Guide · August 3, 2026

Interviewing a customer so the story is usable

An interview structure for customer stories that produces specific, usable footage, including the questions to ask, what to avoid, and how to handle approval before the shoot.

By Atlas Fieldwork· Updated September 17, 2026
Two colleagues reviewing printed performance charts at a table
Two colleagues reviewing printed performance charts at a table

Praise is unusable. What a viewer needs is a recognisable situation and a decision they are currently facing themselves.

## Ask about before, not about us

Spend the first third on the situation before: what was breaking, what it cost, what they tried. Specific difficulty is what makes the outcome credible, and it is the part interviewees are most willing to talk about honestly.

## Get approval sorted before the camera arrives

Agree in advance who approves the final cut, what may be named, and which figures can be published. Do it before the shoot, not after the edit, or you will lose your best material to a legal review that had no reason to happen.

Where this applies

  • Video Production
  • Content Marketing

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