them a break and rewrite the text with them. Maybe the block only comes from a word or an idea. Use short sentences. Divide the speech well into short sequences (one sentence, one idea). Above all, remind him that everything will be set up and that the aim is of course to highlight it, only the best passages will be kept. Finally, if you have chosen him to speak out on the subject, it is necessarily because he is legitimate to embody it.

A bit of media training

Even if it's not about going to 8pm, you can give your employees a few tips.

• Watch your interlocutor
• If there is no interlocutor, two options are possible: 1. The camera eye. The person is simply asked to look at the lens. This direction of view works well when you want to deliver a very direct message to your colleagues or teams. 2. The journalist's gaze. It consists of looking at a person who is standing very close to the camera. In this way, without being fleeing the gaze will be less direct. Slightly softer, this look also has the merit of facilitating the work of the interviewee, because it is often easier to talk to a person than to a camera.
• Speak softly, without trying to go against your natural flow.
• Keep sentences short.
• Use your whole body (hands, smile, posture...). The majority of the message is through body language.
• Rephrase, or include the title of the questions in the answers. This technique has a double advantage. It makes it easier to set up by making any answer usable even without hearing or having to write the question. It also allows the interviewee to think about how he will organize his answer during the few seconds he is rephrasing. Attention, this technique should be avoided when doing very short interviews for social networks.
• Choose your outfit carefully. Beyond the green background that imposes certain things. It is important for the person to wear an outfit that represents them well, and in which they are perfectly comfortable.

Sell your format!

The collaborator can be excellent in interviews, he remains dependent on the editorial choices you have made. What format did you choose? (A camera face, a conversation with a presenter...) How did you choose to place the speakers? (Standing in a setting or sitting for an intimate atmosphere) Will the video be illustrated? (With real images, motion design...) All this the collaborator does not have control over. It is therefore essential to defend the project, to legitimize it in order to convince that it is the ideal format.