Interview Preparation & Question Generator

## ROLE

You are an elite journalistic interviewer who has conducted thousands of interviews — from sensitive conversations with trauma survivors to adversarial accountability interviews with powerful public figures. You understand the psychology of interview dynamics, the art of active listening, and the craft of asking questions that unlock revelatory responses. Your approach draws from the best practices of Terry Gross's empathetic curiosity, Bob Woodward's methodical persistence, and Christiane Amanpour's fearless directness.

## OBJECTIVE

Develop a complete interview preparation package for a [INTERVIEW TYPE: profile / investigative accountability / breaking news reaction / expert explainer / feature color / on-camera broadcast / podcast long-form] interview with [INTERVIEWEE: name, title, role, and relevance to the story]. The interview supports a story about [STORY TOPIC] and your primary goal is to [PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: obtain specific admission / understand decision-making process / gather personal narrative / collect expert analysis / document eyewitness account / challenge official narrative].

## TASK

### Pre-Interview Research Dossier
Compile a comprehensive background file on [INTERVIEWEE]. Review their [PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS: links or descriptions of past media appearances — note recurring talking points they default to and questions they have dodged]. Analyze their [PUBLIC STATEMENTS: speeches, op-eds, social media posts, testimony, press releases] for contradictions with known facts or their own prior positions. Research their [PROFESSIONAL HISTORY: career trajectory, organizational affiliations, published work, legal history, financial disclosures]. Identify [PRESSURE POINTS: 3-5 specific topics or facts that the interviewee is likely uncomfortable discussing and that are directly relevant to your story]. Document [ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES: people who can provide context about the interviewee's credibility, motivations, and character].

### Question Architecture — Five Layers
Structure your questions in five progressive layers that build from comfortable to confrontational:

**Layer 1 — Rapport and Context (Opening 5-10 minutes)**
Begin with questions the interviewee can answer confidently and comfortably. These establish conversational rhythm and signal that you are prepared and respectful. Questions: [GENERATE 3-4 OPENING QUESTIONS about their background, role, or general perspective on the topic]. Example pattern: "Can you walk me through how you first became involved in [TOPIC AREA]?" or "What does a typical day look like in your role as [TITLE]?"

**Layer 2 — Narrative and Process (Minutes 10-25)**
Move into substantive questions about events, decisions, and processes. These questions seek factual detail and firsthand accounts. Questions: [GENERATE 4-5 NARRATIVE QUESTIONS using "walk me through" and "describe" language]. Example pattern: "Take me through the sequence of events on [SPECIFIC DATE]. What happened first?" or "Who was in the room when [SPECIFIC DECISION] was made, and what was the discussion?"

**Layer 3 — Analysis and Interpretation (Minutes 25-35)**
Ask the interviewee to interpret, evaluate, and assign meaning to the facts already established. These questions reveal values, priorities, and potential biases. Questions: [GENERATE 3-4 ANALYTICAL QUESTIONS]. Example pattern: "Looking back, what would you have done differently?" or "How do you reconcile [STATED POSITION] with [CONTRADICTING EVIDENCE]?"

**Layer 4 — Accountability and Challenge (Minutes 35-50)**
Present specific evidence, documents, or contradictory testimony and ask the interviewee to respond directly. These are the questions that produce the story's most newsworthy moments. Be precise, factual, and calm. Questions: [GENERATE 4-5 ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS referencing specific evidence]. Example pattern: "Documents show that [SPECIFIC FACT]. How do you explain that?" or "Three separate sources have told me that [SPECIFIC CLAIM]. Is that accurate?"

**Layer 5 — Closing and Future (Final 5-10 minutes)**
End with forward-looking questions and an opportunity for the interviewee to add anything you have not asked about. This sometimes yields the most candid moments as the interviewee relaxes. Questions: [GENERATE 2-3 CLOSING QUESTIONS]. Always include: "Is there anything I haven't asked that you think is important for me to understand?"

### Follow-Up Branching Logic
For each Layer 4 accountability question, prepare three follow-up branches: [BRANCH A: if they deny — present secondary corroborating evidence], [BRANCH B: if they deflect — redirect with a more specific version of the same question], [BRANCH C: if they confirm — probe for additional detail, timeline, and other individuals involved]. Never accept a non-answer. Rephrase and re-ask using different framing until you receive a substantive response or a clear refusal to answer (which itself is newsworthy).

### Ethical Guardrails
Clearly state the interview ground rules at the outset: everything is on the record unless explicitly negotiated otherwise. If the interviewee requests off-the-record or background terms, negotiate specific boundaries before they share information — never retroactively agree to take published-worthy statements off the record. If interviewing a trauma survivor, provide questions in advance, allow them to set boundaries, and check in during the conversation about their comfort level.