Television Live Studio Interview
The stakes are high when you undertake a live television interview. This is a moment when you can’t afford to fail so it’s not surprising that most interviewees feel the pressure. It’s perfectly normal to be afraid you might blank when asked an unexpected question or lose focus in the middle of an answer. On top of that, television studios can be intimidating places. It’s not just the cameras and the lights which can be unnerving, it’s sometimes the professionals around you who are so distracted by the demands of the programme that they seem to be ignoring you.
Whether you are doing a quick ‘live’ for Sky or due to face Evan Davis on Newsnight, we believe it is important that you are already familiar with the studio environment. That’s why our media training courses are conducted in a working studio opposite the Houses of Parliament which we share with professional broadcasters. You will be trained in the most realistic setting possible.
We will help you take control from the start and make sure you know how to cope with the time constraints of an interview which might only last 3 minutes. We’ll help you cope with aggressive questions and teach you how to deal with interruptions.
We’ll make sure you understand the etiquette of the engagement – whether you are being interviewed in a one-to-one or as part of a studio discussion. After you’ve left us, you won’t be worrying about how to sit, where to look or what to do with your hands.
Most important of all though, we’ll work with you to develop your narrative. We’ll take the time to help you define the precise set of messages you want land in this format and we’ll rehearse them with you until we are confident you can deliver them in the toughest engagement.
I had a baptism of fire on Wednesday evening, being interviewed for Newsnight. I was very glad to have had the session with you and Max just a few days earlier and this helped me to approach the interview with a good deal more comfort.
Senior civil servant