Nothing gives you more credibility than engaging the cast and crew of the production you’re reviewing. It’s an official Seal of Approval for your podcast, and a reputation builder within the community. It also adds value for your listeners, especially if you pass on their questions during an interview.
You might be gun-shy about contacting your favorite actor or showrunner. Don’t be. You’re offering them a direct line to their most passionate fans, ones passionate enough to listen to an hour-long podcast.
Most creators welcome the chance to discuss their work, provided they have the time. A retweet or follow from a celebrity account can also net you new followers, some of whom will eventually listen to your show. Who knows? You might even spark up a friendship over drinks with a creator after a convention panel.
When you land an exclusive interview, you’ll have a great reason to promote your podcast wherever fans are hanging out online, particularly if you get a big scoop. Your interview subject will also spread the word, adding even more credibility to your burgeoning podcast.
You don’t get anything you don’t ask for. As long as you’re respectful of the person’s time, and act professionally throughout the process, you have nothing to lose by asking. The worst that can happen is they’ll say no, or you won’t get a response. Better to try and fail, then to assume your show is too small and never know if they would have said yes.
Social Media
Thanks to enhanced filter settings for “Verified” users, social media channels aren’t as effective at reaching celebrities as they were even a few years ago. Still, actors are encouraged to live tweet during an episode or host a Q&A on Facebook Live after it airs, so there are times when they’ll be paying attention to their feed.
As discussed in an earlier chapter, you should start your podcast months before the show premieres. This includes creating social accounts for your show. Starting early will give you a chance to build up followers by posting updates about the show as news and official promotional material leaks. With any luck, and proper tagging, this will catch the eye of the show’s social media team and get you on a follow list.
We just call her Jada.
What’s a follow list? It’s a list handed out by the marketing team to key cast and crew, as well as new actors who join the show after launch. We were on Gotham’s follow list, which meant we got follows from big names like Jada Pinkett-Smith and Ben McKenzie. The follow list also gave us an early warning for upcoming guest stars, since they’d follow our Twitter account a week or two before the casting was announced.
The follow list will open you up to swag you can offer to your listeners as giveaways. If you get offered a freebie, make sure you mention the product on your show. A lot. If you don’t, the offers will dry up.
Our “Gotham Sweetheart Giveaway” commercial.
Leverage free SWAG to grow your show. When Diamond Select Toys sent us a couple dozen Gotham action figures, we did a fake commercial that promoted the toys, the contest, and our podcast. We played the promo in every podcast we did for about a month, and cross-posted it to our Facebook page, YouTube channel, and other social sites like Reddit. We had a few goals for our podcast at the time: More Apple Podcast reviews, more Patreon patrons, and more Twitch subscribers. Three ways to enter, two of them free. In the end, we reached our goals, and gave our listeners fun prizes while we did it. We even got to keep the action figures and set pieces from the commercial to use as props on the live stream.
Getting followed by official accounts will help you break through the noise of social media and contact talent directly. Be careful with this. If you’re too forward, or too demanding, it might get you unfollowed and blocked by the cast member you’re contacting, which could lead to you getting kicked off the follow list.
If you aren’t on the follow list, that doesn’t mean you can’t engage with the cast and crew. Tweet them funny GIFs that reference something that happened to their character on the show, or chip in when they ask fans for donations to their favorite charity. Bigger stars might not manage their own accounts, but their social media team will still inform them about significant interactions. They’ll also let them know if you’re pouring Haterade, so don’t tag them if you have something critical to say about them or their performance. It’s just rude, and it isn’t going to help your podcast.
Their “People”
“Have your people call my people.” – Various Hollywood Big Shots
Hollywood people, especially actors, have “people.” Agents and managers and publicists and business managers and personal assistants. These people help protect them from things that will distract these professionals from their ultimate goals: Performing, then booking their next gig.
You probably don’t have “people.” That’s okay. Many in the media are starting to see the power of podcasting. Sure, you’ll have to compete with the likes of Conan O’Brien, the happy lady from Nailed It, and Pauly Shore. Some celebrities have special agents who handle their podcast bookings. Remember, you’re offering these celebrities a direct channel to a curated group of their super fans. That’s a powerful thing, one that extends far beyond their current project.
