Media interviews training for actors – five things they should know
Promoting a new movie or play is an essential part of the work of any actor. Some enjoy talking about their work and their careers, others would rather not. In our media training for actors, we help them to not only feel more comfortable when they talk to journalists but also to gain more control over media interviews. Very often this lack of confidence comes about from a fear of the unknown. What will the journalist ask? What will they want to hear? What should I say? More importantly perhaps, what should I not say?
In our media coaching for actors, we often start by looking at what makes a media story and what journalists want to hear from actors. We might look at some successful media interviews given by those in the business to pick out lessons.
Media interview training
Whether you’re an actor doing a media interview or set, a press junket or a one-to-one interview to promote your new movie or play, here are five things that any actor should bear in mind when doing a media interview.
1. Think about the story that you want the journalist to take away and use
Your publicist will help here but it’s still important that you focus on that one headline or one takeaway you’d like to see as a result of your interview. Our media interview training for actors will often start by looking at what makes a story for the media and what journalists want to hear from an interviewee.
Identifying something that ticks this box is essential. Again, your PR or publicist will work with you on this. We’ve recently been doing media training for actors ahead of the release of a major movie and a few of them have remarked that in previous interviews that they’ve done, the journalist has quoted things that they don’t want to see in print.
“But did you say that?” our media trainers have asked.
“Yes, the actor,” has admitted. Well, that explains it. “But I said other things too.”
“Perhaps you did,” our media trainer has explained. “But this is what the journalist decided was more interesting.”
The lesson? Only say something to a journalist if you’re happy for them to use it in their report. If you don’t want to see it reported, then don’t say it.
2. Include some stories
Plays, books, films and TV programmes are, of course, all about stories. Actors, directors and those who work in the entertainment industry are all storytellers. Journalist also love stories. That’s why we call whatever we’re reporting on “a story.”
One of our top tips for actors doing media interviews is to include some stories and anecdotes. It could be a story about working with your fellow actors. It could be about where and when you heard that you’d got the part. In this case, the journalist will want to know how you felt. “Did you feel?” is a typical journalist’s question because it’s got that wonderful, emotional human element. Talking about your reaction when you got the call, email or WhatsApp will give you something that works for you and for the journalist, turning the interview into a win-win. You might want to talk about doing research for the part or speaking to the writer.
Identifying a story is one thing but being able to tell it in a way that’s clear, concise and really engaging is another. People sometimes ask what kind of detail a journalist is looking for. Again, it’s about great storytelling – anything that helps to paint a picture and draw the audience in will be the kind of thing that the journalist wants to hear.
3. Think about the audience.
Just as your film, play or TV series will have a specific audience in mind. So will the journalist who interviews you – and, as we stress in our media training for actors – so should you. If you’re doing an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, you’ll need to take a very different approach compared to doing BBC1’s The One Show. Similarly, if you’re doing an interview with the Guardian, the questions, your answers and the whole tone and feel of the piece will be very different to an interview with the Mail on Sunday.
In our media coaching for actors, we help them to focus on the audience and to choose not just the messages but the stories and the words and phrases that will work well for the readers, listeners and viewers.
4. Be proactive
In one of our media training courses for actors recently a well known name sent to us after the first role play interview that we carried out, “I thought the journalist was the expert and they would lead the interview. But actually, I’ve realised that I can take charge. I know what I want to say about this project and about why I acceptive the part and why I’m so passionate about it.”
It was great to see how, in the next set of role-play interviews we did with them this actor really took the initiative and said what they wanted to say rather than simply waiting for the questions to come in. Actors in our media training courses are sometimes surprised to learn that journalists usually like the interviewee to get on the front foot and tell them things. Provided those things are relevant to the audience, that is. Interviewers would rather hear these stories, experiences and insights than have to wheedle them out of the person they’re talking to. So set up your stall at the start of your interview.
5. Think about what you don’t want to say
This, of course, is the corollary to point one. It’s important to decide what you want to put across to the journalist but it’s equally important to be clear in your own mind about what you don’t want to get drawn into. We’ve provided media training courses for actors who have been in productions that have had some controversy associated with them. This might be the subject matter of the story, questions about the writer or rumours in the gossip mags about the actors and the director falling out with each other.
We work closely with publicists and PRs to identify issues that could be tricky and then we recommend ways to navigate them effectively. This is particularly relevant when actors have commercial tie-ups. With our media training for brand ambassadors, once we’ve identified how they can handle difficult questions we put them through role play interviews. Actors know how important rehearsal is – and they always feel better for having rehearsed these answers.
Media training courses for actors
Very importantly we then help actors and brand ambassador to move away from these controversial, unhelpful subjects and back onto their key messages. We love working with actors. We love providing media training for actors because there’s such lively, creative and passionate people. Come and talk to us about our media coaching for actors. Whatever your experience and your concerns, whatever you’re going to be interviewed about – we can create a media coaching schedule tailored to your exact needs. We’re ready to help you, just get in touch. You can follow us on LinkedIn here.
