Master Documentary Interview Techniques

The KIHAT Rule: Keep It Honest and Truthful

The foundation of your interview strategy should be built on absolute trust.

Reardon emphasizes the KIHAT rule: Keep it honest and truthful. If you try to manipulate your subject or misrepresent your intentions, the camera will capture their defensive shift in body language. Authenticity is the only way to get a genuine response

Researching Your Subject Thoroughly

In this Documentary Filmmaking Course, we talk a lot about preperations and it’s the same here – Never walk into an interview blind.

You should prepare your own “bible” of notes, quotes, and background material before the shoot. This ensures you are ready if the conversation takes an unexpected turn.

But research is also about finding the human angle. Reardon points out a brilliant anecdote about Connie Chung interviewing the captain of the Exxon Valdez right after the tragic oil spill. Instead of starting with aggressive, generalized questions, Chung put him at ease with the ultimate comfort question: “How does it feel to be home?”.

Crafting the “Inverted Triangle” of Questions

When drafting documentary interview questions, structure is everything.

You should employ the “inverted triangle” shape of an interview. This means you start with highly specific, localized questions rather than broad, general ones.

This helps the interviewee warm up, build confidence, and get used to the camera before you tackle the heavier, broader themes of your film.

A pro tip from Roger Nygard’s rules for documentary interviewing: Always make your subjects repeat the question in their answer. This ensures their response makes perfect sense even after your voice is edited out of the final cut.

The Technical Setup: Camera, Lighting, and Audio

Your gear should elevate the story, not distract from it.

Framing the “Talking Head”

Learning how to shoot a documentary interview requires a deep understanding of composition.

If you want the audience to feel a direct relationship with the interviewee, conduct an on-axis interview. You can achieve this intimacy by positioning your head just under the camera lens.

If you prefer the audience to act as a witness to the interview, sit off-axis. This framing makes it clear the subject is talking to an offscreen presence.

Lighting the Interview Subject

A proper documentary lighting setup instantly separates amateurs from professionals.

Use a classic three-point lighting setup to separate your subject from the background.

Always be aware of what the background says about your subject. The environment should add context to their story.

Capturing Crystal Clear Audio

Audiences will forgive bad video, but they will immediately turn off bad audio.

Your microphone should always be as close to the signal source as the filming situation allows.

Always monitor your audio with a pair of high-quality headphones during the shoot. Do not rely on your camera’s visual audio meters alone.

The Art of Conducting the Interview

Now that the lights are on and the camera is rolling, it is time to connect.

Choose Your Interview Style: Direct vs. Indirect

Before you even begin asking questions, you must know exactly what style of interview you are conducting.

There are two primary types of interviews: direct and indirect.

A direct interview is where the audience hears and sees you, the interviewer, asking the questions.

An indirect interview is where the subject speaks to the camera, but your voice and presence are entirely removed from the final edit. Knowing this shapes how you prompt your subject to answer.

Use the Location to Tell the Story

Finding a good location for the shooting is a crucial part of the process.

Are you going to shoot in their home, their workspace, or a controlled studio?

You must pay close attention to practical elements like available lighting and distracting background noises.

More importantly, ask yourself if the location visually supports what your interviewee will say or the overall theme of your film. The environment is a character in your story.

Ask Open-Ended and Follow-Up Questions

When you are in the room, ditch the “yes” or “no” questions.

Focus entirely on open questions that start with “How,” “What,” “When,” and “Why.” These force the subject to tell a story rather than give a one-word answer.

Always have a list of follow-up questions prepared to dig deeper into their responses.

Throughout the process, periodically check your notes to make sure your questions are actively covering the main narrative points of your subject’s story.

Prepare, Communicate, Listen

Your subject is likely nervous.

Start by making good face contact, rather than just eye contact. Looking at the whole face allows you to read their expressions and body language effectively without making the interaction feel like an uncomfortable staring contest.

The Power of the “Awkward Pause”

This is the golden rule of interviewing: keep your mouth shut.

Silence can be a highly useful tool during an interview. When your subject finishes answering, do not immediately jump in.

Often, the guest will want to fill the void and might reveal profound information they were holding back. The “awkward pause” prompts them to fill the silence with their most honest, unscripted thoughts.

Midwifery of Testimony: Navigating Emotion

If the conversation gets heavy, stay present.

Do not rush them if they begin to cry or struggle for words. Silence allows the guest to complete their emotion, whether it results in tears or a thoughtful pause.

This silent space can be far more compelling than anything they actually say.

Sign the Release Form

Before you even turn on the lights, you must handle the business.

The very first thing you need to do on set is have your interviewee sign a standard release form.

While there are many templates available online, your form must accomplish two crucial things: it must grant you the right to edit the footage however you need (provided you remain strictly loyal to the truth), and it must secure your right to use that footage across all current and future media platforms.

Easing the Tension Before the Camera Rolls

Do not hit the record button immediately.

Sitting under bright lights is an incredibly vulnerable position for a subject. You must intentionally put them at ease.

Place the camera near the interviewee so they get used to its physical presence, but leave it powered off.

Spend this time engaging in casual conversation about topics entirely unrelated to the film. Let them get to know you, and try to understand them better as a human being.

Once you feel their body language relax, you can transition to the work at hand.

If you haven’t conducted a formal pre-interview, take a moment to explain the core message of your movie. Try to recognize any lingering fears they might have about the process and calmly eliminate them.

When it is finally time to roll, start with the easiest questions possible.

Ask them things you know they will have zero trouble answering. This builds their on-camera confidence before you dive into the heavier, emotional core of the film.

Ditch the Script and Actively Listen

During the interview, active listening is far more important than your question sheet.

Allow yourself the freedom to abandon your prepared questions entirely if the subject brings up a fascinating new angle.

Follow their natural train of thought. You can always guide the conversation back to your main points later when there is a natural lull.

The Most Important Final Question to Ask

When you run out of questions, do not call “cut” right away.

Always look at your subject and ask: “Is there anything else you would like to add?”

This is vitally important. This simple prompt often uncovers the most profound, unexpected soundbites of the entire shoot, revealing a brilliant narrative angle you completely missed during your research.