Making The Most Of A Simple Pageant Interview Question - Favorite Movie
Written By Dr. Stephanie Raye
You’ve just come into the pageant interview room. You might feel nervous, but you are hiding it well. You feel yourself relax a little bit more when a smiling judge says “Let’s start you off with an easy one. What’s your favorite move and why?”
Maybe you just saw the latest blockbuster, so you blurt that out and for your “why” you say something like “the last thing I saw is always my favorite!” That’s cute. Not bad. Or maybe you say that you admire the leading actress or have always had a school girl’s crush on the leading man. That’s okay. We’ve all been there.
Cute. Okay. But not great. You’ve bungled away an opportunity to shine!
It’s all too easy to just say the first thing that comes to mind when asked those simple questions, and sometimes that works just fine. You might not hit every question out of the park…but what separates a queen from a princess is increasing how many you do excel on versus just being “okay.”
Remember, you can use each question to show the judges why you’d be the best titleholder.
In the case of the movie, it’s alright to go with a popular or fun movie, or even something dark and controversial. You don’t have to go with some artsy, foreign film or a classic American film, unless you really would consider them among your favorites. Be real. Be yourself!
Regardless of what you choose, however, offer a thoughtful and noble reason for why you like it. Take a breath and think for just a moment, was there any redeeming value to the movie besides entertainment?
Let’s consider some ideas. As we do, think how you could still be yourself but work with these answer content creation ideas:
Can you connect the movie to something important that happened in your past?
Example: “This movie meant something to me because my family had some rough times a few years ago and, thankfully, we overcame them, just like the folks in this movie. It reminded me that sometimes we feel like we’re the only one going through something, but others have handled similar things and bounced back. I know the movie is sort of serious in parts, but, to me, it was actually encouraging and a tale of hope. And I liked how the characters could laugh at their own mistakes too—we all have to be able to do that, right?!”
Why it works: That shows someone who thinks beyond the surface and knows how to turn survive, or even thrive, in the face of adversity. And, depending on you—and your movie—you could be more specific without airing all your dirty laundry, of course, or going on too long.
TIP: Be sure you keep a pleasant look on your face even when talking about serious things and in that last sentence or two, the pageant contestant should be moving in to her cheerful, smiley face to leave the answer on an up note.
Can you connect the movie to something interesting that’s happening in current or recent events?
Example: “While I didn’t agree with everything in this movie, I appreciated that it shed light on a topic that is on a lot of people’s minds right now. We don’t see in the news every day, but it is there and as citizens we ought to give some thought to it. Sometimes it takes a well-told story to help remind us of issues or raise awareness and, to me, this movie did so.
Why it works: This pageant contestant shows balance. She isn’t taking sides on the issue that’s in the movie, per se, but shows that she cares about issues, her community or country, and follows the news to some degree.
Can you connect the movie to something in your platform?
I won’t give you and example here. Try your hand at it! If your pageant requires the contestants to have a platform, or if the pageant itself has one, always be on the lookout for how you can artfully and authentically connect to it. Don’t force fit things where they don’t belong—that won’t work. Just keep the platform in mind and be alert to opportunities. After all, part of the reason for having a platform is to help raise awareness for it!
TIP: If you learned something from reading this little bit, imagine the improvement the additional pageant interview tips could bring to your scores. That’s how to win a beauty pageant! Dig into my Pageant Interviewing Success Made Easy program. There is guidance to prepare for all different types of questions and so much more than that! http://www.PageantToPhD.com
Shine your brightest, Dr. Stephanie