How To Relax Your Subject for an Interview?

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

1. Disable the big red "Record" LED indicator at the front of your camera.
2. Chat about other stuff and "drift" into the interview, if possible with them not knowing when recording actually started.
3. Make it as fun as possible. You need to be relaxed/smiling/good NVC and body posture as well.

I'm no expert but these are the things I've learnt the hard way the last 2 weeks!

The tally lamp is the first thing I turn off forever on a camera. I don't want people aware that "they are on camera" and get that "Oh no! I'm on camera" look.

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

Have you ever had anyone ask you mid-interview if you were going to start recording?

I'm pretty sure if I tried this that my couples would start asking why I'm not recording when I'm asking them to tell the story of how the proposal went. Some of them might forget, but some of them probably wouldn't. I'm just worried about having them feel "tricked", if that makes sense.

You could always just say "oh I hit record as soon as I walked in because I would hate to forget to start it." Or if you are shooting at their location mention that you started rolling as soon as the camera was set up so you didn't forget.

And for me, this is absolutely the case.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

You could always just say "oh I hit record as soon as I walked in because I would hate to forget to start it." Or if you are shooting at their location mention that you started rolling as soon as the camera was set up so you didn't forget.

And for me, this is absolutely the case.

I guess what I'm saying is I try hard to build trust with my couples, so telling them that the camera isn't recording when it actually is seems like a good way to lose some of that trust when they find out I was just "tricking" them. Even if they understand why I pulled that "trick", some trust is likely to be lost because I was willing to "lie" to them. I know it sounds harsh, but people can take the smallest things very seriously.

I just can't decide if it would really cause an issue or not, but I know for a fact I'd rather have a person struggle a bit more in the interview than feel like they had lost some of that trust they had in me.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

You could always just say "oh I hit record as soon as I walked in because I would hate to forget to start it." Or if you are shooting at their location mention that you started rolling as soon as the camera was set up so you didn't forget.

And for me, this is absolutely the case.

Same here. Tally lamp off and power-save off as soon as I get a camera out of the box.

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

I guess what I'm saying is I try hard to build trust with my couples, so telling them that the camera isn't recording when it actually is seems like a good way to lose some of that trust when they find out I was just "tricking" them. Even if they understand why I pulled that "trick", some trust is likely to be lost because I was willing to "lie" to them. I know it sounds harsh, but people can take the smallest things very seriously.

I just can't decide if it would really cause an issue or not, but I know for a fact I'd rather have a person struggle a bit more in the interview than feel like they had lost some of that trust they had in me.

I don't lie and say "it isn't on"..... I just don't bring it up. If they ask, I tell them I started it when we walked in because I didn't want to forget it. I figure if they are nervous about being on camera, then they will probably ask (most do) and then I just give them the answer. That helps them realize that I've "got it covered" and they don't need to worry. Or if they don't ask, then they either 1) figured I knew what I was doing or 2) were relaxed enough to not worry about it.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

I don't lie and say "it isn't on"..... I just don't bring it up. If they ask, I tell them I started it when we walked in because I didn't want to forget it. I figure if they are nervous about being on camera, then they will probably ask (most do) and then I just give them the answer. That helps them realize that I've "got it covered" and they don't need to worry. Or if they don't ask, then they either 1) figured I knew what I was doing or 2) were relaxed enough to not worry about it.

Okay, I get that. That's basically what I do.

The other poster was saying to tell them the cameras weren't recording yet to put them at ease, and I bet it works really well. I just know that at some point they will ask me if I'm going to start recording, or they'll figure out that I was "tricking" them. That's what I can't decide on .. if that's something that could cause problems or not. I'm starting to lean towards it "not" being an issue.

[Blake Cavett]

Sometimes you have to do things to get what's needed.

They hired you for your expertise and skills... and sometimes 'tricking' someone into being comfortable to get the needed shot/interview is what it takes to do it.

If they're at ease for the interview, they'll thank you later when they see the completed product.

[Travis Cossel]

Originally Posted by Blake Cavett

If they're at ease for the interview, they'll thank you later when they see the completed product.

Exactly why I'm leaning towards doing this now.

[Alex Pineyro]

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

Okay, I get that. That's basically what I do.

The other poster was saying to tell them the cameras weren't recording yet to put them at ease, and I bet it works really well. I just know that at some point they will ask me if I'm going to start recording, or they'll figure out that I was "tricking" them. That's what I can't decide on .. if that's something that could cause problems or not. I'm starting to lean towards it "not" being an issue.

You have said in an earlier post that you "rather have a person struggle a bit", but let me tell you that no matter how little your client seems tense, it will show on your final product and they will notice it. Guess who are they gonna blame?

It does not matter how you approach them... just remember that is not about misleading someone or commiting some sort of fraud. It never happened to me that someone asks for me to start recording... remember that I tell them we are rehearsing, so until I stop asking questions, the "rehearsal" is still on. When my clients know that the interview is over because i have already taped them (at least here in Mexico) they feel relieved and not tricked, disrespected or misleaded... Of course there is the ocassional question "but did I did well?" or "did I made any kind of mistake"? Wich of course, if yes, thats when we re-shoot a question or two. And by that time, my client is 100% relaxed and confident.

I think is just a matter of how you treat your customers. This has worked really well in my almost 20 years shooting video. Maybe in other countries people may see this tactics differently, but for me is the best way to get the job done at any level, either in event or corporate stuff.

Cheers

[Blake Cavett]

In my experiences, the subject is relieved they were 'tricked.' They forgot their anxiety and before they know it it's over!

It's like being distracted before you get a shot at the doctor's office and next thing you know it's over.

Hey... thanks! That wasn't so bad!

[Travis Cossel]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm going to try this out next time.