I have written about how to prepare for interviews and what to do at interviews, but there are three additional points to keep in mind during and after the interview.
What Question to Ask
Interviews for film jobs can be one sided with the interviewer asking all the questions. The opportunity for you to ask questions often comes only at the end of the interview. In fact, you're typically offered the chance when the interview is over: "Is there anything else you'd like to know?" However, there is one question you should ask of every interviewer as early as possible during the interview: "Can you tell me about the position and the type of person you're looking for?"
The reason it's important for you to ask this question is that it can provide you with your single greatest opportunity to understand more about the job and your ability to fill it. By asking the question, you'll learn exactly what the interviewer's specific criteria are, and you'll be able to address them over the course of the interview.
If an obvious opportunity to ask the question doesn't present itself, you should make the opportunity. For example, when you're asked a question like "Have you had any prior experience in the film industry?" you can answer the question, then say, "Can you tell me more about the position and the type of person you're looking for?"
Based on the answer you get, you can frame your answers to further questions around what the interview has said he or she wants. For example, if the interviewer tells you that he's looking for someone who is knowledgeable about recent films, you can tell him that you go to the movies very often and rent videos on a regular basis, and mention some of the recent films you've seen (assuming, of course, that it's the truth). The more you're able to demonstrate that you have the qualities, interests, and abilities that an interviewer is looking for, the more likely you are to get the job.
Talk About Money
In the film business, if you're being interviewed for a union job, both you and the interviewer know what the wages will be, so the subject never even comes up.
The closest you'll get to the discussion of money in an interview is when the interviewer tells you whether or not it is a union job or union set.
If the job is nonunion or you'll be working on a nonunion set, a fair question for you to ask is "What would a person with my background and qualifications typically earn in this position?" Often the interviewer will be direct about salary and say something like "We're paying $75 a day." Negotiating pay in a nonunion situation is literally impossible. They're doing you a favor by hiring you, so you should be grateful.
A Final Note
It's important that you send a thank-you note after a job interview. You should send the note as soon as possible after the interview. Surprisingly, many people neglect to do this, even though you'd think it would just be common courtesy. This can, however, actually work to your advantage.
Let's say, for example, that of all the people a production manager interviewed he was most impressed with you and one other person. Perhaps the other person doesn't bother to send a thank-note, but you do. If you were that production manager, which of the two most likely candidates would you hire? The answer should be obvious.
All things being equal, sending a thank-you note won't get you a job, but it may be the one thing that will tip the balance in your favor. Remember that the film industry is an extremely competitive business, and you can use all the help you can get.