A specialized skill for the interviewer agent covering documentary interview design. Provides interviewee selection, question sequence design, emotional elicitation techniques, and ethical interview principles. Use for 'interview questions,' 'interview subjects,' 'testimony collection,' 'interview design,' and similar topics.
Specialized knowledge used by the interviewer agent when selecting interview subjects and designing questions.
In documentaries, interviews are the core device that breathes life into facts through human voices. Statistics are understood with the mind, but one word from a firsthand witness strikes the heart.
| Role | Why Needed | How to Find | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victim/Protagonist | Direct party to the subject, emotional core | Communities, support organizations | 1-3 |
| Observer | Objective perspective, eyewitness | Neighbors, colleagues, bystanders |
| 1-2 |
| Institution | Official position, policy context | Government, corporations, NGOs | 1-2 |
| Critic | Opposing/alternative perspective | Academia, opposing side | 1 |
| Expert | Intellectual depth, contextual interpretation | Universities, research institutes, authors | 1-2 |
[Broad question] "What led you to work in this field?"
|
[Exploratory question] "What moment stands out most in your memory?"
|
[Core question] "What do you think is the real cause of this problem?"
|
[Challenge question] "What do you think about the opposing view?"
|
[Reflective question] "How do you think things will be different in 10 years?"
| Type | Purpose | Pattern | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open-ended | Elicit stories | "Tell me about..." | Opening, transitions |
| Specificity | Extract details | "What exactly did they say then?" | Exploration stage |
| Emotional Access | Elicit emotional expression | "How did you feel at that moment?" | Emotional scenes |
| Contrast | Identify changes/differences | "What changed the most before and after?" | Analysis stage |
| Hypothetical | Elicit insight | "What if...?" | Reflection stage |
| Silence | Elicit additional remarks | [Maintain 5-second silence] | Right after a response |
| Attribute | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Knowledge, context, interpretation |
| Tone | Intellectual respect + core questions |
| Preparation | Must study their books/papers beforehand |
| Caution | Technical jargon -> "Could you put that in simpler terms?" |
| Duration | 30-45 minutes |
| Attribute | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Experience, emotions, personal narrative |
| Tone | Empathetic, create a safe space |
| Preparation | Prior consent for sensitive topics, inform of right to stop |
| Caution | Prevent re-traumatization — judge when not to probe too deeply |
| Duration | 45-60 minutes (with plenty of time) |
| Attribute | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Official position, policy, response |
| Tone | Polite but with sharp follow-up questions |
| Preparation | Review official statements/press releases |
| Caution | They will try to give prepared answers only — "Could you be more specific?" |
| Duration | 20-30 minutes (often time-limited) |
## Interview Guide: [Subject Name/Type]
### Interview Information
- Subject: [Name, Title]
- Role: [VOICE matrix classification]
- Related Scene: [Scene number from treatment]
- Estimated Time: XX minutes
- Interview Format: In-person / Video / Phone
### Background Research
- [Summary of information gathered about the subject]
- [Connection to documentary topic]
### Question Sequence
#### Warm-Up (5 min)
1. [Comfortable introductory question]
2. [Background question]
#### Core (15-20 min)
3. [Core question 1 — Experience/Facts]
4. [Core question 2 — Cause/Analysis]
5. [Core question 3 — Emotion/Reaction]
-> Follow-up: [Additional questions based on anticipated response]
#### Challenge (5-10 min)
6. [Present opposing view and observe reaction]
7. [The most difficult question]
#### Closing (5 min)
8. [Reflection/Future question]
9. "Is there anything you'd really like to say that I haven't asked about?"
### Required Quote Targets
- Essential statement to obtain from this interview: [Core topic]
- Comment to use in treatment [Scene X]
### Ethics Check
- [ ] Filming/recording consent form prepared
- [ ] Sensitive topics communicated in advance
- [ ] Right to stop the interview communicated