Documentary Interview Tips: Speak Naturally and Comfortably
If the words “on-camera interview” make you tense up a little, you’re not alone. Most people aren’t used to having lights in their face and a microphone clipped to their shirt while trying to sound like themselves.
The good news is: you don’t need to be “good on camera.” You just need to be comfortable enough to speak naturally.
The biggest misconception is that you should memorize lines. In documentary-style video, that usually backfires. Memorized answers tend to sound stiff, and the person starts focusing on saying things “correctly” instead of saying something real.
A better approach is simple, prepare stories, not scripts. Before filming, we typically do a pre-interview call. This isn’t about writing dialogue. It’s about identifying the best moments: the turning point, the challenge, the reason you care, the thing you’re proud of, and the thing you want people to understand.
On shoot day, here are a few things that help a lot:
First, dress like yourself. Avoid tight patterns, logos, and anything noisy (like a jangly necklace). Solid colors almost always look best.
Second, don’t worry about “eye contact.” In most documentary interviews, you’re talking to the interviewer, not the camera. It feels more like a conversation, and it looks more natural on screen.
Third, slow down. When people get nervous, they talk faster. A calm pace is one of the easiest ways to instantly look more confident.
Fourth, trust the process. Documentary-style filming is designed to give you room to breathe. We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for honesty.
Finally, remember that editing is your safety net. Nobody expects you to say everything in one perfect take. We shape the story in post. Your job is just to show up and speak like a human.
If you’re planning a documentary-style brand video, nonprofit story, or university department film, this kind of preparation makes a huge difference. It doesn’t just improve the interview. It improves the entire production.
