What a street interview video is
A street interview video shows a host with a microphone stopping people in a public place and asking short questions, sometimes about a topic, sometimes with a product to try. The format borrows from news vox pops. In UGC ads it comes in two kinds: genuine interviews with strangers, and staged versions using recruited actors or friends playing passers-by.
Unlike a testimonial video, the people speaking are not existing customers, so their opinions are first impressions rather than experience. That makes the format good for curiosity and weak as proof that the product works over time.
Staged versus genuine interviews
Genuine interviews give unpredictable, believable answers but need a creator comfortable approaching strangers and a lot of footage to find usable moments. Staged interviews are faster and controllable. If the participants are actors or briefed friends, the ad must not present them as random members of the public offering independent opinions, because that misleads viewers.
Either way, everyone identifiable on camera needs to sign a release before the footage is used in advertising, and filming rules differ by city and by location, since shopping centres and stations are often private property. Budget for the host's time and any permits on top of the usual UGC video rates.
Example: a blind taste test on the street
A sparkling water brand asks: which of these two cans is the sugar-free one? The host offers two unmarked cups, films the guess, reveals the answer, and asks one follow-up. The host keeps approaching people until there are enough usable clips, then the editor cuts a 30 second ad that opens on the most surprised face.
Deliverables: the edit, every raw interview with its signed release matched by filename, and location details. Treat these files like raw footage from any shoot, because you will cut new versions from them.
Common mistakes
Brands skip releases because the shoot felt casual. Without them, the best clip cannot run in paid placements at all.
The second mistake is leading questions. 'Isn't this the best water you've tried?' produces answers nobody believes. Ask open questions and keep honest negatives in the raw files, since they show the edit was not cherry-picked.
How it's used
Are these real passers-by or recruited? If recruited, the ad can't imply they're strangers.
No release, no paid usage. Match every clip to a signed form before it leaves the shoot.