Questions for interview: Writing skill

Guidelines
• Mention the basic details of the interviewee in the beginning i. e. The
name, field of the interviewee. Place and date of the interview, time duration of
the session etc.
• Ask approximately 8 questions to interview the person.
• Start the interview with a question related to any recent work or
achievements or the background of the person or with the basic details of
the interviewee or with the question related to the occasion / reason of
conducting the interview
• Cover the journey of the person’s life and work through the questions.
• Ask questions about opinion on issues related to their field or about what
changes he/she would want to see in the concerned field or about the
opinion on various policies related to the field
• Second last question can be related to the person’s future plans
• Conclusion questions can be related to the message or advice for the
people.
• Use the given points for reference if mentioned in the question. Write
questions only related to the points given in the question.
• Don’t ask questions with brief answers, especially verbal questions.
• Don’t ask questions related to private life.
• Don’t ask questions with obvious answers or commonly known facts.
• Study the interviews available in various media and understand the
technique of asking meaningful and sensible questions.
• Question format:
An answer for reference:
EXAMPLES (Interview Questions)
1. Your project - - - was received with great response. How would you
describe your performance in the latest work...?
2. Your latest project - - - has been a great success. How was the
experience of working on the project?
3. You have been part of the music industry/ film industry /business
/writing/publication/for a while now. What are the major transitions,
you have seen so far?
4. When did you realize that music /dance/social work/science /acting
was your passion/ calling? How was the journey after you decided
to follow your passion?
5. You have performed live music many times. What do you prefer
more, recording in the studio or live performances?
6. When it comes to being a part of a project and creating originals,
what are the key elements you keep in mind?
7. Our life is always an inspiration for our work/art. How have your
personal experiences helped /shaped you as an artist?
8. We need some inspiration for any creative creation. For your music/
writing, where do you draw your inspiration from?
9. With time and experiences we all grow emotionally and spiritually.
How do you think you have evolved as an artiste / writer /player over
the years?
10. Internet and digital platforms have changed the world like never
before. How do you think digitalization has changed the game and
rules of the music industry/sports /publication business globally?
11. Social media can make or break the new age celebrities. What do
you think about the fact that somewhere the budding artists have
become too conscious of the social media?
12. Collaborations among popular articles is common these days. What
do you think of collaborations? How does it help to discover
something new?
13. If given a chance, will we see you collaborate with some Indian
artists /some international artists? How’s in your mind when it comes
to working together?
14. I’m sure you have great work lined up in the coming days. What are
your future projects?
15. You have chosen your profession as per your calling. What does
truly excite you about your profession of cricket / music / writing...?
16. Please tell us about your music/ writing/ sports journey. How it all
started? When did you realize that this is your calling?
17. Recently you have joined/ taken break from the social media. So,
what’s the reason behind it? How is it going on?
18. You are quite active and popular on the social media. How do you
handle it?
19. In today’s world of PR and branding, how do you handle the pressure
of balancing everything?
20. Now everything goes viral in no time and paparazzi culture is at its
peak, how do you manage to stand out as well as safe guard your
private life?
21. Your husband/ wife / partner has been very openly supportive of you
on every platform. What do you want to say about it?
22. You were not seen much on the work front, in the past few months.
What’s the reason behind it?
23. You achieved great success in your latest endeavor. What all has
changed after that? How has that affected your process of selecting
the projects?
24. How was the process of this current project you are working on?
25. How is your current project different from your earlier work?
26. What’s the situation about the required infrastructure for musicals/
this sport /art form in India?
27. You are listed in the top 50 important personalities at international
level. What is your comment and your opinion on this?
28. In today’s digital world when we have so much exposure, how do
you keep being innovative all the time?
29. What efforts do you take to maintain the tremendous success you
have achieved?
30. What are the challenges you face to in today’s time? How have
things changed in your field, in the last few years?
31. As an artist, you must have experienced a lot of support and love
from people all around. What are the most memorable moment of
your professional journey so far?
32. In every field, there are a lot of things we need to learn and have in
us. What are the qualities required to be successful in your field?
33. You have worked in different areas / goners of your field. Working
in which one do you enjoy the most and why?
34. People believe that classical dance/ music / painting is just a hobby
or extra-curricular activity. What is your opinion on this topic if it’s
lucrative enough to be taken up as profession?
35. Although originated in India, this art form is not preferred much in
India. How do you want to bring about a change?
36. What changes you have witnessed in your field through all the years?
37. How was the transition from film making to writing books/ singing
to music composition / player to trainer?
38. You faced low phase in your career during the last few years and
now you have come out of it victorious. How was it? How did you
deal with the lows?
39. What is your opinion on the way OTT platform is rising these days?
40. What are the reasons of the sudden rise in the - - - - trend in your
field?
41. What’s the future of this trend according to you?
42. Working in which medium do you enjoy the most?
43. How has the new digital platform helped the upcoming artists to get
work?
44. What’s your opinion on the new platform creating good content for
the niche audience?
45. How has the theatre/ music industry, reading scenario evolved in
India in the last few years?
46. Coming to your journey as a writer, how were you as if an avid
reader in your growing years? How has that created an impact on
your writing?
47. How was the research process of writing /directing/designing
costumes for this period drama/ historical /religious fiction/ movie?
48. How is the reading / music /movie scene in India today?
49. What possibilities of adaptation of your book are in your mind?
50. What’s your family’s / a certain family member’s reaction on this
work?
51. How would you sum up the last year professionally?
52. Being in good form is a requirement for a player. How do you rate
your recent form as a player?
53. As per your recent achievements, in which areas you have seen
improvement recently?
