ABSTRACT
Although images communicate much of the story, interviews provide little moments of punctuation. Interviews provide essential detail, help give stories spirit and atmosphere, and impart vital spontaneity. Part of the interviewer’s job is to gather facts, but also to reveal the person being interviewed. The best interviews are often so strong that viewers would recognize the main subject days after seeing the story. Inevitably, some interviews feature the world’s mayors, ambassadors, and other authorities. Still, the most poignant and memorable interviews often are with ordinary people who have never been interviewed on camera and may never be interviewed again. When people like ourselves talk, we listen. Whatever your story assignment, interviews usually play a valuable role.
