Interview Techniques – Entertainment Interview
Entertainment interviews mainly focus on media; they ask
celebrities questions to find out more information about them personally and
their career. For example;
Taylor Swift on Alan Carr:
This interview is for entertainment and promotional purposes;
Taylor Swift gets interviewed on her new upcoming album, 1989. This interview
can help promote both the album, and Taylor Swift herself. If she promotes the
album well enough, it will increase sales numbers for the album and make more
money because people will have seen it being promotes via interviews such as
this one. The interview also helps the artist, Taylor Swift as if she does
great in the interview, it can increase her popularity and once again increase
sales.
This introduction for this interview is Alan Carr introducing
Taylor Swift to the audience, referring to her as the ‘biggest thing in pop
right now’ and her coming down the stairs to her new song. From the very start
of the interview it is clear this interview is for entertainment purposes, and
very laid back and jokey, this atmosphere stays throughout the entire interview.
For example, when Taylor has walked down the stairs they dance together and
hug, then walk towards the seating. This is also clear through the dialogue,
for example at 3:06
“And Gandalf is sitting at the kitchen counter, in his pyjamas…”
“So when you get post do you like redirect it to middle
earth?”
“Yes, you know you go like, 1 2 3 The Shire, Middle Earth,
Hobbit Land World.”
The interviewer, Alan Carr, uses a range of open, suggestive
and closed questions throughout this interview. For example at 5:25 he directs
the interview with suggestive questions in order to get the reaction and
answers he wants to get from the interview.
“Last time you were on, you just released Red yeah?”
“Yes.”
“Normally when a guest comes on, I get like a DVD, a CD but I
haven’t been allowed to have one, you’re keeping it under wraps. Why won’t you
let me have one?”
“Because it’s not out yet, it comes out on October 27th”
“But is it true that you’re being really secretive about it,
because you’re worried about it getting like, what’s the word? Leaked?”
You can see, that Alan Carr specifically wanted to hear about
her keeping the album so privately, and find out why. He then asks an open
question to find out more information about a certain subject for example at
11:46:
“Now you know what, the song is a great, EFF YOU, to the
haters innit?”
“Well like a joyful one.”
“Yeah...”
Then she gets talking about her new song, and what it means
so he has got the answer he was looking for in detail.
The interview was structured by using a variety of
techniques, for example he uses developmental questions at the beginning of the
interview to make the guest feel more comfortable and at ease by asking very
easy and simple questions. For example at 2:07 he asks Taylor Swift about her
new flat in New York. Because this is such an easy, laid back question, it will
help put her at ease and make her feel more comfortable to answer the future
questions and keep the environment very friendly and happy.
While the interview is very laid back and friendly, Alan Carr
definitely makes sure he asks the questions that are more serious, and that are
more important. For example the question about why she is keeping her new album
so secret (5:25) and about what the meaning behind Shake It Off is (11:46)
A form of soundbite is used during the interview, at 13:13
Alan Carr says “Lets have a look at a clip, this is Taylor in the brilliant,
Shake It Off.” When it has been played
he said “what a brilliant song, absolutely love it”. Again, this directs the conversation in the direction he wants it to go in, after he says this he goes on to talk about the hand movements used in the video and she then teaches Alan how to do the hand movement. This is obviously pre-planned and he used that soundbite in order to direct the conversation so that she could teach him to do the hand movement as it's definitely comical, however comes across very natural.
The interviewer, Alan Carr, uses a variety of communication
skills throughout the interview, for example active listening and body language
is used throughout the entire interview. When the guest, Taylor Swift, is
talking he gives her eye contact and reactions to what she says. He also gives
very clear body language to show he is listening and interested in Taylor
Swift, and what she is saying. For example, at 8:04 there is a clear use of
body language showing active listening, he leans forward when asking her a
question, then leans back when he reacts and stays leaned back when she is
talking and answering his question.