Sideline Interview Interpreting: 15 Minutes Before the Camera

Author: Khang Nguyen

Khang Nguyen AKT - English Vietnamese Lead interpreter, 25 years in 5000 events 

Sideline interview interpreting is consecutive interpreting for short press interviews held outside the main programme of a conference, usually without a booth. At SIGEP Meets the World – Chapter Vietnam, hosted by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) with Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and opened by the Consul General of Italy, AKT Translation handled both the seminar and the press interviews.

Jump to: The story · Why it is hard · Terms · For organisers · FAQ

The Busiest Coffee Break of the Day

The Consul General of Italy opened the morning. On stage were the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), the organiser of SIGEP World in Rimini, and TIM CORP. In the room were reporters from HTV and Cong Ly newspaper. AKT Translation's Suong and I covered all English–Vietnamese interpreting at SIGEP Meets the World – Chapter Vietnam at RuNam d'Or, Ho Chi Minh City.

There was no booth. We interpreted from a desk inside the room while guests listened on headsets. With high ceilings and the clink of cups, we had to follow speakers through our own headphones, because one lapse costs you a number.

Then came the part clients rarely see: the sideline press interview. This time it was planned, and the questions for ITA and IEG arrived in advance. Often it isn't planned at all. It takes fifteen minutes, but they come with a camera, a waiting reporter and a running schedule. A one-line question can draw a three-minute answer, so note-taking carries the whole exchange. Then Suong walked straight back to the interpreting desk. The audience's coffee break is often our busiest quarter of an hour.

Afterwards, the organisers told us the client was full of praise, including the Consul General and VIP guests.

Have you ever had a press interview land on your interpreter without warning?

Planning an event with sideline interviews? Send the interviewee list and questions early, and AKT Translation will handle the rest.

What Is a Sideline Interview, and Why Is It Hard to Interpret?

A sideline interview is a short exchange between a journalist and a speaker or executive held outside the main programme, often beside the backdrop or during a break. At SIGEP Meets the World – Chapter Vietnam it formed part of a trade promotion programme: the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) were introducing SIGEP World to Vietnamese businesses. According to IEG, the latest edition of SIGEP World at the Rimini Expo Centre gathered 1,300 exhibiting brands across 138,000 m² and 30 halls.

The real difficulty is the lack of equipment. The interpreter stands close to the speaker, loud enough for the reporter's microphone yet never over the speaker's voice. Answers may be cut into a short broadcast clip, so every interpreted sentence must stand on its own. Names of organisations and job titles must be exact, because the press will print them verbatim. If your event includes sideline press interviews, AKT Translation can help you prepare, from the guest list to the questions.

Interpreter's Choices: Three Terms That Change the Message

Italian Trade Commissioner → "Trưởng Thương vụ Ý" (head of the Italian Trade Agency office), not "Tùy viên Thương mại" (trade attaché). The wrong choice quietly demotes a senior guest in front of the press.

Semi-finished goods → "bán thành phẩm", not "hàng chưa hoàn thiện". In pastry and gelato these are partly processed ingredients such as bases; the second phrase sounds like defective stock.

Sideline interview → "phỏng vấn bên lề", not "phỏng vấn phụ". "Bên lề" is the standard Vietnamese press term for where and when the interview happens; "phụ" makes it sound unimportant.

For Event Organisers Bringing Clients and Delegations to Vietnam

Many corporate delegations, business missions and trade promotion programmes reach Vietnam through an event organiser, professional conference organiser (PCO) or destination management company (DMC) rather than booking interpreters directly. For organisers in Singapore and across the region, a local interpreting partner removes a moving part: AKT Translation provides English–Vietnamese simultaneous and consecutive teams in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the provinces, on-site, online or hybrid, with a briefing alongside your team before the event. Sideline press interviews can be covered by the same team, so the programme keeps one consistent voice from the opening speech to the last soundbite.

Interpreting for International Food Events with AKT Translation

Beyond SIGEP, AKT Translation interpreted at VIETFISH at SECC, where the team emceed the opening ceremony and covered parallel international seminars, including a two-way Zoom session with an FAO expert. From seafood to Italian foodservice, trade, standards and processing terminology always travel together.

Sideline and Press Interview Interpreting FAQs

1. Does a press interview need its own interpreter?

Ideally, yes. The seminar interpreters can step out during a break if the schedule allows. When several interviews run back to back, or overlap with the main sessions, organisers should assign a dedicated interpreter so the conference is not interrupted.

2. How much does press interview interpreting cost in Vietnam?

Cost depends on duration, the number of interviews, subject complexity and whether the interpreter is already booked for the conference. Short interviews alongside a seminar are often covered within the same session. Send your agenda and interview schedule to AKT Translation for a tailored quote.

3. How do event organisers book interpreters in Vietnam?

Most organisers share the agenda, language pair, venue and dates with a local interpreting company, which proposes the mode (simultaneous or consecutive), team size and equipment. Working with one partner for both the sessions and the sideline interviews keeps terminology and titles consistent.

4. Consecutive or whispered interpreting for interviews?

On-camera interviews almost always use consecutive interpreting, because the reporter needs the interpretation recorded on the microphone. Whispered interpreting suits a foreign guest who only needs to follow the exchange without speaking.

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Read this article in Vietnamese