At Dream Engine, we regularly create videos in the healthcare and pharmaceutical space. A key part of this work involves filming patient stories, which are powerful, personal accounts that help others understand the impact of treatments, procedures, or health journeys.
If you’ve been invited to appear in a patient story video, this post will help you understand what to expect and how to prepare, so you feel confident, comfortable, and clear on the process.
Be Yourself
What we’re most interested in is your story, in your own words.
The interview won’t feel like a formal Q&A. It’s more of a relaxed conversation. We’ll ask open-ended questions to help guide the discussion, but we won’t give you a script or ask you to memorise anything. In fact, we encourage you not to prepare too much in advance. The most compelling videos come from people speaking naturally and authentically, without trying to get it “just right.”
You don’t need to worry about saying the perfect thing. Just speak from your experience. That’s what matters most.
If We’re Filming at Your Home
If we’re visiting your home to film, we want to make the process as smooth and unobtrusive as possible.
We’ll always ask your permission before filming in any area, and we’ll work with you to find a space that feels comfortable. The crew is small, usually just one or two people, and we’ll be respectful of your time, space, and privacy. We’ll be careful not to move things around unnecessarily, and we’ll clean up and leave things exactly as we found them.
If you have pets, kids, or other things going on in the household, that’s totally fine. We’ll work around whatever you need.
Your Privacy and Comfort Come First
We’ll only use your video with your full permission. There’s absolutely no pressure to talk about anything you’re not comfortable with.
This should be a positive experience. If at any time something doesn’t feel right or you’d prefer to skip a question, just let us know. You are always in control.
What to Wear
There’s no need to dress up unless you want to. Just wear whatever makes you feel like yourself and helps you feel comfortable on camera.
If you’re unsure, solid colours usually look better than busy patterns or logos, but ultimately it’s about how you want to present yourself. We want you to be happy with how you look and come across.
What Happens on the Day
Here’s a quick rundown of how things usually go:
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We’ll arrive and introduce ourselves
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You can give us a quick look around to help decide the best place to film
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While we set up, you can relax or get on with other things
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We’ll have a relaxed, friendly interview conversation
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We may film a few extra shots of you in your everyday environment to help tell your story visually
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We’ll pack down and leave everything as we found it
Even though we might be on-site for a couple of hours, your actual involvement is often much shorter.
Can I Have Someone With Me?
Yes, absolutely. If you’d like a partner, friend, or family member there for support, that’s completely fine. Some people feel more comfortable having someone nearby, and we want you to feel at ease throughout the process.
Final Thoughts
We’re incredibly grateful to people like you who are willing to share their stories. Your experience can make a real difference to others by helping them feel informed, reassured, and inspired.
If you have any questions ahead of the filming day, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to make the process as smooth and respectful as possible.
Ryan Spanger is one of Melbourne’s most respected and sought-after video production professionals. Ryan founded Dream Engine in 2002, and specialises in helping medium to large corporates, government departments, and the non-profit sector to connect with their audience more effectively by using video.
