What’s the Best Background for a Video Interview?

Video interviews are becoming more commonplace than ever before both in marketing, business operations, and in the world of searching for a job. When it comes to preparing a video interview set for something like a customer testimonial video, a client interview video, a case study interview or a similar video interview, you might be wondering, “What’s the best background for a video interview?”

Finding the best background for a video interview isn’t really supposed to be a difficult process, but if you’re entirely new to the production of professional quality interview videos, you might find yourself questioning the various options that you have available. At Beverly Boy Productions, we help frequently work with clients & customers that have been asked to film video interviews for things like customer testimonials or reviews and/or for client interviews and case studies. These are the tips we give our customers and clients, and they’re the same thoughts we use in our own planning when we’re preparing for a video interview.

Decide Where to Film the Interview First 

Before you worry about what’s in the background for a video interview, it’s important to decide where you’re going to shoot the interview in the first place. If you’re a customer or client that has been asked to provide interview footage that can be edited for use by a brand as a testimonial or case study interview, the client may have provided some instructions for you to help the process go a little more smoothly, but in case they didn’t, here’s what you need to know:

• Be sure to choose a shoot location that is quiet and free from distraction.
• You don’t need a ton of space, especially if you’re filming a one-way interview video that consists of only the interview subject and a camera on a tripod or similar setup.
• Make sure you have plenty of lighting for your video space. Natural lighting is excellent!

What Should Be in the Background of a Video Interview?

With a plan in place on where you will shoot your video interview, it’s important to understand exactly what should, and should not be in the background for a video interview. We’ll go over what should, or could, be in the background of a video interview, first, and then we’ll address what should NOT be in the background for a video interview. 

Whether you’ll be shooting in your home office, your living room, your corporate office, outside, or somewhere entirely different, here are some considerations for what should be in the background of a video interview:

• A logo if you’re filming in your own office or you’re part of a brand is okay, but keep it simple and subtle. You don’t want to appear overly salesy.
• A neat, organized wall that includes a couple of pictures or pieces of art that provide a look into your own personal brand. Just remember, if you’re interviewing for a job, you might want to keep your “personal branding” objects to a minimum – you don’t want to distract the interviewer with your taste in art just in case they don’t share the same likes as you!
• A simple wall with a window off to the side is okay, but ONLY if there will not be any passerby outside the window. You don’t want cars, people, or any other distractions moving on the other side of your window.
• A bookcase or shelf that is not too busy or cluttered is a good background for a video interview, but keep your knickknacks to a minimum and be careful not to have too much on the shelf.44

The idea is to keep personal quirks minimized but to allow enough of your background to provide more than just a blank, boring white canvas such as would be seen if your background were a plain white wall. The best background for a video interview is one that doesn’t actually draw the attention of your audience at all but allows them to focus on the interview subject. 

What Should NOT Be in the Background of a Video Interview?

Now that you have a good idea of what kind of things you can put in the background for a video interview, you’re probably wondering if what you’ve currently got planned for your background is “safe” or “acceptable.” To further narrow things down a bit for you, let’s talk about what should not be in the background of a video interview:

• Avoid any background that is busy. You do not want moving people or items in your background nor do you want a space that is over cluttered. It will distract your audience.
• Do not use virtual backgrounds that look fake or otherwise distracting. You’re better off having a real background for a video interview than a fake background.
• Avoid a background that is completely plain. As much as you don’t want to distract your audience with a busy background, an entirely plain background is equally as unappealing.
• Avoid having a window immediately behind you as the lighting could drown you out making it difficult for your audience to see and if there is movement outside the window your audience will be distracted. A window is okay if there will be no movement outside and it is offset so that it is not immediately behind you.

For best results in determining what the best background for a video interview is, contact a professional! At Beverly Boy Productions we’ll help you create the ideal background for a video interview with your customers, clients, or any subject and we’ll use our decades of experience to shoot and edit the footage for maximum success. Give us a call!