5 Tips for Conducting Vox Pops (or on the Street Interviews) When You Don’t Feel Like Talking (IRL)

As freelance writers and journalists we spend much of our time working alone. Our days are often punctuated by phone interviews, emails, texts, and the occasional Zoom meeting. But technology has made it easy for us to go days or even weeks without professional in-person interactions. So, it can be jarring and even intimidating for some creatives, who tend to be naturally more introverted, to venture back out into the world.

(10 Interviewing Tips for Journalists.)

It’s not that we don’t like people, quite the contrary, observing and writing about humanity is our job. Once the ice is broken some of us magically transform into extroverts. But we may experience an initial blast of anxiety when yanked out of our comfort zone.

Despite having interviewed hundreds of people during my career I was extremely anxious at the prospect of conducting cold interviews (essentially vox pops, or person on the street interviews) for some recent assignments. This was surprising since I presented at a conference a few months ago and was not at all nervous. And I did vox pops all the time as a newspaper reporter, television journalist, and producer. So, what happened?

After some quick self-analysis, I realized I’m simply out of practice, and it’s circumstantial. I’m experiencing what many long-term remote workers go through—a sense of isolation. This not only affects confidence and self-esteem, it can also induce a touch of professional shyness.

Presenting at an event is also vastly different to interviewing random people as a roving reporter. Just as the dynamic between a journalist and an interviewee is different to simply chatting with strangers at the grocery store. And again, conducting a scheduled in-depth interview with one person, who you’ve already connected with, is much easier than approaching strangers and asking a question when they’re not expecting it.

If you’re with a camera person or videographer, vox pops are fun, but it can be daunting out in the field alone. This is almost as bad as cold calling someone about a controversial topic.

However, the stress quickly dissipated after the first few interviews, and I ‘found’ my old self again. I felt exhilarated and very much alive afterwards. While it should be par for the course for a journalist, this is how years of remote work has affected me. And I know I’m not alone.

If you haven’t conducted an in-person interview for a while and are thrown to the wolves with an assignment involving approaching random strangers for comments, these tips are for you!

The phrase “vox pop” comes from the Latin vox populi and simply means “voice of the people.” So, you’re giving the public a platform to share their opinion on a subject—somewhere other than the comments section on social media posts. YouTube and TikTok are littered with video vox pops, and they’ve become hugely popular (and slanted) click bait.

But in ‘real’ journalism, (and yes there’s a difference), these types of interviews are very important and when done properly, with integrity and balance, they offer a glimpse into the genuine feelings of the public, at least in one area of the country. 

So here are 5 tips for conducting person on the street interviews aka vox pops.

This will help put things in perspective and give you inner strength and a much-needed confidence boost.

The main issue for most of us is the discomfort of asking complete strangers for their thoughts, coupled with the fear of rejection or receiving a rude response. And let’s face it, these are legitimate concerns. It’s human nature. But as a journalist you’re out in the field, boots on the ground, to gather the voice of the people. That’s an important purpose and a significant privilege.

Keep in mind also that while some may not want to talk, many people are more than happy to share their views and opinions. This is quite evident on social media where people are desperate to be heard. How much better is it to share these thoughts in real-life? Some people may never have been asked their opinion before, so giving them a voice could make their day.

If you’re attending a protest, always make sure the situation is safe for both you and the interviewee. Keep in mind that if you’re at a march you may have to walk and talk.

But let’s use an airport (one of my scenarios) as an example. The story here is disruption to air travel, so the first task is a general observation of the scene: ticket desks, schedule boards, and TSA lines. How many cancellations are there? Are there long lines? Do people look harried and hurried?

Instead of jumping right in, grab a seat at a coffee shop or in the waiting area, jot down notes describing the scene, and casually watch people, listen to conversations, and plan your approach. This will be different for each venue of course. A protest or a march is fast moving and so there will be less time to observe, so no coffee for you!

Who seems most approachable? Who looks stressed and is most likely to have experienced flight delays and/or cancellations? Is it that man slumped in his seat? The lady holding a sleepy baby? The young couple deep in conversation?

Next comes the hard part, approaching total strangers to ask for comments.

To break the ice, I strike up a conversation with a friendly looking older lady sitting nearby, just casually asking if she’s experienced any delays that day. We speak for several minutes chatting about her visit and where she’s from. She’s had no delays, and I mention what I’m doing, and she wishes me luck. So, this was my practice, my litmus test. I enjoyed the interaction with a lovely person who was more than happy to converse. So now I feel ready to speak with more people.

Be aware that you’re approaching people without their permission, in a public place, and essentially entering their personal space. It’s quite natural for someone to be on the defensive. Imagine how you would react if a stranger approached you out of the blue while doing errands in town?

I always approach with a smile, and just to get a general sense of the situation, in this instance, I start with a simple question, as if I’m also a traveler, “Hey there, have you guys had any flight delays or cancellations today?” If they say no, I decide on the spot whether to pursue the conversation further.

But I spend most time trying to spot those who have experienced delays and by now my ‘spidey senses’ are working overtime. I overhear a lady asking someone, ‘did you get on another flight?’ So, naturally I approach them both for an interview, identifying who I am and who I’m reporting for, and the nature of the story.

When you do get an interview, ask for the following information: full name, ensuring it’s spelled correctly, age, occupation, their backstory, where they’re from, why they’re traveling, and any other details the story or publication requires. It’s also good to get contact information just in case you need verification later.

If you’re asking about a specific topic or an issue a good approach is, “Hi I’m Alison, and I’m with (state your publication) and I’m out today asking young people about the election, so what’s your view on what’s going on right now?” When you give the whole spiel and tag a direct question—what do you think about?—at the end, I’ve found people are more likely to respond automatically.

At the airport I wrote down quotes old school style, but in other situations recording the conversation might be easier. Always ask permission to record and be aware that this can put people off. Try and gauge someone’s possible reaction to such a request.

If a person is rude, and it happens often, just respond politely, saying, “okay, I understand, but thank you.” Then brush it off and carry on. They might be busy, shy, in a bad mood, don’t like speaking to strangers or simply dislike journalists. It could be anything. Don’t take it personally.

For balance, try and gather a variety of different viewpoints, especially if it’s a political topic or a controversial issue. You also need to approach and include a diverse group of interviewees, in gender, race/ethnicity, and age. Remember when reporting, we want to represent all people in our society.

Good luck out there, believe in yourself, and remember, this is important work and you’re giving a voice to ordinary people.

*****

The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is a practical, informative, and well-researched introduction to journalism and its best practices, with actionable advice, tips, techniques, explanations, and anecdotes straight from the field. In this digital guide, writers will learn how to write an effective news piece, skills need to be an effective journalist, outlets for publishing journalism, journalism associations, and so much more. Both inspirational and pragmatic, The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is packed with valuable resources for aspiring journalists.

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