Unit 36 Interview Techniques

I would like to analyse three interviews and talk about the techniques
used within these interviews.
The first one I have chosen is Jeremy Paxmans interview with Boris
Johnson for BBC2s Newsnight programme in 2011. Paxman is wellknown as an aggressive interviewer. He uses simple questions making it
harder to give evasive answers and he is very good at not allowing the
interviewee to slide away, challenging evasions and keeping the audience
engaged.
He first asks Boris Johnson about the London riots and questions him
about previous statements which appear contradictory. This introductory
part of the interview establishes where the interview is going right from
the start, puts the guest under pressure and may reveal something
interesting in the opening minutes.
Paxman has a combative style of interviewing. His questioning is blunt,
aggressive and with generally open
questions giving Boris the chance to explain
and expand on his answers. This makes for
more of a conversation and is a useful
technique for getting politicians to open up.
The interview develops beyond the basic
responses and starts getting into a proper
debate about other issues such as tax cuts
and social problems in Britain. Jeremy is
always in control of the interview, he always
wants answers to his questions and he doesnt let Boris escape without
giving those answers and elaborating on the issues.
Jeremys body language is very interesting. He engages with Boris using
direct eye contact but sits with his arms folded across his chest. However
when there is any disagreement in the interview, Paxman raises his
eyebrows, widens his eyes and throws his arms out. When talking, he uses
a lot of hand movements although not as many as Boris who waves his
hands about, tugs at his tie, scratches his head and looks quite
uncomfortable when hes being asked more searching questions.
A very different interviewer is Louis Theroux, a documentary presenter
who uses personal interviews in an investigative style. One of his best
interviews was with a group of hardline Christians called The family as
part of the weird weekend series he made for BBC2.

He has a very relaxed and calm approach to interviewing. His initial

questions get the interviewee to relax using open, general enquiries that
give the viewer some sort of understanding of the subject.
His style has been described as faux-naif, that is to say an
almost innocent and gently inquisitive style which develops a
rapport with the interviewees gently prompting them to
explain what they believe in without feeling that theyre
being attacked or pressurised. He develops the interview
by then asking them more direct and quickfire questions,
identifying any weaknesses in their arguments, eventually
putting them on the spot so that they have to explain
themselves and their actions.
Louis Theroux has developed a casual and
humourous approach when interviewing his subjects. He doesnt seem to
be following a script and asks off-the-cuff questions making it very easy to
watch. In the interview with the Family, they open up to Louis and show
him how strong their beliefs are and how strictly they live according to
their religion. Louis makes it quite obvious that he doesnt share these
beliefs. He keeps saying . . . surely you dont believe that . . . especially
when they say that hell burn in hell or when they give him their views on
gays or feminists for example. But hes very subtle and seems to be openminded about the subject. A different type of interviewer might make
them just look ridiculous and stupid but Louis technique lets the viewer
have an insight into their lives and make their own minds up.
I think that he uses very good communication skills. He really listens to
what people are saying and his body language is very open and inclusive
and thats how he can get his subjects to speak so candidly and why his
documentaries are entertaining as well as informative.
Louis Theroux uses an investigative style but its not really a hard
journalistic approach. Its more reflexive where hes providing the whole
narrative to the story, giving a natural feel
having a conversation with the camera and the
audience behind it.
Graham Norton is widely regarded as the best
of the Chat Show interviewers on British TV
today. His style is light hearted, hes an
entertainer who is very clever at engaging with
his guests. Although he never asks any
penetrating or sensitive questions he has a casual and chatty manner that

allows his guests to reveal more about themselves than more direct,
journalistic questioning might do.
The format of the programme is quite simple, he usually has three
celebrity guests being interviewed at the same time. He starts by
interviewing each of his guests individually with introductory questions to
put them at their ease and inform the audience who they are and why
theyre appearing on the show. As well as being an entertainment show it
would be true to call it promotional. The guests are there primarily to
promote some sort of product, a new film, book or TV series. However
Graham doesnt let the guests use his show to advertise their product too
much.
Hes the ideal chat show host because he quickly builds up a rapport
with his guests and encourages them to tell stories and make jokes. He
doesnt really use a straightforward interviewing technique with lots of
questions and answers, he prompts his interviewees and lets the show
develop naturally. Hes obviously an extrovert character and this is
apparent in his interviewing technique. His body language is extrovert
using lots of hand and face gestures and interreacting physically with his
guests and the live audience.
A good example is his show with Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender and
James McAvoy in 2014 when all three wear appearing in the newly
released X-Man film. What made the show such a success was the way
Norton communicated with the actors. He didnt ask any hugely important
questions but by encouraging them to be natural and spontaneous it
made the show entertaining and funny. The three actors told amusing
stories, performed physically dancing and singing and seemed to be
genuinely enjoying themselves, they were at ease and appeared to be
happy to be there.
I think that you could see a similar thing in any of Graham Nortons shows,
his interviews although light-hearted always allow the audience some sort
of insight into the subject as well as being entertaining.

References www.wikipedia.co.uk www. theguardian.co.uk

www.independent.co.uk
www.dailymail.co.uk

The Media Students Book by Gill Branston 2010