Conversations Before Questions

A documentary interview is not an interrogation. It is not about asking a list of prepared questions and hoping for good answers. To me, it is simply a conversation, one that has been carefully nurtured long before the camera starts recording.

I strongly believe that every meaningful documentary interview deserves at least two meetings.

1. The first is an ice-breaker session.

2. The second is the planned interview.

Many people are surprised that I carry my camera even during the first meeting. I do this intentionally. I want the interviewee to become familiar with the equipment, the presence of a lens, and the rhythm of my crew. By the time we sit down for the actual interview, the camera has already become another person in the room rather than an intimidating machine.

Research is Respect

Before meeting anyone, I spend hours understanding them. Not just their designation, but their journey. I read about their background, their alma mater, the organisations they have worked with, the papers they have written, the speeches they have delivered, the causes they believe in, and sometimes even the books, music or hobbies they enjoy.

Research is not about impressing the interviewee. It is about respecting their story.

When someone realises that you genuinely understand their journey, trust begins to develop naturally.

Over time, while working extensively on documentaries in academia, I have closely collaborated with my Associate Producer, Yashaswini Mohanty, to prepare detailed interview ground plans. Together, we discuss every interviewee, identify possible narrative arcs, and map how each conversation contributes to the larger story of the film.

Planning Without Restricting

I always prepare a flow plan instead of a rigid questionnaire.

Every question falls into one of three categories:

• Important – Questions that must be answered to build the narrative.

• Maybe – Questions that depend on the direction of the conversation.

• Maybe Not – Questions that I am prepared to skip if the story naturally unfolds elsewhere.

The best interviews rarely follow the order of the question sheet.

Sometimes an interviewee answers three future questions within a single heartfelt response. In those moments, I let the conversation breathe rather than pulling it back to my checklist.

A documentary should never feel scripted.

The First Five Minutes Matter More Than the Next Fifty

When someone sits in front of the camera, I don't begin with the difficult questions.

Instead, I ask simple human questions.

"How has life been treating you lately?"

"How are you feeling today?"

We often laugh about our first meeting.

We continue talking while my crew quietly sets up the frame, adjusts the camera angles, checks lighting, monitors the audio levels, and ensures there is no clipping in the microphones.

By the time everything is technically ready, the conversation has already begun.

The interviewee is not waiting for an interview.

They are already inside one.

I also encourage them to look at me rather than into the camera. Eye contact builds honesty. Cameras merely record it.

Breaking Barriers Gently

Every person arrives with invisible walls.The role of the filmmaker is not to break them forcefully. It is to make them unnecessary.

I observe small details.

The texture of someone's clothing. Their posture. Their pauses. Their breathing. Their choice of words.

These subtle cues often reveal their psychological space far more than their titles ever could.

The conversation begins with familiar memories and everyday experiences before gradually moving into deeper territory—decisions, failures, fears, ambitions, and defining moments.

When trust has been built patiently, difficult questions no longer feel difficult.

They feel natural.

Finding the Narrative

Whether I am making a documentary for a university, a research institution, or a global streaming platform, the principle remains the same.

The interview is never about collecting information.

It is about understanding the person.

Their vision. Their history. Their motivations. Their values. Their way of thinking.

Only when you understand these layers does the narrative begin to reveal itself.

Facts build documentaries. People build stories.

Keep the Crew Invisible

Another lesson I have learned is to keep the crew small and calm. Large productions often intimidate interviewees. A quieter set creates a safer emotional space.

Everyone on the crew understands their role beforehand. Technical adjustments happen with minimal interruption, allowing the conversation to maintain its rhythm.

The audience should never feel the presence of the production. They should only feel the authenticity of the person speaking.

Like a Cup of Tea

The interviews I remember most never felt like interviews. They felt like sharing a warm cup of tea. Like listening to a favourite piece of music. Like watching a river find its own course.

When people forget they are being interviewed, they stop performing.

That is when documentaries become truthful.

And truth, more than perfect framing or expensive equipment, is what audiences remember.

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About the Author

Amartya Rishi (he/him) is a documentary filmmaker, director, and visual storyteller with experience creating films across academia, culture, government, and institutions. Their work focuses on uncovering authentic human stories through thoughtful conversations and immersive cinematic narratives.

For collaborations, workshops, documentary consultations, or interview planning, reach out at amartyarishi@gmail.com