Getting Good Interviews
Interviews
are what make family histories come alive. I’ve done all kinds of interviews.
Here’s my system for getting informative interviews.
Follow these steps for all types of interviews, including videotaped interviews.
List your resources
- Family stories and genealogy you
know
- Who else has family stories and
is willing to share
- Family photographs available
- Video/audio equipment
- Word processing program
Gather organizational materials
- Interview questions
- Large index cards
- Thank-you notes
- Log sheets (for video)
- Historical timeline
Arrange the interview
When
you can, set up an interview date ahead of time. Then you can set aside plenty
of uninterrupted time in a quiet, well-lit place.
Ask the person you plan
to interview to gather their family photos for the interview. That will help
jog their memory and they may be willing to share their photos with you for scanning. Several days before the interview send them a:
Conducting the interview
I
recommend that you record (audio or video) the interview, regardless of how you
plan to use it. You will have enough to do making sure the stories you want are
complete and the person giving the interview is comfortable without having to
take copious notes. Make sure your story teller has water to drink and a
cushioned coaster (the quiet kind).
For
best results use a lavaliere or hand-held microphone. Attach a lavaliere microphone to the storyteller's clothing just below the chin and tape the wire down to prevent static. Place a hand-held microphone in a stand or make one from a tissue box. Use
headphones to make sure the recorded audio is being recorded and is
static-free. An interview is not a conversation; do not make verbal
responses. You can’t edit out all your uh-huhs.
If
you are making an interview video,
the “interview stage” should be clutter-free, and well-lit.
Guiding the interview
Discuss
what kind of information will be included in the interview before you start.
Each story should contain Who, When, Where, and Why. Ask open-ended
questions—ones that require a detailed response. Start with “Tell me about. . .
” Instruct
your storyteller to take a brief pause before responding to your questions so
there is no conversational overlap.
Be prepared with a stack of photos and cue
cards (subjects on index cards) for them to use as reminders of what
information you want. Writing on the cue cards should be large, printed, and
brief. Don’t
take notes during the interview. Your storyteller deserves a good listener and
will do a better job if you’re paying attention.
Transcribe and Log
Audio
recordings need to be transcribed by playing the recording and writing every
word into a text document. Set up the document so you have a 2” margin for
notes (right side if right-handed, left side if left-handed). Write the name of
the storyteller and date of interview at the top of the page. Put spaces
between stories. In
the note margin, handwrite the (1) category or story title, (2) people in the
story, and (3) when it happened. This will make it easier to assemble if you
plan to write a book or captioned album.
Remember your storyteller
Send
a thank-you note and transcribed interview copy to the storyteller. Be sure to return borrowed documents and photographs promptly as well.
Videotaping the interview
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Copyright September 2009 Family History Coach. All rights reserved Last update April 27, 2010
