The remote interview checklist you can paste into a call sheet

Before the interview

• Agree the recording format and length in writing before the call.
• Send the guest one join link and confirm it opens in their browser — no app install, no account.
• Ask every participant to use headphones; it removes most echo and bleed.
• Test the microphone and the room: close windows, silence notifications, avoid large empty rooms.
• Set a quiet backup: ask the guest to keep a phone voice memo running in case the connection drops.
• Confirm the time zone in writing, not just the time.

Consent and the recording notice

• Tell every participant, before recording starts, that the session is recorded and where the file will live.
• Confirm consent on the record: a short spoken question at the start.
• For interviews that touch personal data, use a written consent line — there is a free template on this site.
• Check whether your context needs a legal basis beyond consent under the GDPR.
• Agree who can access the recording and when it will be deleted.

During the interview

• Start the local recording on every participant's device, then confirm the timer is running.
• Watch the level meters, not only the video — audio problems are usually visible first.
• If a participant drops, keep recording; local recording usually survives a reconnect.
• Note the timestamp when something goes wrong, so it is easy to find later.
• Pause and repeat a sentence if a key answer was lost to a glitch.

After the interview

• Confirm that every participant's track uploaded before you close the tab.
• Keep the separate tracks rather than a single mixed file.
• Label files with date, guest name and episode, not "recording-1".
• Store the files in one agreed place with a defined retention window.
• Delete anything you no longer need, and note the deletion.
• Send the guest the agreed copy or summary, if you promised one.

Shareable sections

Each heading on this page has its own anchor. Link the whole checklist in a call sheet, or link one part where it is needed:

• #before — technology and room setup
• #consent — the recording notice
• #during — running the session
• #after — files and retention

Frequently asked questions