“The CW cracks down on their writers from making appearances on any web shows to discuss the episodes that they write. We’ve been told that explicitly. Showrunners, maybe, but not individual writers of episodes. That’s why we have tried to reach outside of the writing staff. We’ve tried to build a relationship with the Supergirl prop guy. We’ve invited actors like the chick who played Kelly in Season 1. She was a bit character who became beloved on Supergirl Radio and it was a nice get for us. So even if you don’t have access to the head honchos, there are lots of other people involved in the show you might be able to talk to.” Rebecca Johnson, Host – Supergirl Radio
On the other hand, their people might consider your podcast one of those distractions they’re supposed to protect their clients from. If so, you’ll get an automated rejection, or you’ll just never hear back. Again, you have nothing to lose by asking, as long as you’re polite, professional, and respectful of their time.
Finding Out Who To Contact
First, figure out who you need to contact. Luckily, we live in the information age, and there are several resources online that will help you.
A publicist or agent might be a simple Google search away. Type the actor or crew member’s name in quotes, then add a plus sign and try keywords like “management” or “publicist.”
A sample search for Tom Cruise’s publicist, which surprisingly gave me a name.
Agents, publicists, and managers love bragging about their clients. If it’s a smaller agency, they might have the person you’re trying to interview listed on their website, right next to the agent’s contact information. Now, you aren’t going to reach Tom Cruise’s people using this method. Even his people have people. But, if you’re angling for a supporting character, or even a fresh-faced lead without much of a following, this method might work for you.
The actor’s official website, if they have one, might have contact details for their management team. Many official sites have a contact form, but these are usually the digital equivalent of writing a message to your landlocked grandma in Idaho, then stuffing it in a bottle and tossing it into the Pacific Ocean.
If you don’t see anything in the first page of search results, dig deeper. You could find a name in an article from an entertainment trade magazine, or discover the actor mentioned their publicist in an interview on Access Hollywood.
IMDBPro
If you don’t turn anything up on Google, there’s a ninety-nine percent chance you’ll find something on IMDBPro, the industry-facing side of Amazon’s Internet Movie Database.
For your Twilight fancast.
Nearly everybody has contact information on here, since IMDB is an essential tool used throughout the entertainment industry for casting and hiring crew. I used to work at an agency in Los Angeles, and most of the employees had IMDBPro up at all times.
The bad news? IMDBPro is a paid service. As of this writing, it cost $19.99 per month, or $149.99 per year. That’s not outrageous, but if you aren’t making money off your podcast, it’s probably not worth it. Luckily, IMDBPro offers a 30-Day free trial on their homepage, which is more than enough time for you to look up contact information for everybody from the lead actress to that extra with the weird hair.
Social Media
As a last resort, or a first resort if you’re feeling lazy, contact people directly over social media. Tweet them on Twitter, message their Facebook fan page, or DM them on Instagram. This probably won’t help you with bigger names if they don’t follow you already, but I’ve had a high response rate. Building a relationship with a celebrity on social, by interacting with their posts and mentioning them in your own posts, is a great way to pole vault over those pesky people protecting the person you’re trying to book on your podcast.
If you give social media a shot, keep it simple. Give them your voicemail number and ask a specific question. Hollywood people are busy, but some are willing to make a quick phone call. If they do, there probably won’t be any back-and-forth, which is why you want to provide your question up front. If you use a service like Google Voice for your show’s voicemail, make sure to check your Spam folder. To protect themselves, many celebrities will block their number from Caller ID, which often sends the message to Spam.
If this goes well, you have an open door to approach them for a full interview down the road.
Studio/Network Contacts
“Make sure you contact the press office of the channel or service that will air the show. They sometimes organize interviews with the cast.” – Derek O’Neill, TV Podcast Industries
It doesn’t hurt to reach out to the press offices of the network or studio. Keep the request general. Ask if you can speak to a creator or cast member, but don’t be too picky. The lead actress is probably booked up, but you might land an interview with the guy who plays her dad.
To find studio/network contacts, use the same methods I discussed earlier. Just replace the actor’s name with a studio or network name, and look for “Public Relations” or “Promotions” staff. Some network and studio sites have a company directory with a breakdown of who to contact for a specific show or movie. If there are multiple names listed for your show, consider CC’ing everybody. You never know who actually reads their e-mail.
