Introduction
Nice to have you with us again for another episode of Digital 4 Productivity. And today it's another "Behind the Scenes" episode. I'm often asked how I conduct my interviews with external parties. And this time I'm happy to give a few tips.
You normally have an audio podcast here and perhaps some of you will have noticed that I also do a video episode from time to time. Audio podcasts have the advantage that you can listen to them while driving or jogging. That's a bit difficult with video formats. On the other hand, I do have the odd person who says, 'I want to look at things on my PC and a video is always exciting.
The recording of video interviews
Yes, how do I do video interviews? The first impulse most of you might have is to do it via Zoom. And Zoom or Team are the usual suspects when it comes to video conferences and perhaps also video interviews, which can also be recorded.
The advantage is that this is naturally learned by everyone. The disadvantage is that this topic is not necessarily trimmed for optimal quality, but for the optimal fluidity of the conversation. This means that with Zoom and also with Teams, the focus is always such that if the line becomes weak, the image quality is reduced in order to ensure communication is as fluid as possible. You may want that, but not for interviews, where you want the highest possible quality. That's why I recommend the Riverside service. And the idea of Riverside is that you both open the Chrome browser and you have an interview partner who opens the Chrome browser with an invitation link. I have a Riverside and then Riverside records both the sound and the video signal locally. This means that if you have a full HD or even 4K camera, for example, this will not usually be transmitted to you in a team or in a Zoom call. A maximum of 720p is transmitted. As we have a lot of live streams, we now have a broadcast license from Zoom and can also do 1080p. However, this is only possible if you have business accounts from ten accounts upwards. Otherwise you get HD quality even with Zoom. If you think, oh, I'll tick HD in the settings, I'll tick HD in the Zoom settings and then people think, well, now we have Full HD. You don't have full HD, you have HD, which is 720p. And if you have ten Zoom accounts there with the on-board broadcast license, then you can also do full HD. If you don't have that, then you get 720p at most. For teams, it's usually even worse.
That's why you get Full HD at Riverside. That's the quality I currently recommend, because you don't usually need 4K. And even if you have two Full HD videos, for example, you can mount them together on a 4K video. You would still have a great resolution. And Riverside is like that, it's like a video call. And then you can see the picture and the sound. The nice thing is, as an invitee, I can even see which camera, which person, which microphone they have and the guest dials in, taps there, I have Eco, so I listen with or without loudspeakers, and the background noise support is switched on or off accordingly. The nice thing is that I can also set this as an interview host, because the problem you often have with video interviews is that if someone hears the sound very loudly over the loudspeaker, the sound comes back into the microphone and there are such unpleasant audio noises. Now many people will say, I've never had that before. Yes, but that's because the noise suppression of Teams or Zoom works so hard that the sound quality is also extremely low. That's why you should always listen to the sound via headphones anyway, ideally via wired headphones, then you won't have any time lag. And especially if you now have the Apple airports, for example, you like to pair with the phone when a call comes in. That's why, if you want it to be wireless, I can recommend the second-generation Teufel Airys, for example. I have my Airpod Pros, which I've paired with my iPad and my iPhone, and I've only paired the Teufel Airy 2 with my Mac. This means that if I don't want to work with my wired Schure in-ears, I can just listen wirelessly. However, I always have a slight latency on them, so wireless makes wireless, as Michael Nirwald used to say, whom I like to quote here as my cameraman editor. If at all possible, I use a tethered cable and the version I still like is the Sennheiser PC 7 USB. It's a USB headset that you can plug in and you don't need any software at all and it sounds so good. I've got a Rode VideoMic Pro here that I'm talking into and if you do a bit of post-processing, I use Audio Hijack on my Mac, then a USB headset with Sennheiser PC 7 USB sounds even better than some other microphones.
Yes, back to Riverside. With Riverside, you receive the recording locally and then the whole thing is uploaded during the interview. And then you get the individual tracks, sound and image, and you can even organize an edited version with three or four predefined layouts. Your conversation partner also has the option of sharing the screen. So you can work wonderfully with the solutions. I always do it again in such a way that I then cut the result together again via Camtasia. But you don't necessarily have to. I always do it again and what I can always recommend is that I optimize the sound with Auphonic after recording all my audio and video recordings. In other words, I upload the audio or video file to Auphonic, and Auphonic then optimizes the sound again. For example, Auphonic compensates for different volume levels, balances out extreme highs and lows and eliminates background noise. You can really hear this and of course you can do all this manually using Audacity, for example. But this way it's wonderfully automated and then I upload it accordingly, via Libsyn or, of course, via Vimeo for videos.
Conclusion
Yes, that or so much about my workflow. If you have any questions, just send me an email at t.jekel@jekelteam.de, that's my email address, or just tap on it in the show notes, because you know that I help people to use technology simply and always in the simplest possible way.
And it's really easy with Riverside. And I also think the condition structure of the system is very sensible.
