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Even the most confident professional can be camera shy. Between the bright lights in your face, that little red light on the camera and the knowledge that whatever comes of your mouth is on record forever, it’s no wonder the idea of being interviewed sends hearts racing. To stay collected during a TV interview, you need to learn the basics.
Don’t Script and Memorize Answers. It’s tempting to want to rehearse you’re answers word for word—but this is a big DON’T! You’ll inevitably sound scripted which translates to the viewer as insincere, or worse, like you have something to hide! You’ll want to have prepared “talking points” handy, but how you string those points together should be off the cuff.
Incorporate the Question into Your Answer. This little trick makes the difference between a sentence and a sound bite. Often in a finished news piece, you won’t hear the reporter’s question; just the interviewee’s answer. So, if a reporter asks, “Why is your company donating $100,000 to this great cause?” your answer needs to be able to stand alone as a complete thought. Instead of saying “Because we think it’s important to give back to the community”, say “Our company is making this sizeable donation because we think it’s important to give back to the community.”
Never Say “As I said earlier.” Not every word you say will make it into the finished story. It’s okay to feel like you’re repeating yourself in a pre-taped interview; the reporter won’t use both sound bites, so saying “as I said earlier” will be out of context. I think there’s nothing wrong with repetition. It’s the surest way to guarantee your message makes the final cut!
Keep it Short and Sweet. There’s a reason they’re called sound “bites”; they should be bite sized! Keep your statements brief and direct. If you’d like to elaborate on a point, make the overall complete statement, and then say “For example…” This way, the reporter can either use your entire statement, or cut it in half neatly if there isn’t enough time to use it all.
If you’re in a position where you’ll be on camera often, I suggest investing in some professional media training. After all, practice makes perfect.
