Imagine you are a journalist or Netflix director in 2182 and you want to recreate 2022 in your docuseries. What details would you need? What questions would you liked to have asked? In 2022 what could you ask to digitally capture how people feel post brexit, post pandemic, new war that will give future docuseries integrity and credibility?

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The best digital dialogues come from relaxed people so guide the interview but let your interviewees drive it.

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How? Learning to listen-tops tips for a great oral history interview.

• Personally invite your interviewee to take part

• Meet them informally for a chat to explain the digital dialogue and afterwards let them do the talking.

• Take notes of ideas, details & mindsets, specific dates & places, names & family members, interesting anecdotes & notice topics which make them smile or animated.

• Use these notes to create questions which will guide your interviewees through their digital dialogue.

• For the first question ask about the ‘thing’ that made them smile, it will help them to relax.

• Send your interviewee the questions in advance. 

• Ask them to choose where, when and how they would like to chat and record.

• Send photos of your digital equipment and how it will be set up or used.

• Be sure to have all agreement and consent forms signed.

• BBC sound technician tip: Help familiarise your interviewees with the tech by inviting them into the recording space for a brew and a chat 10 minutes before you hit record.

• Set all phones to do not disturb or silent.

• Have drinking water to hand for dry throats and coughing.

• Actively listen & embrace 10 seconds of silence/thinking time before you prompt.

• Pause the dialogue for plane/car noises, squeaky doors, flushing etc

• Enjoy the digital dialogue.

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Spontaneous campfire dialogues are magical so have your agreement and consent forms on a device in your back pocket, just in case.