Reaching Out
“We tried to reach out to the studio for interviews, but they don’t want people doing interviews when the show’s not on. Meanwhile, we’re trying to keep the fans engaged while the show’s on hiatus, so we have different agendas.” Darrell Darnell, Co-Founder – Golden Spiral Media
Once you identify your person’s people, it’s important to keep your message short and informative.
For example, this is a censored version of an e-mail I sent to engage a key creator from one of the shows I used to review, after first making contact with them and their publicist on Twitter.
Dear REDACTED,
Thanks for the Twitter chat earlier today.
My name is Bill Meeks. I’m the person behind the REDACTED Twitter account, and a co-host on the podcast, REDACTED, which reaches around 15,000 REDACTED fans every episode.
We loved Season 1 of REDACTED, and were hoping we could chat with REDACTED for 15-20 minutes about what’s coming up in Season 2. Our listeners would love some teases. If we have time, we’d also like to ask a few questions about Season 1. We want this to be a friendly interview by fans, for fans. We’ll pre-tape, and we’d be happy to edit around any potential spoilers that come up before we share the interview with our listeners.
Can we schedule some time with REDACTED this coming Thursday? If there is a better day, please let us know. We’d like to have the interview in-hand and edited before our recording next Tuesday.
Thanks, REDACTED. Can’t wait to chat with REDACTED!
Bill Meeks
This reads like your basic friendly e-mail, but there’s an intentional structure to it.
- Establish who you are and why they should keep reading — Introduce yourself by name, and let them know of any meaningful interactions you’ve had with them or their client.
- Establish your credibility — Prove that you aren’t a distraction. It might feel braggy, but this is the time to brag. If you want them to take you seriously, you need to let them know who they’ll reach through your podcast. If your show has less than 15,000 downloads, don’t worry! No matter what your numbers are, remember that your audience is filled with passionate fans, exactly the kinds of people your interviewee and their people want to connect with.
- The “ask” — Let them know what you want to talk about, how long you think it will take, and give them an assurance that you’ll allow them to have input on the final interview before you release it. That might go afield of journalistic ethics, but I don’t consider fancasting journalism. Podcasting has gained more acceptance over the years, but companies and creators are more nervous than ever about losing control of their message. If you want to talk about a challenging topic, let them know up front. Don’t ask a “gotcha” question out of nowhere, and if you do, be prepared for it to be your last interview with somebody from that particular production.
- Action item – Close out your request with next steps. If it’s an interview, schedule it. If it’s a Q&A, send them a link to the questions and include your deadline. Let them know what they need to do next. Keep it simple.
- Express enthusiasm — Close by letting them know you’re excited and appreciative for the opportunity to talk to somebody who works on one of your favorite things. As a fancaster, you won’t have to fake your enthusiasm!
This structure works on a phone call too. Feel free to steal it, then jot down some notes to work from before you dial the agency’s number.
Conventions
“We got a press pass for a big convention that had a lot of cast members there. We asked questions about the show and clearly told them where we’re from. That got us a big interview.” – Derek O’Neill, TV Podcast Industries
Conventions can be tricky. Many conventions have free or discounted admission for podcasters who contribute to the convention, either by offering press coverage or as a panelist, but there is a hidden cost. In order to get the big names, conventions write long lists of rules you need to follow. These rules limit how you will approach celebrities, and if you can ask them for an interview on your podcast.
Appearing as a panelist at Dragon Con 2013, along with fellow fancasters Rebecca Johnson and Hope Mullinax.
In my time as a fancaster, and as a convention reporter for the website Bleeding Cool, I’ve seen the full spread. Sometimes, you’re allowed to talk to the actors, but you can’t mention your podcast. Other times, it’s a laid back affair and you can ask people for a quick interview at their table in the Walk of Fame.
Our first live “Greetings From Storybrooke” panel at Regal Con 2015 in Anaheim, CA.
Whatever the rules, if you want access, you need to know and follow them. I’ve bent the rules before, and it nearly got me kicked out of the event. To be fair, the actress I was talking to asked me why I was at the convention, and the podcast was the reason why, but I’d agreed to the rules beforehand and bending them almost cost me my access before the convention even started.
