When it comes to corporate video production, the most powerful stories often come from everyday people—not actors or media-trained spokespeople, but real employees, customers, or community voices. But here’s the catch: most people don’t love being on camera. That’s why, at ourLondon video production agency, we’ve developed a process that makes interviews feel natural, conversational, and—crucially—authentic.
The Art of a Good Interview
Interviewing isn’t just asking questions—it’s an emotional and psychological dance. A good interviewer doesn’t bulldoze through a script. Instead, they listen, respond, and guide the conversation to uncover genuine moments of truth.
Forget rigid Q&A formats. The gold lies in flow—those moments where the subject forgets the camera’s there and just starts talking. That’s where the emotional punch lands.
Build the Relationship First
People need time to settle, connect, and feel seen. So before you even pick up the camera, spend at least 10 minutes with your interviewee. No lights, no lens, no leading questions. Just chat. Ask them about their morning. What they do for fun. Something entirely unrelated to the shoot.
This does two things:
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It humanises you and the process. You're no longer "the person with the camera"—you're a person they feel safe talking to.
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It gets their nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode. You're easing them into a natural state where conversation flows more freely.
And remember, this isn't a trick. It's respect. You're asking someone to share a piece of themselves on camera—emotion, opinion, vulnerability. The least we can do is meet them with warmth and patience.
This pre-interview moment also sets the tone for the shoot. When your crew is laid-back, when your energy is calm and confident, people pick up on that. The room becomes less like a set, and more like a space to talk honestly.
This is how you help people forget they’re being interviewed—and start telling the truth.
The Interviewer’s Mindset: Curiosity First
To be a truly great interviewer—whether you're filming a CEO or a warehouse apprentice—you need more than a list of pre-approved questions. You need genuine curiosity.
Interviewing isn’t about extracting information. It’s about unearthing insight. You're looking for meaning, not soundbites.
Read the Room, Not Just the Script
When someone pauses, laughs unexpectedly, avoids eye contact, or shifts in their seat—these are not distractions. They’re signals. Invitations. They're where the real story starts.
If you’re too focused on ticking off your question list, you’ll miss these cues. But if you’re present—really present—you’ll know when to gently dig deeper.
Sometimes the best question isn’t the one you planned. It’s the one that responds to what was just said:
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“What was going through your mind in that moment?”
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“You mentioned that was difficult—can you tell me why?”
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“You smiled just then—was that a good memory?”
You’re a Conduit, Not a Controller
The goal of a corporate interview isn’t to force someone into a narrative. It’s to help them feel seen, safe, and understood—so they can share their own.
Your role as an interviewer is to be the guide. Ask clear, open questions. Be generous with your attention. Don’t interrupt. Don’t jump in with your own take. Let the story breathe.
This kind of listening—active, open, and non-judgemental—is rare. When people feel it, they lean in. They go deeper. And that’s when you get the good stuff: the emotion, the clarity, the vulnerability.
Curiosity Builds Trust
Especially in corporate video production, where people often feel guarded or ‘on show’, curiosity has a disarming effect. When someone senses that you're genuinely interested in their perspective—not just going through the motions—they begin to open up.
They stop performing. They start reflecting.
And that’s what turns an ordinary answer into a moment that resonates.
Don’t Interrupt the Flow with Tech Fuss
When someone is finally opening up—when the answers start getting warmer, deeper, more personal—the last thing you want to do is stop the flow because of a mic cable or lighting flag.
That moment of connection? Fragile. Easily broken.
Which is why preparation is everything. In professional corporate video production, the technical side should be so dialled in before the interview begins that it becomes invisible when it counts.
Front-Load the Tech Setup
Do your camera placements, sound checks, and lighting tweaks well before you bring the interviewee into frame. Check for eyelines. Listen for background noise. Run through a full mock setup with a stand-in if you can. Once your subject is seated and settled, that should signal go, not fiddle time.
It’s not just about saving time—it’s about respecting the headspace you’re asking someone to enter. Think of it like theatre: the backstage chaos should never leak onto the stage. Your interviewee should never feel like they’re part of a technical problem to be solved.
Flow Is Finite
When an interview starts to flow—when the person forgets about the camera, starts speaking freely, when their body language loosens and their eyes stop darting to the lens—you’ve entered the sweet spot. It’s delicate. And it doesn’t last forever.
