Statements from others support your own expertise as a trainer or coach and show that you are well-networked. Even better if you can capture these statements on video! blink.it founder Konstantin has already filmed many video interviews and knows: Good preparation is worth a lot. What tips he has for your interview planning, you will learn in this article.
Selfie videos are trending – alone or in an interview!
People love videos. No medium is as in-demand. So it's no wonder that more and more people are filming their own videos with their smartphones. The selfie perspective remains the most popular format: extend your hand, point the smartphone camera at yourself, and off you go!
As a trainer or coach, you can also make use of the effect of moving images. On the one hand as content for your online support by setting up the smartphone on a tripod in front of you and speaking directly to your participants. On the other hand, you can distract from yourself and interview other people in front of a running smartphone. This raises the question: Who do you want to interview and for what purpose?
Tip: You can find all the information about filming videos with a smartphone on our information page:
Create videos for online courses – easily with a smartphone
Step 1: When are the next opportunities for video interviews?
Great application possibilities for video interviews include:
Customer or participant testimonials
Right after the seminar: A brief feedback from participants
Still during the seminar: Participants explain on camera which exercises they should do (group feeling)
With long-time customers: A recommendation for your homepage
With your own trainers/educators: Summary of additional qualifications for your homepage
Expert interviews
After a keynote: Catching up at the exit and summarizing key aspects briefly for your own training
About one of your products/offers: Recommendation from a friendly speaker or trainer (perhaps reciprocally)
External voices
With the participant's manager: Video message for online support (for motivation and support)
At an event: Asking other participants about your expert topic
Usually, such an interview is worthwhile for both parties. After all, most people feel honored. They are important enough for you to dedicate your time to them. But you should also ask yourself whether a video interview is really useful for you.
Step 2: Is the effort for filming the video worth it?
For the GSA Convention 2018, blink.it founder Konstantin set out to interview speakers and trainers for our blog. For that, he asked himself the following question in advance:
Why am I making this video at all? What value am I actually creating, and for whom? Only then do I do it – I really don’t need to make many videos.
Just like with any other measure, the question of purpose takes precedence. You should be clear about how and for what purposes you want to use the videos – and how they can benefit you. In Konstantin's case, this was for use on our blog and YouTube channel: We want to support our customers as much as possible in being successful. And experiences from other trainers are always of great help.
What can always help you when planning a video is a rough concept, to keep a good thread. For this, we have created a fillable template that you can download. The most important questions are: Why? From what? What/Who? How? Where?
Step 3: How should I prepare technically for the filming?
If you have decided on a specific purpose for a particular opportunity, you should prepare for your video interview. But don't worry – this step won’t take much of your time! The technical recommendations come from Konstantin's experience, who has filmed many different videos with various equipment. And here, the time-benefit factor is always paramount.
The basic set: Perfect for mobile filming in between In most cases, he now opts for the simplest and quickest variant, which consists of four items:
Konstantin's recommendation for the basic set for video interviews: his own smartphone, an adapter if needed, a Rode SmartLav microphone, and a Y-adapter, also from Rode.
With this, you are not only mobile, but you also carry little weight and can ensure absolutely sufficient sound quality thanks to the microphone. On travels, Konstantin therefore always carries a small Rode microphone with a Rode adapter – often even two of each, so he can wire both the interview partner AND himself. The white adapter in the picture is only needed if your smartphone doesn’t have a headphone jack – you usually get that when purchasing the smartphone.
The “Smooth” variant for fewer shakes
The downside of the basic set: You must hold the smartphone as steadily as possible, which is often easier said than done. For more stability, a stabilizer is worth it, for example, the Smooth-Q from Zhiyun. This makes your smartphone relatively shake-proof. However, you will also carry significantly more weight this way, and due to the cabling, there may still be a few shaky moments during filming.
The blink.it kit for stationary filming
Finally, another option for filming video at your home, in the office, or in the seminar room: With the blink.it kit, you have the best equipment for still a small price of under 250 euros. The blink.it kit consists of a total of 8 technical items, which, except for the tripod, fit into a small box.
The blink.it kit is always worth it when you plan to dedicate specific time for the video shoot – at least an hour.
When traveling, it is worth packing the blink.it kit if you have specifically planned time for the filming. If you prefer to conduct a few interviews spontaneously at an event, we recommend the basic variant above.
Step 4: How should I prepare content-wise for the filming?
Also in terms of content preparation, Konstantin has some tips for you. Here, too, planning should primarily function quickly and simply. Therefore, Konstantin uses no more than a A5 sheet. He either puts it in his back pocket or in the inner pocket of his suit jacket on the filming day, depending on the dress code.
On the front side, he writes a maximum of three questions that he wants to ask the interview partners. He occasionally reviews the questions, so during the interview, he no longer needs the sheet himself.
On the back side, Konstantin writes his pitch: notes on how he can approach the potential interview partner to convince them of the idea. The focus is primarily on the following three points:
Reason: What benefits does the interview bring to both parties?
Authority: Why can your interview partner trust you?
T ransparency and security: You will use the finished material (e.g., YouTube, your own homepage, closed online course…)
You should definitely clarify these three aspects when starting an interview with a person. Think of two to three sentences that convey exactly these points. Write those sentences on the back of your sheet – so you always have all the necessary information in a small space!
Tip: To be on the safe side in terms of data protection, you should not only ask your interview partner for permission for the specific publication before the interview. For GDPR compliance, you need a written consent form from the interviewee. It’s best to get the verbal approval on filming day and then send the interviewee an email afterward (e.g., shortly before the planned publication) asking for written confirmation for GDPR purposes. This way, you remind the interviewee of your video and can directly encourage them to check out and share the result on social media, for example.
Conclusion: Weighing, equipping, discussing, securing
With these four steps, you are perfectly prepared for your video interview! The most important tips from Konstantin are summarized once again as the “4-A rule”:
Weighing: Consider carefully whether the video is worth your (time) effort
Equipping: Technically use little equipment but high quality – you usually don’t need much more than a smartphone and a good lapel microphone when on the go.
Discussing: Put yourself in your interview partner's shoes and make it clear what the video interview benefits them.
Securing: Legally safeguard yourself and ask via email for a written consent form stating that you are allowed to publish the video, e.g., on YouTube.
This way, you can achieve great and valuable video results with little effort!
