Joan Rivers interviews Alyssa Milano

Before starting The Codpast, I’d been working as a corporate video producer. I was always behind the scenes and had no ambition to be in front of the camera or mic. To this day, trying to become a celebrity is not a driving factor for what I do. What drives me is that moment when I press play and the results of weeks of hard work come to fruition. When I hear the elements of a great story start to unravel itself in front of my ears, it’s electrifying.

At the time of recording I never quite know if it was a good interview or not. I do loads of prep so am generally ready for any eventuality, but when you are under pressure, need to remember your questions, keep your adlibs smooth and flowing, make sure audio levels are correct, check your still recording… remembering how well the show went is the last thing on your mind.

One of the things I find hardest is trying to get the balance right. The Codpast is a show about Dyslexics for Dysexics. But I also want it to appeal to non-dyslexics (Lexics). The two reasons I do this show are:

  1. To inspire Dyslexics by showing them people just like themselves that have achieved the seemingly impossible.
  2. To raise the profile of Dyslexia amongst Lexic’s. I want to do this by creating captivating shows that draw attention to the issues surrounding Dyslexia, without ramming Dyslexia down people’s throats.

One of the hardest parts about this is creating balance. When I produce video this is easy, I will interview someone for about 15 minutes and then cut their response down to 3 minutes. Interviewing someone for a 40 minute podcast is a totally different kettle of fish. All of the answers are used and so are my questions. I have to pace the interview well or the show is over too quickly. If I pace it too slowly there’s a danger the interview will become boring or need lots of time consuming editing. Until I started presenting this show I never really appreciated what a skill and craft interviewing is. Now, I love to watch when people do it well.

I recently came across this video where the late Joan Rivers interviews one of my favorite dyslexics, Alyssa Milano. This is the perfect Dyslexic conscious interview, humorous, informative and not too in your face.

Watch and learn!

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The Codpast is a multimedia production from www.extraordinaire.tv