The Art of the Interview

Doing an interview is much more than just asking a bunch of questions and listening to the answers. A great interviewer puts in hours of preparation and research to learn as much as they can about the interviewee. They know how to ask the right follow-up questions to keep the conversation going, and they know when to dive deeper into the most promising aspects of a story.

Journalist, documentarian, and sound artist Tania Ketenjian will help you discover, analyze, and be deeply inspired by the art of the interview. She’ll go over each step of the process, from pre-interview prep to conducting the interview to editing the finished product. By the end, you’ll get over your fears and be able to walk into any interview with poise and confidence.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose the right interviewees and book them.
• Conduct research and prepare a solid list of questions.
• Structure your interview but be open to digressions.
• Listen effectively and ask the right follow-up questions.
• Be flexible enough to allow for serendipitous magic.
• Get your interview back on track when it goes wrong.
• Edit your interview so it’s coherent, engaging, and fluid.

• Class Introduction
• What is Your interview
• Establishing the Story You Want to Tell
• Who is Going to Illustrate Your Story Best
• Strategies and Tactics of Acquiring the Interview
• Researching Your Subject
• Getting Everything Prepared for Your Interview
• The Interview Work Flow & Finding the Magic
• How to Begin the Interview
• How to Be
• How to End the Interview
• How and Why to Follow-Up