My favorite TV story of this week features one of my favorite actors, Morgan Freeman. Freeman, 75 is out and about promoting his latest movie, Now You See Me. Well, viewers got to see what looks like Freeman taking a nap while being interviewed with co-star Michael Caine. The talented Morgan Freeman appears to nap for a few minutes while Michael Caine, 80, carries the interview. Then suddenly Freeman snaps out of his sleep in time to answer a quick question from the interviewer. Damn those early morning interviews!
As a viewer I laughed at the uncomfortable Morgan moment but the producer in me was dying. I could only imagine the ruckus in the control room as everyone tries to figure out if their guest is really sleeping on live television. For any show, having the guest interview live in the studio is ALWAYS better but sometimes all you can get is a live remote, an interview from a location outside of the studio. Once you have a satellite truck set up you can shoot from almost anywhere or have the guest live from an affiliate station. Lately a lot more shows are using SKYPE for their interviews. But no matter where the remote is the challenge is keeping the guest engaged so they don't fall asleep. Now, grant it Morgan Freeman is 75 years old and may have been a little tired. But this isn't the first time a star has nodded off during an interview.
In 2011, singer Harry Belafonte, another one of my favorite celebrities, was out promoting his book, My Song, when the anchor tried to start the interview and Harry didn't respond. The interviewer called out a few times to get Belafonte's attention but it looked like he had fallen asleep. Even a loud "wake up call" nudge from the anchor couldn't wake the 85 year old singer. This turned into a marathon nap and the singer ended up missing his interview. His spokesperson later went on to say that Belafonte was meditating and didn't hear the voice in his earpiece. Hmmmmm.
To the viewer, television interviews look easy but they are not, especially when it's early in the morning. Trust me, for some, it's a challenge to look good and be coherent in the a.m. and I guess anyone could fall asleep especially by remote. Next time, try a few of these tips to get your guests up and ready for air.
Keep Your Guests Awake During A Remote Interview
-If a guest is on the West Coast and the interview is on the East Coast, there is a three hour time difference. So for an early morning interview the guest needs to be camera ready and on the set in the wee hours. Doable but not easy. Make sure hot coffee and food is on hand.
-On a remote, a guest is fitted with an earpiece and has to look directly into the camera and does not see the interviewer unless a monitor is present. Usually there isn’t a monitor and they are listening and talking into the camera. Producers should prep the guest and keep their energy up minutes before the interview goes live.
- The interview room is sometimes warm or too hot which could make anyone sleepy. David Letterman is notorious for keeping his studio cold between 50 and 55 degress fahrenheit. I read it's kept that cold as a way to keep his audience alert. So make sure the room is at a nice, cool temperature.
-If it’s a junket or promotional tour then the guest(s) are doing back to back interviews and are being asked similar questions over and over again for a long period of time. When there is only one guest being interviewed there is no time to sleep, but if it’s a group interview, any time off camera is idle time. See Morgan Freeman above.
-Finally, if you are the interviewer, find a way to be professional. It's an awkward situation all around. The guest is mortified, the producer is ripping his/her hair out, and your reputation as an engaging interviewer is on the line. Compassion and a little joke about all the pressures of early mornings and press tours would eleviate some of that pressure.
As for Morgan Freeman, give the man a break. To me it looks like he was just resting his eyes. LOL!
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| Photo Credit: Margarita Corporan |
TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is an Emmy nominated producer who is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and is currently a member of the James Beard Broadcast and New Media Awards Committee. If you are a brand interested in blogger outreach campaigns, a blogger or personality interested in television placement follow Debbie Mitchell @SocialTVDeb or contact TheBloggerConnection.com.
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