How to Prepare for a Video Shoot

The number one rule I have for preparing for a video shoot is don’t over-prepare. Yes, read over the interview questions and even practice your answers out loud with someone whom you trust… but not too much. Please don’t try to memorize your answers or take copious notes with the perfect and best-articulated words you can conceive. One way in which I differentiate myself from other video storytellers is that my interviews are conversational. This is not speed dating, rushing from one question to another. I want the dialogue between us to flow, and if you are always looking down at your notes our flow will get disrupted. In fact, I have been known to confiscate notes, so beware!

This might be helpful for you to know. I edit the heck out of my interviews. My goal and my responsibility are to make you sound more articulate than you think you actually are. So I might take the beginning of one sentence and complete it with the end of a different sentence. I edit out pauses, umms, and stumbles. All that’s to say, please don’t overthink how you will speak in the interview, I will be editing it anyways. You can stop, start over, change your mind, re-state, or skip the question entirely. 

Here’s what you can do. Use whatever tools you already have in your toolbox to stay calm, grounded, and connected to yourself and to your story. So read the questions, think about them, maybe even practice a few answers. But more importantly, tune in to your story and what you want your viewer to know about you. And remember that I will be sitting a few feet away from you, supporting and leading the conversation. Your job is to slow down, be thoughtful, and speak from your heart. The more committed you are to digging deep, trusting the process, and being as genuine as possible in the conversation, the stronger and more powerful the video will be.

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