If you aren’t attending the convention in an official capacity, get a little bolder. Attend a panel, identify yourself as a fancaster before asking your question, then swing by the celebrity’s table and thank them for answering your question. If they aren’t busy, strike up a conversation about the show, or another project they’ve worked on that you’ve enjoyed. In anything, you’ll get a lot farther by establishing a real relationship before making your “ask.” I mean, don’t be a stalker or anything, but have an actual conversation with them. If the actor seems uncomfortable, or starts to look around for their agent or a handler, thank them for their time and disengage. If you come on too strong, you could still land in hot water with the convention staff.
Getting a press badge is the best way to go, since you can schedule interviews through the press office. Request press credentials by visiting the convention’s website. You can usually find a form listed under Media & PR Resources or their Contact page. They’ll ask for some basic information, like the name of your podcast and the size of your audience. Be honest. Even big conventions will consider giving a smaller podcast press credentials. If you can point to content you’ve created at smaller conventions, it might offset low numbers, since they know they can count on you to help spread the word about their convention to your particular niche.
If you can’t land that big interview, you can still get some great content while attending a convention. Go to a panel covering your topic, then approach your fellow fans at the back of the room to ask if they’d like to speak to you. If you’re on a panel, record it with your digital recorder, then post it as a special episode. Document your adventure at the convention, describing the relevant sights and sounds for your listeners who couldn’t attend. Shoot a vlog for your Facebook page or YouTube channel. Arrange a meetup with your listeners, then interview them. They’ll love hearing themselves on the podcast, not to mention meeting their favorite podcast hosts!
But you’re going to land that interview, because you followed the rules and took your time building a relationship before making your big “ask.”
Conducting A Successful Interview
“I had the publicist for Brainchild who talked to me, and we had the producer and creator of the show on, and she goes ‘Everyone I bring you just loves talking with you.’ It’s like a dinner party, or that’s how we try to make it feel. They get to know, like, and trust you and feel like they can talk to you. That’s the thing. You’re giving them a platform, but you’re giving it to them on your terms.” – Michael Dolce , Host – Secrets of the Sire
Conducting an interview with somebody you look up to is scary, even when you’re just a casual fan of their work. Then again, you might feel like you know this person intimately, even though they only just heard about you. You want to prepare, execute, and publish a great celebrity interview, but you can’t control how your guest reacts. What you can control is you, and by following the tips below, you’ll set yourself up for a successful interview your listeners (old and new) will gobble up.
Before The Interview
Research
Homework? Again? Yes, indeed. But the hard work is already done.
If you’re a fancaster, you already have an encyclopedic knowledge of the setting, plot, and characters. This gives you an advantage over other interviewers, many of whom have, at most, watched a screener. Depending on their job, you might even know more about the show than the person you’re interviewing.
When it comes to research, focus your attention on the person’s life and career. You’ll be able to think up a million questions about their current gig during the interview, but your guest might not be able to answer those questions without giving something away. I don’t recommend asking questions about gossip surrounding the show or the celebrity. Hit up Wikipedia, or Google past interviews to find out what parts of their personal back story they’re comfortable discussing.
Write open-ended questions that give your interviewee the chance to talk about everybody’s favorite subject: themselves. When we interviewed Victoria Cartagena from Gotham, I found out Vicky was from Philadelphia, so I asked her about her favorite hometown pizza place. What followed was a great anecdote from Vicky about her neighborhood pizza shop’s radio jingle, and why she doesn’t do musicals. Vicky’s passion for pizza made her feel more human and three dimensional, which should be one of your goals when interviewing a celebrity or creative professional.
“I was at San Diego Comicon, and the actors just get asked the same questions over and over again. If you ask something outside the box, they’ll appreciate being able to go off-script and have a real human conversation with you.” Morgan Glennon, Host – Supergirl Radio/Legends of Tomorrow Podcast
Think of late night talk shows like The Tonight Show or The Late Show. Sure, Tom Cruise will talk about the cool stunts he performed in Mission Impossible 17: The Possible Mission, but that’s not the clip you’re going to see all over your Facebook feed the next morning. It’s the anecdote about Tom running into a fan at Starbucks or some other silly thing. Fans love stories that humanize people they admire, as long as the story doesn’t cast the interviewee in a bad light.
