Interview Series
Challenge Yourself to Meet New People & Write New Perspectives
Building an interview series can be one of the most powerful ways to connect with people, learn about their experiences, and share stories that inspire. But why settle for ordinary interviews when you can create a fun, creative, and memorable series that stands out?
Whether you're starting a podcast, writing a blog, or filming a YouTube series, here are 10 out-of-the-box interview series ideas that will not only engage your audience but allow you to get creative and have fun with the process.
Step 1: Defining Your Interview Series
Before diving into the interview itself, take a moment to define the structure and purpose of your series:
Platform: Will this be a podcast, a YouTube video series, or written blog posts? Consider how your content will be consumed and what style best suits your format.
Audience: Who are you targeting? What type of people or personalities will make your content engaging? Keep in mind that unique, fun themes tend to draw in audiences who crave something different.
Frequency: Choose a schedule that works for you—weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. A weekly release can keep your audience engaged, while less frequent releases might allow for more in-depth interviews.
Tone: Are you keeping the interviews light-hearted, serious, or a mix of both? Don’t be afraid to show your personality—your enthusiasm will be contagious.
Now that you have the foundation, let's dive into creative themes that will make your interview series both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Step 2: 10 Fun & Creative Interview Series Ideas
1. 52 Cups of Coffee: Conversations with Strangers
This series is all about meeting new people—one person per week, for 52 weeks. Your “coffee dates” can be with anyone: from artists and entrepreneurs to random strangers or people in your local community. You’ll invite them to coffee (or virtually), ask them questions about their lives, dreams, and random thoughts, and share those conversations. Take inspiration from Megan Gebhart who did exactly this!
Fun Twist: Add an element of surprise by not knowing exactly what the person does until you meet. You’ll interview a baker, musician, scientist, or someone with an unexpected background.
Interview Prompts: “What’s the most bizarre thing you’ve ever done for a living?” or “What’s your favorite random fact about life?”
Why it Works: The variety and surprise will keep your series fresh and engaging, plus each person’s story adds a new layer of intrigue.
2. 50 Jobs I’ll Never Have: Fantastical (and Real) Career Interviews
In this series, you interview people who have unusual or unique jobs, but there’s a catch—you’re interviewing them about careers you would never, ever choose for yourself. Whether it’s because you’re terrified of the job, don’t have the skills, or just couldn’t imagine doing it, the goal is to explore fascinating professions from a safe distance.
Fun Twist: Choose jobs that range from extreme (like a storm chaser or bomb disposal technician) to quirky (like professional pet psychic or roller coaster tester).
Interview Prompts: “What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened on the job?” or “What’s the most surprising thing about this profession that no one knows?”
Why it Works: The contrast between your lack of interest in the job and the interviewee’s passion will lead to interesting and often hilarious conversations.
3. The “What If?” Series: Imagining Alternative Realities
In this series, you’ll interview people about their imagined alternate realities. What if they lived in a world without social media? What if they had the ability to time travel? What would they be doing if they weren’t doing their current job?
Fun Twist: Take their answers and turn them into creative visualizations—illustrations, photos, or even short video clips that depict their imagined life.
Interview Prompts: “If you could live in any historical era, which would you choose and why?” or “What would you do if you could switch lives with anyone for a day?”
Why it Works: This prompts deep, creative thinking and gives you and your audience the chance to envision a world outside of the ordinary.
4. Through Their Eyes: A Day in the Life of [Insert Occupation]
This series takes a deep dive into a single day of someone’s life—focusing on their routines, habits, and experiences. Whether they are a professional photographer, a zookeeper, or a night-shift nurse, you’ll explore the nuances of their job and their personal life through their eyes.
Fun Twist: Ask them to capture a “day in the life” through their own lens—this could be through photos, a vlog, or even a written journal entry.
Interview Prompts: “What’s your morning routine like?” or “What’s the most unexpected part of your job?”
