Send a short explanation, not a homework pack
Tell the employee why they were chosen, what the film is for, where it will appear, what topics they will cover and how long they will be away from normal work. Name the person they can contact if they have a concern.
Try this wording: “We want your explanation of how you handle a customer handover. You do not need a speech. Think of one recent example you can discuss without naming confidential information. We can pause, rephrase questions and repeat an answer.”
Explain the actual review arrangement rather than promising unlimited approval. If the company needs exact wording, say so and provide a readable script early. Surprising someone with a script when they arrive creates a different task from the interview they prepared for.
Check the source of the discomfort
Some people worry about their appearance. Others worry about making a factual mistake, being judged by a manager, revealing information or having an answer edited unfairly. Ask privately what would make the session easier, without expecting a medical explanation.
Offer practical choices where the production allows: seated or standing, a quieter room, a break, a familiar interviewer, bullet points or a demonstration instead of a long spoken answer. Respect a person who does not want to participate and use the organisation’s agreed process for finding another contributor or format.
The first ten minutes
- Introduce the crew. Explain who asks questions and who operates equipment.
- Show the eyeline. Point to the interviewer or lens. Avoid changing the instruction mid-answer.
- Explain microphone fitting. Ask before adjusting clothing or personal equipment and offer an appropriate way for the contributor to help.
- Record an easy answer. Start with a task they know well, not a company slogan.
- Normalise restarting. Demonstrate that a pause is ordinary and that the crew will reset calmly.
Say when recording starts. Do not use a supposedly private warm-up as publishable content without making the recording and use clear. Trust is more useful than a surprise “natural” take.
Reduce the audience around the monitor
Keep observers to the people needed for the job. A contributor may speak differently with a line manager correcting every sentence from behind the camera. If factual checking is necessary, agree that the checker waits until the answer ends and passes notes through one person.
Avoid letting several colleagues give simultaneous direction: smile more, move your hands, sit straighter, mention the award. Choose the single change that matters for the next take. Give specific feedback such as “the example was clear; let’s repeat the final sentence after the door noise.”
When an answer becomes difficult
They keep starting the sentence again
Remove the pressure to finish a long statement. Ask one narrower question, or record the answer in complete short thoughts. Do not interrupt every hesitation; the useful material may arrive after it.
They sound formal or memorised
Ask them to explain the point to a new colleague. Replace “what makes our service exceptional?” with “what do you check before the customer leaves?” A concrete task gives them something to describe.
They cannot remember a number
Pause and check it. Never encourage guessing for the sake of flow. The number can be recorded separately or shown in a verified graphic if that suits the edit.
They watch themselves instead of the interviewer
Move the self-view or client monitor out of their eyeline if it is not needed. Keep the interviewer in a stable position and explain where to look again without treating it as a failure.
The room is tiring or distracting
Take a break or change the order. A booked slot is not a reason to keep repeating an approach that is becoming less productive. The wider HSE guidance on accessible workplace communication supports discussing communication needs and choosing suitable formats.
Protect the meaning in the edit
Keep the contributor’s point intact when removing pauses or shortening answers. If they explain a limitation, do not cut it solely because the unqualified version sounds stronger. Ask for clarification when a sentence is ambiguous.
For broader room, clothing and schedule preparation, use our first professional shoot guide. For an employee-led film, tell us about the contributors and their concerns while we plan the interview schedule.