The Comedy Central prank show Nathan For You did an episode called “The Anecdote” where the host, Nathan Fielder, crafted the perfect talk show anecdote. I encourage watching the entire episode, or at least the clip of the final anecdote from Jimmy Kimmel Live I’ve included above, to learn more about the elements that make up a great talk show anecdote. Craft your questions to lead your guest to those key elements.
Outside Voices
As discussed in earlier chapters, you can’t go wrong by including a wide range of voices in your podcast. This doesn’t stop with cast and crew interviews. You’re being granted access to people other fans would love to talk to. Act as their proxy by asking them to submit questions, then use them some in your interview.
The first place you should go to for questions is your listeners. If you have enough lead time, put out a call for questions during your podcast. If you have less lead time, solicit questions on your social media pages. This also builds up excitement for the interview among your audience, ensuring that the interview will be among the most listened to and talked about episodes you record.
“You can share your show on social media and online forums, but be careful, because folks are very protective about their communities. The last thing you want to do is jump in as a new member and make a post like ‘Hey, I have a podcast and come listen to me.’ That will get you in deep trouble really fast. If you’re going to get involved in these communities, join them and offer comments that have nothing to do with your podcast at all. Earn some cred, and then find a way to promote your podcast organically.” Kevin Bachelder, Host – Tuning Into SciFi TV
An interview is an opportunity to attract new listeners. Find places online where fans gather to discuss your topic. Most TV shows and movie franchises have a dedicated forum on Reddit, for example. Find and join Facebook Groups that discuss your topic. Post a pic to Instagram promoting the interview, with all the appropriate hashtags. Looking outside of the community you’ve already built helps grow that community. Offering an exclusive, interactive interview is a great way to get new people listening. Introduce yourself, explain your show and your upcoming interview, then ask people what they’d like to know.
Not every question is a keeper. To be honest, most of them won’t be keepers. Some will, and if you use them, make sure you give proper credit during the interview. Nothing will earn you a devoted listener faster than teaching somebody’s favorite actor their name.
I look for trends to narrow down question submissions. If five people want to know about the actress’s mutant zombie makeup, I prepare my own question about mutant zombie makeup, then give those five people credit when I ask it. If the group is smaller, take the time to call each one of them out by name. For five people or more, I’d just mention that a lot of people asked about it. You’ll prove to the newcomers that they’ll have the ear of their favorite artists if they join your community, while encouraging your existing listeners to contribute more.
Technical Issues
WARNING: I know I said I wouldn’t get technical in this book, but this point is so important to a successful interview I must get into the nitty-gritty.
There’s nothing more embarrassing than running into technical issues while you’re recording your podcast, doubly so if you’re streaming it live to Twitch or YouTube. The worst, though, is when you run into issues in front of an esteemed guest. It makes you look unprofessional, unprepared, and unappreciative of the time they have so graciously donated to you and your listeners.
“For our first live streamed event, we had tech troubles for the first hour. Our first guest went to lunch and when she came back, we were still having issues. Finally, we get everything set up, start the stream, then proceed to interview folks for the next 3 hours. When I get home, (I see) the stream didn’t work. Thankfully I recorded everything, but the whole time we’re acting like we’re live. It’s the reason we don’t currently stream.” – Nathan Beatty, Host, Creativity in Progress
Don’t leave anything to chance. If you’re recording over Skype, Zoom, or another online service, do a test recording with a friend to make sure your entire production chain is in order, then don’t touch anything until you record your interview. It’s easy to tweak a volume knob or run a scan that reboots the machine by mistake and mess up all your settings. I never risked it.
When we interviewed Vicky and her co-star Andrew Stewart-Jones for Legends of Gotham, we were lucky enough to arrange a test call with each of them earlier in the day, where we all joined a Google Hangout and talked for a few minutes to make sure everything worked. I’m sure part of the reason they gave us the additional time was because we were live streaming, and they knew we wouldn’t have time to troubleshoot during the show. Even if you aren’t live streaming, it doesn’t hurt to ask. A test call with a friend is good, but a test call with the actual person and equipment you’ll be recording with is better.