Why it Works: By seeing their day unfold from their perspective, you get to share an intimate look into their world, and audiences get a sense of what makes them tick.
5. The Unlikely Mentor Series
In this interview series, you sit down with people who are mentors in unconventional fields. Think of an artist who mentors aspiring mathematicians, a former rockstar who now helps engineers, or a chef who teaches the art of patience to programmers.
Fun Twist: Explore how they mentor outside of the norm and how their advice translates into these other professions.
Interview Prompts: “How did you come to mentor in this field?” or “What’s the most surprising thing you’ve taught someone in this unconventional way?”
Why it Works: The uniqueness of these mentors will make for fascinating insights into interdisciplinary learning and unexpected connections.
6. Reverse Bucket List: What Have You Already Done?
Instead of asking people what’s on their bucket list, you ask what’s already been ticked off. This fun twist on the classic bucket list concept lets your guests share life-defining moments, adventures, and accomplishments they’ve already experienced.
Fun Twist: Interview people who have completed extreme goals—like traveling to every continent, meeting their heroes, or running an ultramarathon.
Interview Prompts: “What was the hardest thing you’ve crossed off your reverse bucket list?” or “What did completing that task teach you about yourself?”
Why it Works: This gives listeners or viewers a sense of achievement and motivates them to think about their own extraordinary experiences.
7. Strangers in the Same Room: Speed Interviews
Bring together strangers from very different backgrounds for rapid-fire interviews. Each person gets 5 minutes to share their life story, and then you mix them up to interview someone else. By the end, you’ll have a diverse, unpredictable set of perspectives on common themes.
Fun Twist: Each time you interview a new person, change the theme or location—one episode might take place in a park, another in a café, or even at a carnival.
Interview Prompts: “What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?” or “If you could instantly gain one new skill, what would it be?”
Why it Works: The rapid-fire format makes for dynamic content and emphasizes the beauty of human diversity in short, snappy interviews.
8. Life Behind the Lens: A Photographer’s Journey
Interview photographers about their experiences, inspirations, and challenges—but instead of just talking about their work, delve into their personal photography journey.
Fun Twist: Have each photographer talk about their favorite, least favorite, and most surprising shots—including the ones they wish they'd never taken.
Interview Prompts: “What’s the story behind your most memorable shot?” or “Have you ever experienced a creative block? How did you overcome it?”
Why it Works: This series lets you explore the emotional and creative aspects of photography and offers behind-the-scenes insights into the life of a photographer.
9. “What’s Your 5-Minute Talent?”
In this series, you interview people about the hidden talents or unexpected skills they have—things they’ve mastered but only in short bursts. From speed knitting to juggling or even reciting pi to 100 decimal places, you’ll uncover the quirky side of your interviewees.
Fun Twist: Have the talent demonstrated live in the interview!
Interview Prompts: “What’s your hidden talent that not many people know about?” or “Can you show us your skill in action?”
Why it Works: It’s fun, surprising, and a great way to explore the often-hidden unique qualities of people.
10. The “Underrated” Series: Celebrating the Everyday
This series focuses on everyday people doing the often-overlooked, but essential jobs—from garbage collectors to librarians and cashiers. Their stories often go untold, but they play a vital part in our communities.
Fun Twist: Highlight how their work impacts daily life and why these jobs often go unnoticed.
Interview Prompts: “What’s the best part of your job that people never consider?” or “What do you wish people understood about what you do?”
Why it Works: This series shines a light on the importance of every role, no matter how small, and gives a voice to people who are often taken for granted.
Recording & Sharing Your Series
Once you've selected a series, it’s time to record! Whether you’re using a simple microphone and camera or a full podcasting setup, focus on creating quality audio and video.
Record in Comfortable Settings: Make sure your interviewees are at ease to get the best content.
Editing: Edit with care to maintain the flow of the conversation. Keep the interviews engaging by cutting out awkward pauses or overly lengthy tangents.
Publishing: Share your episodes regularly on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your blog. Use social media to tease upcoming episodes and create a community.