Oral History Interview & Importance Part 10

Interview Room

Hamid Qazvini
Translated by Natalie Haghverdian

2017-6-19

Interview, as a vital cultural activity with its science, art and historical aspects requires a proper location.

News reports and media interviews might be conducted in various locations; one of the key aspects of such interviews is that they have to be conducted in the location where an incident has occurred or an event is going on or within its closest proximity. Hence, the environmental context in such interviews differs from oral history interview context.

Proper oral history interview location should benefit the following characteristics:

Security & Peace:

One of the necessities in oral history is preservation and reinforcement of psychological and emotional peace and tranquility in the interviewer. Let’s not forget that it is no interrogation and drain of confidential or criminal information of the narrator. Hence, the interview room shall be a peaceful and inspiring environment to secure the narrator against any anxiety and concern. For instance, the room area and the equipment within and interview chairs shall be positioned in a pleasant manner to promote a desirable sense in the narrator. It should be easily accessible and the narrator shall not be exposed to challenges in getting there. In case of conducting the interview in the premises of the narrator such issues are no concern.

Silence:

The interview shall be conducted in a calm environment free from any disturbing noises. Noises (created inside or coming from the outside) not only challenge audio-visual recording but also distract the interviewer and result in lack of focus and concentration.

Lighting:

Lighting is of crucial importance in visual recordings. Dismal environment not only hampers the recording process but results in fatigue and boredom in both parties.

Decorations:

The interview team is tasked to attend to the interview room decoration especially if the interview is to be used in the future then the room presentation and location of the narrator shall be properly designed. In other words mise-en-scène is to be attended to have a better visual context.

Quartering:

The interview shall be conducted in a room with minimum unnecessary and disrupting attendance. For instance, if the interview is conducted in the workplace, the narrator should be requested to select a room with minimum referral or ask colleagues to prevent others from entering the room. The most important point is that presence of other individuals in some cases interrupts the processes or result in interventions in the interview which is undesirable. On the other hand, interview interruption not only hampers the process but damages the mental and verbal integrity of the narrator and the outcome which is a historical document will suffer serious issues and its exploitation will be problematic. 

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 1 - Oral History, Path to Cultural Dialogue

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 2 - Characteristics of an Interviewer

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 3 - Selecting a Subject

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 4 - Narrator Identification & Selection

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 5 - Goal Setting

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 6 - Importance of Pre-interview Data Collection

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 7 - To Schedule & Coordinate an Interview

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 8 - Required Equipment & Accessories

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 9 - Presentation is vital