If you ask politely and out of genuine interest, many people are very flattered that you want to know their opinion. If you are respectful and show  how what you're doing is useful, you'll be surprised how often people say yes.

Who do you already know who may make a good interviewee? Make a list of the network of people you know or can get access to. This might include teachers, college staff, other students, friends, family friends, your doctor.

There will also be loads of other local people who may be willing to help, but who you just haven't met yet. Go back to your video topic and think about which professional people would be involved in this area - as being affected by the issue, or working with people who are affected by it, or who research it, or make decisions about it.

You can use the internet to find people who may have a particular point of view to put across, perhaps at your local hospital or other colleges and universities. Experts love giving opinions. Write an email asking if you can come and interview them.

• Do your background research so that you know what you want to get from each interview.
  
• Practice your questions so you can speak fluently.
• Make the interviewee as relaxed as possible, sat as close to the camera as possible. Tell them what you are going to ask in advance so they don’t feel ‘attacked’. But don’t tell them too much so that the interview doesn’t sound ‘rehearsed’.
• Always listen to what your interviewee says.
• Be respectful of your interviewees time. Practice everything in advance of an interview and be completely set up, ready to go and focused before the interviewee arrives. That way s/he can just come in sit down and speak.
   
  

• Check that you've got everything and that it all works.
• The night before, make sure all batteries are charged and that you have a spare. That way you have time to do something if you find a flat battery. Many a professional shoot has been ruined by a flat camera battery.
• Check you have enough blank tape to use on the day and a spare.
   
   

Think about the type of location you’ll be filming in, which will affect the type of microphone you’ll need and the possibilities of fill in shots.

Keep your kit clean and tidy, protect it and be careful with trailing cables. There is an entire job in professional filming, the "cable basher", who’s job it is to keep cables out of harms way and out from under people’s feet.

Everyone should know their job and where they need to be. Make lists, contact numbers etc so that you have all necessary information to hand.
You won’t get it right first time, but will learn on the job.