How to get the best out of face to face interviews

There are so many things that can go drastically wrong during a face to face interview. Audio and video recording is not everybody’s forte and there are those of us who end up with a shaky and barely audible recording, no matter how hard we try. Few things on earth can equal the pleasure of watching an interview that was recorded to perfection.

“I squirm when I see some of my earlier interviews as they are so obviously look like the work of an amateur” says Samnatha a video blogger inCalifornia. She is not alone. We all are slightly embarrassed when we watch reruns of those horrendously recorded interviews. Here are a few ways to prevent you from looking at your shoes when people view your interviews.

Ten tips to record face to face interviews that you’d be proud of

• You must always face the light as sitting behind the light can produce shadowy faces. Harsh lighting can create funny patterns and stark shadows. Make sure the interview area is well lit but has soft and mellow lighting.

• White balance, your camera. Place a white object in front of the camera and adjust your camera settings till it is rendered perfectly and the white in the lcd screen matches exactly the white of the object. It can help avoid out of the world tinges and color casts.

• Record in a quiet location. Record a quick test audio recording. If you can hear clearly without straining go ahead with the actual interview. It can be a great ice breaker too.

• Avoid striped clothes and psychedelic patterns and ask to the point questions..

• Speak slightly away from the microphone to avoid breath-pops. Keeping the mike about six inches away from the mouth should work.

• Treat the camera as another person in the room. Look away from it, smile straight into it and speak animatedly to it. It can break the monotony for viewers.

• Rapid fire questions never fail to work! Include a quick and snappy rapid fire round in your interviews to perk up interests.

• Speak slightly away from the microphone to avoid breath-pops.

• There are a few audio recording tips that never fail to work, like drinking cold tea to keep the palate clear and having warm lemonade before the interview to help soothe vocal chords and frayed nerves.

• The most important tip during face to face interview recording is to ensure your interviewee is at ease.