The Default Approach (And Why It Falls Flat)
Here's how most corporate video projects handle interviews: the client writes a list of questions based on what they think viewers need to hear, hands it to the production crew, and someone holds a camera while the subject reads through their answers.
The result is predictable. Stiff delivery. Rehearsed-sounding responses. Answers that check boxes but don't tell a story. The video technically covers the talking points, but nobody wants to watch it twice.
This isn't the subject's fault. It's a process problem.
What Changes When the Production Team Leads
When we take ownership of the interview process from start to finish, we're not just asking questions. We're directing a conversation toward the moments that make great video.
We write every question with the edit in mind. We know which answers will pair with b-roll we're planning to capture. We know how to phrase a question so the response works as a standalone soundbite without needing the question in the final cut. We know when to go off-script because someone just said something real and we need to follow that thread.
That's a skill set most internal marketing teams don't have, and there's no reason they should. It's not their job. It's ours.
Your Subject Matter Experts Perform Better
Doctors, executives, teachers, engineers: these people are brilliant at what they do, but most of them aren't comfortable on camera. When a colleague interviews them, the dynamic stays corporate. The answers stay safe.
When our team conducts the interview, we bring a different energy. We're not part of the org chart. There's no politics, no performance review, no reason to hedge. We build rapport quickly, ask questions that feel like a real conversation, and create space for honest, unscripted responses.
The difference shows up on screen. You get authentic emotion instead of talking points. You get stories instead of statements.
It Takes Work Off Your Plate
Beyond the quality improvement, there's a practical benefit: you don't have to do it.
On a recent healthcare project, we wrote every interview question, scheduled and conducted each on-camera interview, and directed every subject through the process. The client's team never had to worry about pulling the right story out of someone or coaching nervous talent through their takes.
They showed up, pointed us toward the right people, and let us handle the rest. That's how it should work. You hired a production company to produce. Let them produce.
What Good Interview Questions Actually Look Like
A few principles we follow when writing interview questions for video:
We never ask yes-or-no questions. "Do you enjoy your work?" gets a one-word answer. "Tell me about a moment with a patient that reminded you why you do this" gets a story.
We front-load context. If we need someone to mention their title and organization in their answer, we build the question so it happens naturally instead of asking them to "state your name and title" like a deposition.
We save the emotional questions for last. Once someone is warmed up and comfortable, that's when we ask the question that gets the real answer. If you lead with it, you get a guarded response. If you earn it, you get something worth building a video around.
The Bottom Line
If you're hiring a production company to make your video, let them own the interviews. The questions, the conversation, the direction of talent. All of it.
You'll get better footage, better stories, and a better final product. And your team gets to focus on what they're actually good at instead of moonlighting as on-camera directors.