Once a month we will be hosting a Guest Voices slot in the newsletter. We’re on the look out for diverse and different takes, advice, tips and projects. We’ve already had quite a few submissions so please don’t think we’re ignoring you if you have sent an idea - we will be in touch. If you would like to put your name forward, there is a Google form at the end of the newsletter.
This month’s contribution is from freelancer, Alaine Johnson, who writes about the environment, conservation and animal rights. She is currently doing a Masters at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies looking at climate, development, and sustainability. Her research on organic agriculture certification has been published in the Journal of Rural Studies and her film on Philippine coffee was selected for the Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival in 2019. If you want to know more you can find her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Virtual interviewing: 6 tips to make technology work for you
With notepad and recorder in hand, the best journalists hit the ground to interview people in the flesh. The virtual interview used to be a last resort, but now it’s the default. It’s important to still infuse your articles with a human element, a face, and a compelling story to draw the reader in. The pulse of a story is usually a person or an emotion, and going out into the field to gather opinions, collect anecdotes, and feel the beat of your story is one of the most invigorating parts of being a journalist.
The pandemic may have meant you had to shelve some stories or cancel travel plans but it has also increased the virtual availability of people we may not have even been able to access before. TikTok stars from the Amazon have gone viral and an entire village in Indonesia revamped its livelihood through a YouTube channel. Digital content and opportunities for connection are in plentiful supply.
Virtual interviews have their drawbacks, but there are still a few things you can control to boost your chances of success.
1. Don’t get caught up in the pixels
Some video calls resemble a modern day séance. “Kathy, are you with us?” *Garbled voice responds* “You’re frozen, we can’t hear you. Can you give us a sign that you hear us?”
If internet connectivity strengths aren’t compatible, feel free to let go of the video aspect and focus on an audio call. It’s better to hold a smooth, flowing conversation than to watch somebody’s pixelated face freeze in the most unflattering of expressions, or to restart the conversation multiple times.
After all, that’s how remote interviews used to be done. In the days of dial-up and long distance phone calls, all we had was voice. You can always ask for a headshot or follow-up photos to begin to match the person you spoke to with their image.
2. Communicate exactly what you’re doing
A rectangular screen omits what you’re doing with your hands and other body language. Your interviewee won’t be able to see if you’re taking notes, so always explain what’s happening off-screen if it relates to the interviewee or could distract them. If children are playing in the house, let the interviewee know to not be alarmed by sudden noises.
If you’re looking for other information online, communicate with the interviewee so it doesn’t appear as if you’re getting off track with other demands on your attention. It’s just as if the person were in front of you, so close out all your other tabs and focus on them.
3. Don’t use a virtual background
Build credibility by appearing as you are. Unless your company requires you to use a company background, appear natural wherever you are. A clean, simple wall with minimal distractions is ideal. A painting or photo may help as a conversation starter, but an entire bookcase will distract. Virtual backgrounds centre you in a wobbly vortex of disappearing limbs, especially if you use your hands when speaking.
4. Remind them of their tools
This might sound self-explanatory after more than a year and a half of pandemic, but remind your interviewee of the tools they’ll need for a successful call. Give explicit instructions to sit in a quiet, well-lit place, without a window behind them (facing towards the window is ideal to capture natural light), and ask them to come on early for a tech check. Ask for consent before beginning the recording. Never assume that your interviewee is acclimated to the platform you’re using, which leads to the next tip.
5. Let them choose location and platform
The benefit of doing virtual interviews is that you can capture your interviewee in their environment and glean deeper insights from what is around them. Allow them to choose the location where they would be most comfortable to interview, and also always ask first if they have a preference of platform. In the Philippines, someone who may be a daily Viber user might rarely touch Zoom. Check if they have a preference where the technology won’t disrupt them, and prepare yourself with a toolbox of platforms that you can use for different audiences.
6. Have a plan B ready
Technology will not always make your job easier. Technical difficulties can and certainly will happen, so prepare your interviewee with your plan B beforehand in case the video call doesn’t connect or the microphones, Airpods, or broadband connection fails you.
Get their phone number or ask them for a backup time to reschedule. In the beginning of the pandemic even Stephen Colbert and Daniel Radcliffe experienced microphone issues, which eventually led Radcliffe to write his phone number on a piece of paper and show it to Colbert to call him.
Are you a virtual interview fan or would you love to consign Zoom to the dustbin of history. Come and share your thoughts in our Facebook Community.
If you would like to contribute an idea for our Guest Voices slot, we’d love to hear about it. You can get in touch by filling out this Google Form.
What’s coming up
We’re running our How to become a successful freelance journalist course in collaboration with journalism.co.uk in November. Work with us on your story ideas, pitches and branding and find out where to find freelance work. The course is super flexible and you’ll receive loads of 1-2-1 feedback from both Lily and Emma. There are a few places left if you sign up this week!
Triumph of the week
Finally getting a feature finished that has been a complicated nightmare from start to finish.
That feeling when…
You ask an interviewee for a high resolution photo providing precise instructions on what that means and you receive a grainy postage-stamp size beauty taken a decade ago…
We love to hear your feedback on everything we do, so feel free to drop us an email anytime at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Bye for now!