Executive Interviews
Thank you for interviewing!
Executive interviews are pre-recorded interviews between a company executive and a Trellis moderator that will be released on the Trellis website about two weeks after the event. Each interview will be conducted virtually in the 3-4 weeks before the event. These recording sessions will be held for 30 minutes — 3-4 minutes of filming, plus time beforehand to conduct mic checks and agree upon the talking points in advance of filming, as well as allow for a potential outtake or two. Executive interviews are NOT played during the event. Watch past interviews here.
IMPORTANT
🔄 Please note that Trellis Studio Interviews are different from Executive Interviews. The main difference is that Trellis Studio Interviews are only uploaded to our YouTube channel, whereas Executive Interviews are uploaded to both our YouTube channel and Trellis.net. Executive interviews also involve collaboration with our Trellis Studio Content team to develop the talking points. Please refer to the interview kick-off email sent by your customer success manager for more details on your specific interview.
Logistics
How to schedule
Your customer success manager will begin outreach to schedule your Executive Interview in early-July. In the meantime, please start thinking about which executive will be participating in this interview and complete the interview prep tasks listed below. If you have any questions, please contact your customer success manager (sydney@trellis.net).
Interview prep-tasks
Please make sure your executive completes the following tasks in advance of the interview to ensure quality production:
⁉️ Questions: For Executive Interviews, the Trellis Studio Content team will work with your team to craft talking points based on your submitted topic idea. Please share your topic idea with your customer success manager and they will set-up a call between your team and the Trellis Studio Content team to develop the talking points in real time. This call is separate from the interview recording call.
💻 Software: We will be using Riverside.fm to record the interview. Riverside.fm works best with Google Chrome on a laptop or desktop so please make sure you have access to a laptop or desktop and have downloaded the most updated version of Google Chrome. You should also turn off your VPN if applicable or use a personal laptop/desktop as VPNs are sometimes incompatible with this platform. You can test your connection to Riverside.fm at this link.
⚙️ Riverside.fm settings: Please follow these directions when logging into Riverside.fm at the time of the interview.
📶 Internet: Ensure you have a strong internet connection capable of handling video. Test your internet speed in advance. We strongly encourage you to connect to the internet via an Ethernet (or other hardwired) connection instead of relying on wifi. If your upload speed is less than 7 Mbps, please let your customer success manager know so we can help troubleshoot a solution.
🏞️ Backdrop: Consider what is in the shot. Avoid busy backgrounds or a window behind you that would impact your lighting. It is important to have the lighting in front of you, not behind you.
🔊 Ambient noise: Find a quiet spot that will remain quiet during the filming. Turn off ringers and other audible notifications on your computer, your phone and other electronics.
🎤 Audio: Check that your microphone or headset is working and that your audio is clear. Avoid your computer’s mic, as it can come across as muffled and can create an echo sound. If you’re using a wireless headset, make sure it’s fully charged. The best bet is a wired microphone. We recommend this Pro Audio Lav mic.
📸 Camera: Ensure the camera is at eye level. If you are using a laptop, place it on a stand or a stack of books.
💡 Lighting: Use a ring light or lamp with warm light behind or near your camera, so that your face is well lit.
👔 Outfit: Avoid wearing clothes with a pattern that could be distracting or that creates lighting illusions. Avoid bright red or white, as well as garments that could rub against your microphone. Neutral, soft blues and brown colors are best.
❌ Jewelry - Avoid jewelry that jingles or makes sounds.
FAQ
👉 Will you send a calendar invite to our executive with interview details?
Yes, once your executive and Trellis moderator are confirmed, your customer success manager will send a calendar invite to you and your executive with details on the interview.
👉 Will you provide the interview questions in advance?
You will collaborate with our Studio Content team to craft talking points but we will not provide the exact questions in advance. If there are any questions or topics you’d like to address or avoid, please let your customer success manager know, and they will pass them onto your moderator. There will be time to connect and agree upon talking points during the interview recording call.
👉 Can other team members join the Trellis studio interview recording call?
Yes, other team members can join using the Guest link provided in the calendar invite. We recommend having at least one PR/Marketing team member attend for live feedback and edit requests.
👉 Will you be sending the interview recording to our team for review before it's published?
No, your team will have the opportunity to provide feedback and conduct re-takes during the interview recording call itself.
👉 Will you be promoting the interview?
Yes, the interview will be uploaded to Trellis.net and our YouTube channel. We encourage sponsors to share the interviews with their networks as well.