54. How are you preparing for the next tournament / competition?
55. You performed very well in the last year/ tournament / movie
/competition. How are you planning to replicate that in the coming
days?
56. Currently you are training under a new coach. How is the
experience? What extra benefits are you getting due to the change in
the techniques?
57. In this year you will team up with - - -. What are you looking forward
to?
58. You are working in different genres in your films in the upcoming
year. How was it, consciously keeping this kind of variety?
59. What was the experience of working on multiple projects
simultaneously on such a variety of projects?
60. How difficult was it to work on a horror comedy / historical /
psychological thriller?
61. At such a young age you have taken up the responsibility of this kind
of difficult work. How was it, right from the decision making to
completing the work successfully?
62. You have made a debut into the digital medium. What was the
process and experience of new platform?
63. At this stage of your career, you have taken a big risk by entering
into such uncommon area of.... How did you come to this decision?
64. What are you currently working on?
65. What are your upcoming projects for the next / this year?
66. It must be taxing to balance between the work of your multiple
projects which you have taken up this year. How was your
experience?
67. What do you think about the fact that the regional language writers
don’t get their due credit in India, Specifically with reference to the
response for English literature?
68. You have been successful in almost all the projects you have been
doing so far. How do you handle the pressure which comes with
success?
69. Your next project is completely different from the work you have
done in the past. How was the experience?
70. Considering the current scenario, it is considered to be the most
exciting time to be an actor/ a musician / a singer...how is your
experience?
71. What is your best take away from the experience of the latest project
you have finished?
72. You have been quite versatile in your choice of work. What type of
work you want to do now at this stage of your career?
73. After success, your personal life is always in the public eye and
scrutiny. How do you handle this pressure?
74. Your work in the latest project is appreciated a lot. How was the
experience? What’s been the best complement so far?
75. The expectations were high from your latest project and it was a
great success / but couldn’t match the expectations. What is your
comment?
76. You worked with your husband /son/ daughter / father...in your
recent project. How was the experience?
77. What are your criteria for selecting your projects?
78. How has the digital platform changed the rules of the music
industry?
79. Remixes are becoming more and more common these days. What’s
your take on this?
80. What is your opinion on the fact that Hindi film industry has
overshadowed the regional movie industry/ independent music /
theatre / traditional art?
81. It’s been some time now after you have retired after a long successful
career. How are you spending this free time you are getting now?
82. You have achieved great success after a long struggle. How has
success changed your life?
83. You’re quite out there on social media and are very open about your
life. What are your thoughts on it?
84. Being out there has its pros and cons. How do you handle negative
criticism or nasty things posted on social media as well as press?
85. Your next project is completely different from what you have done
so far. What can you tell us about it?
86. Why is it that you prefer working only with the people you know and
are comfortable with?
87. You have worked with.... for the first time. How was the experience?
86. Your image is that of a good looking, fashionable and stylish person.
What’s your take on this?
87. After the experience of so many years, what’s your opinion on
decoding success.
88. What are the areas /genres which you desire to work in future?
89. There are ups and downs in everyone’s life. How do you deal with
them?
90. There’s a pattern of similar themes in your work. What do you want
to comment on this?
91. Your work has an innate charm of an innocent, raw and real world
but there must be efforts behind it. How do you create that?
92. How will you describe the highlights of your...year long journey?
93. As they say, ‘out of sight is out of mind’, how important is it in your
field to be visible in the public eye?
94. Earlier talent hunt shows played a major role in the success of many
unbeknown artists. What’s the situation now?
95. You have worked with many well known artists. Who is the artist
you want to work with in future? Why?
96. The next year seems to be very happening with the kind of line up
you have. What can you tell us about it?
97. Success means differently to different people. What’s the bench
mark of success for you?
98. You have a great line up of interesting work ahead of you. What are
your expectations from the upcoming years?
99. You are primarily known for your independent artistic work and now
you are working in the commercial projects as well. How much does
the commercial success matter to you?
100. You have recently been awarded the best…. How much these awards
affect one’s career and how much they matter to you?
101. Your last project failed to create magic. How do you analyze the
result?
102. What’s usually going on in your mind before any release of your
work?
103. With a variety of different types of work lined up, you seem to have
created a balance. What do you want to comment on that?
104. You have a rich background with your family being part of the same
profession. How was it growing up and finally joining the same
field?
105. You seem to have an interesting connection with the...city/country.
How will you describe it?
106. You have worked with….for many years now. How has time
changed your equation with...?
107. You are born in a different country/ you spend a lot of time outside
India. How do you stay connected with India and your work here?
108. You work in both the languages, your mother tongue and English.
Which do you enjoy more or which do you find smooth or easy?
109. How will you describe your incredible cinematic / literary/ artistic
journey with us.
110. How was it working on a light project after so many emotionally and
physically draining projects? You were recently part of an
international project / work. How was it representing India at a
global platform?
111. What can you about your character in the next play/ movie /TV
show?
112. Many people leave theatre after getting name and fame in the film
industry. What could be the reason?
113. What do you want to comment on the fact that people discuss your
looks /personal life more than your work?
114. There is a constant scrutiny on your life/ looks. What do you want to
say on it?
115. From your first success to now, how have you changed? You are
working with some of the best people in your field. How was it?
116. Your last project achieved great success. After the success how has
people’s approach changed about you?
117. What do you think about the fact that one gets typecast in an image
after achieving great success in a particular type of work?
118. Women tend to face more challenging situations while working.
What challenges you have faced in your career while balancing your
life and career.
119. How will you describe your journey from the simple girl/ boy from
a small town....to a successful dancer/ singer/writer/ actor...?
Compiled by Ms. Meenal Deshmukh, N. M. College, Mumbai