Stopping in that moment to reposition a light or change batteries can pull someone right back into self-awareness. And once they’re out of flow, it can take ages (or never) to get it back.
So if something absolutely must be fixed, do it with zero drama. Quietly. Quickly. And always reassure the person that they were doing great—it’s the gear, not them.
Creating a Relaxed Environment in Corporate Video Production
At our full service video production agency, we work with an easy-going crew for a reason. There’s already enough pressure on the person being interviewed. They’re sitting in front of a lens, maybe nervous, maybe overthinking how they look or sound. What they don’t need is stress or tension from the team around them.
It’s our job to create a calm, relaxed environment. One where the person doesn’t feel rushed, judged, or like they’re “on show.” That means moving with intention, talking quietly, and letting the energy in the room stay steady. The technical side should feel seamless to the person in the chair.
Emotion-Based Questions vs. Information-Based Questions
Every good interview strikes a balance between two types of questions: information-based and emotion-based. You need both—but it’s the emotional ones that create connection.
Information-Based Questions: Useful, but Often Surface-Level
These are your practical, fact-driven questions. They’re great for context, clarity, and structure. Think:
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“What’s your role here?”
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“How long have you worked with the company?”
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“What does your day-to-day look like?”
You need these to set the scene. They anchor the story. But on their own, they won’t move people. They won’t reveal the heart behind the work.
Emotion-Based Questions: That’s Where the Gold Lives
Emotion-based questions are designed to tap into feeling, memory, and meaning. They make people reflect. They take you deeper. These are the questions that shift an interview from generic to powerful.
Think:
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“What do you love most about working here?”
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“What did that moment mean to you?”
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“What were you feeling when that happened?”
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“What’s been the proudest part of your journey so far?”
These questions might cause someone to pause. That’s good. That pause means they’re accessing something real.
Balance Is the Key
You’re not choosing one or the other—you’re blending both. Start with information to build trust and familiarity, then gently pivot to emotion once the person has settled in. It’s a rhythm, not a formula.
And when they do open up emotionally, follow them. Stay with that thread. That’s where the most impactful, human, memorable moments come from. The stuff your audience will actually feel.
Don’t Tell Someone to “Relax” or “Act Natural”
Here’s a big one: never tell someone to “relax” or “just act natural” on camera. It might seem like helpful advice—but it backfires almost every time.
Why? Because the second you say it, you’re unintentionally sending the message that they’re not relaxed. That they’re not being natural. It plants doubt. It makes them question their body language, tone, or posture. Suddenly, they’re in their own head—and now you’re further away from the genuine, open energy you were trying to build.
This is especially true when working with non-professionals in corporate settings. They’re already out of their comfort zone, sitting under lights, mic’d up, being asked questions that might feel personal or vulnerable. The last thing they need is to feel like they’re performing relaxation.
Focus on Creating the Conditions for Relaxation—Not Commanding It
Instead of telling someone to relax, make it your mission to help them feel safe and seen. That starts before the interview even begins:
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Spend time chatting off-camera.
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Be warm, not overly formal.
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Show genuine interest in them as a person.
This tells their nervous system: You’re not being judged here. You’re just talking to a human.
And once the interview begins, don’t force it. Let them warm up naturally. The first few answers might be stilted, and that’s fine. Stay calm. Keep listening. Make space. Show them—through your energy, not your words—that they’re doing just fine.
It’s a Subtle Game of Trust
People don’t open up because they’re told to. They open up because they feel they can.
The camera disappears when the conversation flows. And that flow comes from connection, not instruction.
So drop the “relax” talk. Drop the “just be yourself.” Instead:
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Make the space feel calm.
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Let silence be OK.
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Smile.
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Nod.
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Listen without jumping in.
Trust builds flow. Flow builds great interviews.
Why a Corporate Video Production Agency Needs Emotional Intelligence
At MHF Creative, we believe the technical side of production is only half the job. The other half is human. Emotional intelligence is what turns a decent interview into a brilliant one.
When people feel seen, heard, and respected, they give you gold. And that’s what turns your corporate video production from content into connection.
Looking for a London Video Production Agency that Gets It?
If you're planning a brand story, internal film, or culture video, and you want interviews that feel real—not robotic—we'd love to help.
As a leading corporate video production agency in London, we specialise in creating content that puts people first. No scripts. No forced smiles. Just human stories told beautifully.
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