12.1: Preparing Questions

Remember, a great answer often begins with a thoughtful question. Asking nuanced and layered questions helps reveal those same meaningful qualities in your subject’s responses. Try to ask open-ended questions that challenge and encourage reflection, inviting your subject to share more honestly and openly. When your questions are a bit more complex, the interview becomes even more engaging and insightful.

The Process of Questioning

Open-ended questions elicit more detailed responses rather than simple yes-or-no or other one-word answers. You might say, ‘Can you explain?’ ‘Could you please share?’ or ‘What is your opinion?’ to prompt more story and explanation.

Consider the order of your questions carefully. Begin with less important questions and gradually move to more significant ones. These questions help cover a broad range of topics, allowing you to determine which areas to focus on for your more specific, personal questions later. For example, you might ask about the subject’s work background, recent daily experiences, and other lighter, less demanding topics that help them feel comfortable opening up.

The interview should feel more like a conversation. It's best to maintain eye contact with the subject rather than just reading from a list of questions on paper. If the shot is a close-up or medium shot, the viewer will be looking into the subject's eyes. Keeping your eyes on the interviewee rather than down at your questions helps keep them directed toward the camera and prevents distracted gazing. Usually, I prepare the questions I want to ask, but I speak to the interviewee naturally. You can always refer back to the questions near the end of the interview to check if you’ve missed anything.

Creating Rapport

After getting past the initial hurdle of getting to know each other, it's time for the subject’s personality to come to the fore. This happens through complex and personalized prompts—questions that speak uniquely to the subject’s perspective and experiences. It’s a delicate balance, so keep your questions open-ended but gradually focus more narrowly as you go. At the end of the interview, I usually ask my team if they have any questions.

• Let the speaker finish, even if you know that you will not use the current comment
• Pauses especially with emotional answers
• Nod head and smile
• Keep eye contact

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Creating a natural rapport in an interview creates greater authenticity (Photos by Steve Shlisky 2025)

During your interview, aim to create a relaxed and friendly connection (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). Remember, many people feel a bit uneasy being on camera. When they see you're genuinely listening and smoothly following a logical flow of topics and questions, they'll start to forget they're on camera and just focus on sharing their thoughts comfortably.

One secret I have learned is to ask important questions more than once, especially when a question shifts in topic from the previous one. The first answer tends to be part ramble and part compelling. The trick is to eliminate the ramble and keep only the compelling part. The second time I ask the question, I suggest the interviewee focus on one aspect of their answer. This yields a better answer because your subject has already thought of an answer, and you have guided them toward a more usable one. I could leave the answer in its original form and edit out the rambling part in post, but that would require coverage to hide the edits. It would be better to get nice, clean, direct, and succinct answers all in one bite.

The Pivot

A great documentary interview requires a balance of preparation and spontaneity. This means, in addition to well-researched, carefully worded questions, you also have to let go. Follow the conversation wherever it leads, embrace moments of irrelevance, and build on their answers. The most insightful and honest responses often come from going off-script, so always be ready for the unexpected.

Table: Examples of when to pivot

Cue	What It Means	What to Do
They give a story or detail more compelling than your next question	They’re showing you gold, trust it	Abandon your list and go with the story
They repeat themselves or give vague answers	Your questions might not be landing	Reframe the question or shift direction
A strong emotional or body language change	They’ve hit something personal or raw	Acknowledge the moment, pause, then gently dig deeper
A tangent starts to lead somewhere profound	The “real” story may be emerging	Let them wander a bit—it can lead to truth

As you listen to their answers, imagine what the final video will look like. You have options for identifying the speaker: you can display their name in text as they speak, have a narrator introduce the interview, or include footage of the person introducing themselves on camera. Typically, an interview features an on-camera segment and a part where we hear the interview while seeing coverage or B-roll footage. Once we see what a person looks like, it can be more engaging to focus on what they are talking about rather than sitting on a talking head for too long.

Revealing the B-roll footage offers a big advantage. You can now edit the interview without risking a jump cut of the speaker. Since the footage will be off the speaker, you can remove unnecessary words, pauses, "umms," and other verbal crutches. Knowing this allows you to re-ask that part of a question where you know the subject will be on camera, for purposes like texting their name or when they are making a sincere, important point. This helps ensure that your interview is always on camera at the most compelling moments.

The Art of Listening

Active, intuitive listening is often the most powerful skill a documentary interviewer can develop. It can uncover the core of the subject’s story. It can make the difference between surface-level answers and capturing emotional, human, and revealing moments that elevate a project.

Werner Herzog is a renowned German filmmaker known for his extensive body of work, including over 60 features, spanning documentaries and narrative films. You have seen links to his films in earlier chapters. I love this quote attributed to him: "The greatest tool an interviewer has is curiosity, not the question list," which clearly reflects his approach to filmmaking and his views on human interaction. Herzog reminds us that rigidly sticking to a prepared list of questions can sometimes block genuine depth and honesty in an interview. Instead, approaching conversations with authentic curiosity fosters more natural, meaningful exchanges that can lead to surprising and insightful discoveries.

Here are some additional suggestions you can use naturally as the conversation unfolds.

Stay present and listen carefully to the speaker. You might have your own agenda, but their compelling voice guides the interview. Often, the best interviews happen when the subject strays from the script. Know your material, but don’t rigidly follow your question list; see your script as just a guideline. Be ready to follow wherever they lead. Listen for surprises: shifts in tone, pauses, or moments when the subject becomes emotional or evasive. If they share something unexpected or vulnerable, explore it further—this is often where the real story emerges. Repeat and reflect on a word or phrase they use: "You said you felt invisible—can you tell me more about that?" This affirms their experience and encourages them to open up. Follow the emotional flow; if the speaker becomes passionate, angry, sad, or excited, go with it. That energy helps build a connection with the viewer.

Focus on open-ended questions that encourage storytelling, such as “Can you walk me through that moment?” Asking questions like, “Were you scared?” can also be helpful, especially if the interviewer is visible and can follow up. This promotes natural on-camera interaction, helping the host feel like they're representing the audience. Even better, ask something open-ended like, “What was going through your mind when that happened?” which will lead to a longer, more detailed response, avoid the need to show the questioner, and can be edited down to the most compelling comments in post-production.

Following this line of questioning, be patient for the answer. The speaker might be long-winded, and you can edit out excess in post-production. Interrupting the speaker could erase a building emotion. As the speaker winds down, wait a few moments before asking the next question. That pause at the end of their answer can create a dramatic moment in the final edit.

As an interviewer, your goal is to foster empathy and establish a genuine connection. Letting curiosity guide your conversation can create a warmer atmosphere, encouraging the interviewee to share more honest and personal stories. When you approach the discussion with sincere interest, you'll often uncover unique insights and perspectives that might not come from a rigid list of questions. Emphasizing authentic curiosity over strict questioning helps form a more meaningful and heartfelt exploration of the human experience.