I strongly encourage you to make a backup recording, just in case your primary recording fails. There is no worse feeling as a podcaster than hanging up with a guest, only to discover a great episode was lost because your recorder crashed when you went to export.
Assuming you’re making a local recording in Audacity, Audition, or a cloud service like ZenCaster, you have one recording already.
If you’re live streaming to a service like Twitch, that’s another recording, but it isn’t reliable. Live streaming quality is dependent on a million factors outside of your control, and unless your chat room gets your attention, you won’t even know something went wrong.
Some VOIP/video chat services like Skype have call recording built into the program. If you use one as your backup, make sure at least one of your copies is recording to a separate hard drive. During one of our early live streams I recorded audio and video to one hard drive and fried it. Hard drives are faster than ever, but they are only so fast, and recording audio and/or video takes a lot of computing power. If you save both copies to one drive and that drive fails, you’ll lose the interview.
Prepare for the worst possible scenario by picking up a cheap Zoom H1n Recorder ($119 on Amazon) to hook up to your mixing board. This is a battery powered device, so even if you lose power, you won’t lose your recording. The input is a 3.5 mm basic headphone jack. If you use a mixing board or audio interface, you can pick up a male-to-male 3.5 mm cord to run the audio from your board’s headphone jack into the recorder’s input. You might need a 1/4 inch adapter, depending on your board’s headphone jack. Plug your headphones into the other side of the recorder so you can hear. You can also run audio from the speaker ports on your mixer using a 3.5 mm to dual 1/4 inch cable like this, which converts the Left/Right speaker channels into one 3.5 mm jack you plug into the recorder.
Make It Fun
If you’re interviewing a performer, you’d be a fool to let them get away before giving them a chance to perform. A quick game livens up a long interview, while giving your guest a chance to show off their natural charm and sense of fun.
Gotham’s Andrew Stewart-Jones, cracking up about the Condiment King.
It’s easy to build a game around your favorite show or movie. For example, when we interviewed Vicky and Andrew for Legends of Gotham, we asked them to improvise how their characters would respond to the cheesiest Batman villains like Condiment King, The Flower Gang, and The Dodo Man in a game called “How MCU Are You?”. You can see the game doc we created here. We gave them a plausible fan fiction scenario for their character, and then let them go to town. Andrew thought we said “Condom King” instead of “Condiment King,” which sent him into a laughing fit, the highlight of the night.
If you’re stuck coming up with game ideas, listen to Comedy Bang Bang, Night Attack, or It’s All Been Done Podcast for some solid examples of how to play around with your guests.
During The Interview
It’s 4:00 PM, time to call your interviewee on Skype. You’re nervous. It’s natural. After all, you’re one bad question or one misplaced laugh away from offending somebody whose work you talk about every week. But you’ve reached the point of no return. This big interview is about to go from “What if?” to “So, that happened,” and you worry that it won’t go just the way you’ve planned it in your head.
I’ve got some good news for you. It won’t go just the way you planned it in your head. No use worrying about that. All you can do is prepare, then do your best to keep up with the strong personality joining you for a chat.
Fanning Out
I love how passionate you are about your podcast and whatever it is you talk about. The person you’re interviewing loves that too, or else they wouldn’t have agreed to be on your show. At the same time, no matter how passionate they are about their current project, to them, it’s still a job. Oftentimes, you’re asking them about work they did months or years ago.
I get it. You’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this person’s work, and your listeners have detailed questions about timelines. It’s going to get geeky, so you need to give your guest context before asking a geeky question. It’s a friendly reminder to both them and your listeners, who don’t all watch every episode four times like you do.
Consider your guest’s job on the show. If you’re talking to an actor, don’t ask them why a favorite character had to die. That’s a question for a writer or showrunner. Similarly, don’t ask crew members for inside dirt about the actors on the show. Pros don’t gossip in public, because they like to work. Besides, you wouldn’t want anybody to get in trouble for talking to you.
Be Prepared, Remain Flexible
If you did your prep work, you’ll feel confident going into your interview. All you have to do is read from your Show Doc and you’ll be fine.
But it’s hard to keep your cool when the person you talk about talks back to you. You feel yourself getting panicked. You’re breathing too loud. Did your guest notice? Then, your voice cracks. Damn it.