Yes, on that note, I'm delighted that you joined us again. I wish you a productive week and look forward to seeing you again next week.
Yours, Thorsten Jekel
Key Takeaways
- Zoom and Microsoft Teams prioritize call fluidity over video quality, automatically reducing image resolution when the connection weakens — making them less suitable for high-quality interview recordings.
- Riverside records audio and video locally on each participant's device, delivering Full HD quality regardless of internet bandwidth, and uploads the tracks in the background during the interview.
- Full HD (1080p) in Zoom is only available with a broadcast license and at least ten business accounts; without that, Zoom tops out at 720p (HD), not Full HD.
- Wired headphones are strongly recommended for interviews to avoid audio feedback, latency, and the risk of wireless earbuds pairing with another device mid-call.
- The Sennheiser PC 7 USB headset is highlighted as a plug-and-play option that requires no software and delivers surprisingly good sound quality.
- After recording, Auphonic is used to automatically optimize audio: balancing volume levels, reducing background noise, and smoothing out extreme highs and lows.
- Camtasia is used for final video editing, while Audacity is mentioned as a free manual alternative for audio post-processing.
- Completed recordings are distributed via Libsyn (podcast/audio) and Vimeo (video).
- Riverside allows the interview host to control guest audio settings (echo, noise suppression) and supports screen sharing during the session.
- The recommended workflow is: record with Riverside → post-process audio with Auphonic → edit video with Camtasia → publish via Libsyn or Vimeo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Zoom not ideal for recording high-quality video interviews?
Zoom is designed for smooth communication rather than maximum quality. When the internet connection weakens, Zoom automatically reduces video resolution to keep the call running, which means interview recordings often end up at 720p (HD) rather than Full HD, even if HD is enabled in the settings.
What is Riverside and how does it work for interviews?
Riverside is a recording service where both the host and the guest open the Chrome browser — the guest via an invitation link. Riverside records audio and video locally on each participant's device at full quality (up to Full HD) and uploads the separate tracks to the cloud during the interview, eliminating quality loss caused by a weak internet connection.
What video quality does Riverside deliver compared to Zoom?
Riverside delivers Full HD (1080p) recordings because it captures video locally on each device. Standard Zoom accounts cap at 720p (HD); only accounts with a broadcast license and at least ten business users can stream at 1080p. Microsoft Teams quality is typically even lower than Zoom.
Why should I use wired headphones instead of wireless ones for interviews?
Wired headphones prevent two common problems: audio latency (the slight delay that wireless connections introduce) and the risk of wireless earbuds automatically pairing with another nearby device — such as a phone — when a call comes in mid-interview.
Which headset is recommended for podcast and video interviews?
The Sennheiser PC 7 USB headset is recommended as a plug-and-play wired option that requires no additional software. When combined with audio post-processing tools like Audio Hijack on Mac, it can sound even better than some dedicated microphone setups.
What does Auphonic do and why is it used after recording?
Auphonic is an automated audio optimization service. After uploading an audio or video file, Auphonic balances differing volume levels between speakers, smooths out extreme highs and lows, and removes background noise — all automatically, saving the time that manual editing in tools like Audacity would require.
How does Riverside handle the individual audio and video tracks after an interview?
Riverside provides separate audio and video tracks for each participant after the interview. It also offers a built-in editor with three or four predefined layouts so you can create a basic edited version directly on the platform, without needing external software.
What software is used to edit the final interview video?
Camtasia is used to cut and assemble the final video from the individual Riverside tracks. Audacity is mentioned as a free alternative for manual audio editing, though the automated Auphonic workflow is preferred for audio post-processing.
Where are the finished podcast and video episodes published?
Audio podcast episodes are uploaded and distributed via Libsyn, while video episodes are published through Vimeo. Both platforms are used to reach the respective audiences who prefer either audio-only or video content.
Can the interview guest control their own audio settings in Riverside?
In Riverside, the host can see and adjust each participant's camera, microphone, and audio settings — including echo cancellation and background noise suppression. The guest also has options to control their own settings, and screen sharing is available during the session.
Tools & Resources Mentioned
- Riverside – Browser-based interview recording service that captures Full HD audio and video locally on each participant's device
- Zoom – Video conferencing tool; suitable for calls but limited to 720p for most accounts
- Microsoft Teams – Video conferencing alternative; generally lower video quality than Zoom for recordings
- Auphonic – Automated audio post-processing service for leveling, noise reduction, and sound optimization
- Camtasia – Video editing software used to assemble and cut the final interview recordings
- Audacity – Free, open-source audio editor mentioned as a manual alternative for audio post-processing
- Audio Hijack – Mac audio routing and processing app used during recording sessions
- Libsyn – Podcast hosting and distribution platform used to publish audio episodes
- Vimeo – Video hosting platform used to publish video interview episodes
- Sennheiser PC 7 USB – Plug-and-play USB headset recommended for interview recordings
