How to Conduct a Great On-Camera Interview: Strategies for Asking Better Questions and Getting Better Answers

A great interview doesn’t just happen—it’s built. The way an interviewer guides the conversation directly impacts the depth, engagement, and authenticity of the responses.

Whether you’re conducting a brand interview, a customer testimonial, or an executive Q&A, knowing how to ask the right questions—and set up the right environment—can make or break the final result.

Here’s a breakdown of techniques, strategies, and approaches to instantly improve your interviewing skills.

1. Prepare Like a Journalist, Not a Robot

Most interviewers come in with a list of questions. That’s a great starting point, but the real work happens before you ever hit record.

🔹 Research beyond the basics. Don’t just skim a website bio—look for interviews, personal projects, or unexpected insights about the person you’re interviewing.

🔹 Craft layered questions. Instead of asking, “What does your company do?”, ask “What problem were you personally trying to solve when you started this company?” This leads to a story, not a generic pitch.

🔹 Have a "pivot" question in your back pocket. If a response falls flat, follow up with: “Can you tell me more about that?” or “What was a defining moment in that process?”

2. Control the Pace—Silence is Your Friend

A common mistake interviewers make is rushing to the next question. Some of the best answers come when you let silence do the work.

🔹 Pause after an answer. Instead of jumping in right away, give a beat of silence. People will often fill that space with deeper, more reflective thoughts.

🔹 Slow down your own speech. If you’re speaking quickly, the energy will feel rushed. If you keep a controlled, steady pace, your interviewee will match that energy.

3. Train Yourself to Listen at a Higher Level

The best interviewers don’t just listen for words—they listen for themes, emotions, and deeper layers.

🔹 Stop thinking about the next question while they’re talking. If you’re too focused on your list, you’ll miss opportunities to follow an interesting thread.

🔹 Mirror key words. If someone says, “That was a turning point in my life,” respond with, “What made it a turning point?” instead of jumping to a new question.

🔹 Listen for the unspoken. If an interviewee hesitates before answering, they may have something deeper to say. Encourage them with: “It sounds like there’s more to that—what are you thinking?”

4. The Most Important Factor Isn’t the Lighting—It’s the Conversation

It’s easy to get caught up in the technical side of filming—lighting setups, mic placement, background noise. And while these things matter, they are not what makes an interview great.

The single most important component of a successful interview is the ability to actually have a conversation.

This skill develops through repetition and understanding how people react on camera—when they open up, when they shut down, and how to make someone comfortable enough to be vulnerable.

🔹 Some people freeze up in front of a camera. Your job is to make them forget it's even there.

🔹 People will only go as deep as they feel safe. If they don’t trust you, they won’t open up. Your energy, body language, and tone set the foundation.

🔹 Connection happens before the camera rolls. The first few minutes of off-camera conversation are just as important as the actual interview. Make them laugh. Make them feel heard. Make them feel like they’re about to have a conversation, not an interrogation.

🔹 Focus on this first, then worry about lighting and audio. If the conversation is strong, the technical aspects will enhance it. But if the conversation is weak, even the best lighting and sound won’t save it.

5. The Energy You Bring is the Energy You Get

Interviewees mirror the energy of the person asking the questions. If you seem tense, they’ll be tense. If you’re genuinely engaged, they’ll relax and open up.

🔹 Start with casual conversation before recording. Warm them up with light questions—ask about their day, a hobby, or something fun. The more they talk before the interview, the more natural they’ll sound when it begins.

🔹 Give them a "why" before starting. Let them know the goal of the interview so they understand the context. “We’re capturing this story to help people understand the human side of your brand.”

🔹 Don’t just nod—respond. If an interviewee is speaking, don’t just say “yeah” repeatedly—react with genuine curiosity and engage in the conversation.

6. Fixing a Stale Interview—In Real Time

Sometimes, no matter how much prep you’ve done, an interview starts feeling flat. Instead of forcing through it, shift the approach in the moment.

🔹 Flip the perspective. Ask, “If you could re-explain this to your 10-year-old self, how would you put it?” This often leads to more natural storytelling.

🔹 Challenge them (respectfully). If they give a vague or rehearsed answer, follow up with: “That’s interesting, but I feel like there’s more to it. What’s a moment that really defined this for you?”

🔹 Use an unexpected question. If things feel stuck, pivot to something outside the expected script. “If this entire experience was a movie, what would the title be?” or “What’s the worst advice you ever got about this?”

7. Take Ownership of the Interview’s Success

If an interview doesn’t go well, it’s rarely because the person wasn’t interesting—it’s because the interviewer didn’t lead the conversation well.

🔹 If an answer is vague, it’s because the question wasn’t specific enough.

🔹 If someone seems disengaged, the setup or energy wasn’t right.

🔹 If the interview lacks depth, the right follow-ups weren’t asked.

The good news? Every interview is a chance to improve.

Why This Matters for Your Brand

On-camera interviews aren’t just about getting information—they’re about connecting with an audience. A strong, engaging interview can elevate a brand, build trust, and turn simple conversations into powerful narratives.

If you’re looking to create high-quality interviews that capture real, compelling stories, we can help. At Ventrait, we specialize in guiding conversations that feel natural, engaging, and strategically built for impact.

📩 Let’s connect and make your next interview one that actually resonates.