Remember, in those nervous moments, all you need to do is ask a question. You have a pro on the other end of the line. Ask them a good question, then sit back and let them drive. You might even have a list of questions right in front of you. Just read one.
There. Now the conversation is going somewhere again. Your guest tells a charming story about her audition, which dovetails into another story about her first meeting with her co-star/love interest. You’re still nervous, and you miss her teasing a funny story about a prank she pulled on set.
After you ask your guest a question, it’s important that you listen to them and give them your full attention. Many of your guests are trained on how to give a good interview, but their training is dependent on you picking up their cues. Any detail your guest gives you voluntarily is an invitation to ask a follow-up question, unless you agreed not to discuss the topic beforehand. If they don’t want to talk about it, they’ll let you know. If you’re streaming live, just apologize and move on. If you’re pre-recording, I’d suggest editing the false start out of the final podcast, since it will just frustrate listeners. In some cases, it might even make them view your guest in a bad light.
In my favorite interviews, I only ask a few of the questions I have written down. If you stay flexible and listen to your guest, the interview can go wonderful places you never expected. When an interview becomes an organic conversation, your listeners will feel more connected to their favorite thing, your guest, and your podcast. They’ll feel surprised and delighted, and they’ll reward you for it.
Getting Personal
Your listeners are excited for your interview because they want to get to know your guest better, but how personal should you get?
Search for old interviews on Google News or the artist’s personal website. You’ll get a decent idea how personal they’re willing to go in an interview. Don’t assume just because they discussed their troubled childhood with Time Magazine, that they’ll be comfortable discussing it with you. On the other hand, if they post a Twitter thread about their childhood and the charity it inspired them to create, consider yourself safe to ask more questions. If you see some photos of them drunk on a subway posted by TMZ, keep it to yourself. They probably don’t want to talk about it with you, and if they do they’ll bring it up.
Whether your interview is video or audio-only, pay strict attention to your guest to make sure they’re comfortable. If they get quiet, sound angry, or give you gruff replies, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed a line and made them uncomfortable. Steer the conversation back to a safe topic, or you might lose your guest, and access to future guests.
Everybody should walk away from your interview happy. You, your guests, their people, and your listeners. Go all “Barbara Walters” on them and get a big emotional reaction if you want, but you risk alienating everybody I listed above. If you want official support for your podcast, do your damnedest to make sure nobody regrets getting interviewed by you.
After The Interview
If your guest has time, check in with them after you stop recording to make sure they are 100% okay with how the interview went. If they have any concerns, be sure to hear them out and work with them on edits that will make them more comfortable. Make sure you thank them, and let them know how much their involvement means to you and your listeners. Again, you want your guest to walk away happy, because if they aren’t happy, they won’t share your episode, and you’ll lose out on the promotional juice and increased credibility a high-profile guest offers.
After you hang up, reach out to their people and thank them for the opportunity. If they ask, let them listen to your podcast before you release it. Otherwise, thank them and let them know you’d love to work together to arrange another interview in the future. Tell them you’ll follow up when the episode is released.
“(On online forums), wait for your opportunity. If someone asks about such-and-such a character that you’ve done interviews with the people, that’s when it’s time to go ‘Oh, we talked to them last week. Here’s a link.’ Make it real. Don’t make it look like the ‘Hey, me’ syndrome, because that can get you in trouble real fast.” Kevin Bachelder, Host – Tuning Into SciFi TV
We created this promotional image as a YouTube thumbnail for the clip, but also used it on social media whenever Gotham’s MCU showed up in an episode.
Once everybody is happy with the interview and you release it, circle back around to the forums where you asked for questions and let them know the episode is up. Tag your guest on every social platform you can, as well as the official accounts for their project (main account, writers room, etc.). This is a showcase episode, so don’t be afraid to get loud about it. Pull quotes from the interview for social graphics. Clip out key segments and post them to your YouTube channel. Whatever you do to announce a normal episode, do twice as much for this one.
If you spread the word, and conduct a good interview, you will see an increase in downloads and engagement, not only on the current episode, but for your entire back catalog of podcasts. Interviews are the quickest way to grow your listener base, and nothing gives your podcast more credibility than a great interview with a big guest.