Filming in Cape Town today, I was reminded that great interviews aren’t just about the person on camera — they’re about everything around them. When the “office location” isn’t shoot-ready, you roll up your sleeves, move furniture, shape the light, and build a frame that supports the story. Here’s how we transformed a real working space into a clean, intentional interview setup — and why it always takes more time than clients expect.

In video production, when times are lean, they are extremely lean. The stress of an empty bank account is sapping and demoralizing. It's tough taking on projects just to make ends meet, and even worse accepting jobs for reduced fees, and without realizing. normalizing those lower rates. It can be a vicious circle, but it doesn't have to be.

The pre-interview is a meeting with your interviewee before the day of filming, it can be done online or in person. The real point of it is to glean insights from your interviewee and, most importantly, develop a trusting rapport.