Page 36 - 2018 June Voices

BEHIND THE CAMERA

The TV Interview

Phyllis Harmon, DTM

I think one of the most interesting formats our guests tell us that they loved
for a television show is the interview program. the easy flow of the conversation
The guest and show host work together, like a and that the time flew by.

team from Dancing with the Stars, to entertain TV Toastmasters records interview shows in
the TV audience. Whether the interview touches the four community TV studios in the Portland
on life’s journey, new ideas and products, or metro area. The guests are recruited by our
community issues, a good interview involves associate producers from the Toastmasters and

two or three people conversing together as if National Speakers Association communities.
they had known each other forever. They too are put at ease, prepped for what to
But great shows don’t just happen. They are expect, mic’d and interviewed for 11-1/2 minutes.
planned and executed with much forethought. It In both scenarios, the host’s responsibility

begins, for me, with deciding who to interview. is to put their guests at ease and prep them for
On Culturama (the program I co-host in Salem), the upcoming recording session. Doing so is
I look for people who have interesting stories extremely important. Nervous guests can ruin an
to tell—artists, authors, leaders, and gardeners otherwise great show. The vibe will be off which

are among the guests who have appeared on the translates into flat, uninteresting segments.
program over the past 5 years. If you are the guest, you too have an integral
Making the guests feel at ease is a prime part to play in the production of a memorable
responsibility of the show’s host. Our guests know TV program. Be ready to engage in a lively

what to expect and are provided with one of our conversation with the host. A confident demeanor
earlier shows to watch. At the studio, once we are creates interesting visuals for the TV audience.
mic’d and ready to go, we talk about the show Your answers, spoken in a normal voice using
format again and engage in small talk until the vocal variety, should be complete but short. This

production team is ready to record. allows for more interaction between you and the
Because we’ve prepped, laughed with, and host and a greater variety of responses.
asked our guests some questions before the Like the team from Dancing with the Stars,
show starts, we simply continue the conversaton creating television programs for the viewing

once the cameras begin to roll. We greet our TV public requires everyone to be on their game
audience and introduce our guests. One question and play their part well. It’s fun, challenging,
leads to another as the clock ticks down from and makes us all strive to do our best. And, that’s
28:30 to 00:00. At the end of our time together, entertainment n the growth zone!

36 ONE COMMUNITY