Preparing for the Junket
Ready your interview questions the night before. Stick to asking about things related to the movie the actor/actress is promoting rather than attempting to delve into their personal lives. Doing otherwise is rude. Unlike in other types of journalism where you’re expected to ask questions the interviewee might not want to discuss, questions often have to be cleared by publicists and are expected to follow a certain style and content standard. Topics to stay away from might include drug use, prison time, family members, and romantic relationships. Familiarizing yourself with the person’s most recent work might also be useful for expanding on topics they bring up.
Practice what you’re going to say during the interview. Be able to ask questions without looking at your notes, and make sure you enunciate clearly and don’t stumble over your words. Remember not to speak too fast, as you don’t want to waste your limited time with the celebrity having to repeat your questions.
Refrain from public intoxication if you consume alcohol. You can go out if there are other people on the junket that you’re professionally acquainted with, but keep in mind you are still on a business trip representing your news outlet. You don’t want to embarrass yourself or your organization by accidentally overdoing it! Try making sure you don’t drink any more than your supervisor or the other people around you.
Attending the Screening and Interview
Verify the event’s phone policy. Because you’ll be getting information and seeing things not yet available to the public, some studios will want to protect the privacy of their film. As such, they might not allow you to bring in a phone with a camera. Don’t try to sneak your phone in regardless of the rules. If you’re not allowed to bring it in, consider leaving your phone behind in your hotel room.
Arrive at interviews on-time and dressed professionally. After viewing the screening of the film, you may be spending a while attending multiple interviews with directors, actors, or producers. These may be round table interviews, one-on-one, or press conference-style interviews. Make sure you’ve switched to whatever the local time is before planning when to leave for the interview. Getting to the interview at least fifteen minutes early is even safer. There is often food or refreshments for interviewers to consume while they wait for the celebrities. Stick to wearing neutral colors like black, brown, gray, or tan, and avoid wearing ripped jeans or t-shirts with logos.
Ask questions that will inform your audience about the film. Strive for a conversational tone if you are doing one-on-one videoed interviews, but remember not to direct the conversation away from the movie in the hopes of getting some gossip from the celebrity. You are not doing an exposé. Some example questions are “What type of people are going to really love your character?” or “Which cast member is funniest in person?” Be careful to follow any studio attendant or publicist instructions so you don’t give anybody a reason to refuse to ask you back another time. Events like this are especially important to smaller news outlets who wouldn’t otherwise get face time with these celebrities.
Thank the organizers for their time when you leave. To express even more professionalism, consider finding the organizers’ names and sending them a handwritten note thanking them for putting on the event. If there was anything you particularly appreciated, like the food they served or the goodie bag they gave you, make sure to mention that.
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