Scripted Interview

Assignment 7:  Scripted Interview

 

This is a fun assignment where you get to be creative.  In this assignment, you write out the script (screenplay) for an imaginary talk show with a host (interviewer) and up to three guests (interviewees).  The talk show should be centered on the debate over the news story we have been investigating in class:  the invitation by CUNY to have Genreal Patraeus teach a course at the Macaulay Honors College.

 

Your script should have an imaginary talk show host interviewing two or three of the participants involved in the debate.  Participants (interviewees/guests) on the talk show could include a CUNY student, a student from General Patraeus’ course, someone from the CUNY administration, a faculty member, or anyone else that would have a legitimate commentary to offer on this topic.  The interviewer or host should ask serious questions, questions that you would want to ask the participants, if given the chance. The interviewees should respond in depth, with thoughtful answers.  Try to express viewpoints that you have read about in your research of this interview.

 

Write this piece as a dialogue or screen play, though you may include scene setting (describe the “set” of the talk show for example) and stage directions (“X” leaves his seat or “Y” pounds the table with his fist).

 

The piece should go on for as long as you think it works, in terms of informing and keeping your audience interested.

 

ADVICE

 

• The interviewer should have a personality, either pattern the host after a real host   (Oprah, Tyra, Letterman, Ellen DeGeneris, Jimmy Fallon, Geraldo, Jerry Springer, Stephen Colbert) or create a host with a distinct personality (your own).

 

• Try to have the interviewees talk to each other, rather than just answering the questions of the host. The authors should exchange views upon the topics raised by the interviewer, as if they were in conversation.

 

• Try and focus your questions for the interviewees on one or two themes, rather than leapfrogging from one question to another quickly.

 

• In addition to asking the questions, the interviewer should observe, analyze, and respond to interviewees.  The interviewer (you) can make sense of the responses and also add to the responses and even provoke the interviewees.

 

• Choice is important here.  You obviously want to choose interviewees who have interesting things to say and interesting voices and who are able to talk smartly about their ideas.

 

• It is crucial that you entertain your audience.  Be provocative and try and push the boundaries.   It’s a talk show.  Ratings will dive if the listeners (readers) are not entertained and made to think.