Let’s face it, we are not all cut out to be a star on camera and in videos. Most of us are camera shy to some degree, with the very idea of standing in front of a camera a terrifying prospect. Here at A-Squared we always want to make you comfortable and at ease with the filming process. After all, we want you to look good, too.

In today’s environment we are all familiar with video conferencing and daily Zoom meetings. We have been forced into this culture of constant camera appearances whether we are comfortable with it or not. Even with all of this practice it can still feel awkward going on camera. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Zoom meeting, webinar, social media video or a full scale corporate sales video — if you are even slightly camera shy things can start to feel uncomfortable. This is where we can help you. In this blog post we want to give you a few tips and tricks in order for you to feel more at ease on camera.

Understanding your fear

A good place to start is to fully understand where your phobia stems from. It is commonplace to have a fear of going on camera, you are not alone, many people experience feelings of anxiety and dread during the filming process. This means that everyone has their own way of coping and managing the situation in order to overcome their fear.

There are many things that factor into feeling uncomfortable on camera, they can range from general shyness, stage fright and an anxiety associated with public speaking. The first steps to help get over these feelings is to understand exactly why you are scared. The camera brings together all of your worst fears especially if you are feeling self-conscious already. We don’t all like the way we sound or even look on video. Consider the following;

Camera shyness - is all about your appearance and image

Public speaking - is all about your voice

Stage fright - is all about your movement and actions in front of the camera

The entire video production process is a combination of all of these things. Video can also exaggerate personal traits that you may be self-conscious about. In order to overcome your fears you need to identify what area gives you the most anxiety. That way you can focus on that to enable you to take the steps needed to increase your comfort level.

Preparation

If you prepare what you are going to say in advance it can take away most of the stress associated with being on camera. There is nothing worse than standing fin from of the camera and lights, breathing into the microphone and not being prepared for what to say. Advance preparation can put you in a better position mentally and set yourself up for success.

Before you go on camera decide what your message will be and plan accordingly. If the video is scripted, ask for a copy of the script in advance of the shoot so you become familiar with the wording. It’s always much easier to know what you want to say and takes away any room for error making it. Rehearsing your message is one of the best ways to increase your confidence. Yes, we can use our teleprompter as a ‘crutch’ but nothing replaces being well prepared as you will sound much less robotic than reading from a paper. 

Lighting and camera anglesWe use high quality LED lighting panels and situate them along with the best camera angles so you will look your best. We can even show you on a studio monitor how you look. If you are confident in how you look this can go a long way in reducing any anxiety about your appearance on video and enable you to focus on the interview or delivering your message.

Personal image

Being comfortable is all about your personal image and how you look. You don’t want to appear out of place by showing up in a pair of shabby jeans and a t-shirt to an important event, and video is no different. First of all, consider the audience of the video you are appearing in and dress accordingly. Most of all, be yourself. Carefully select the outfit that makes you feel confident yet reflects your true personality.

It is also important to think about what looks best on camera. Usually solid colours are the best option over patterns that cause distortion and weird effects. Also avoid all black or white as these can disturb the white balance of the image on camera.

Hydrate

Always keep a bottle of water close by as being nervous can make your mouth dry resulting in difficulties when trying to talk. Remember to stop and take regular sips throughout the production at appropriate breaks in the interview.

Slow down

It is human nature to talk faster when nervous. Our advice is to slow it down. Try not to rush the delivery of your message. This has many benefits, you will sound more confident if you speak slower than normal and by taking a pause in between your thoughts will also help the editing process if there are pauses in which to make any cuts. Talking fast also makes it difficult for the viewer to understand what you are saying.

If you are already in a position of sales then you will already be comfortable with talking, and all you have to do is transfer these skills to the camera. It’s much easier to understand a video than a written piece such as an email or magazine article.

Share your videos

If it is seeing yourself and what you look like on camera that makes you nervous try sharing your webcam, record yourself and practice this in the comfort of your own home by yourself. Recording yourself and playing it back can help in the process of reducing your anxiety in appearing on camera. Test your recordings with a close friend or family member. If you are comfortable with this person they can offer suggestions and feedback about your on-camera appearance and this can only go to helping you gain more confidence. Soon you will be able to move up to the next step of video production.

Mistakes are OK

We are all human, and making mistakes is all part of that. Nobody will mind if you trip up on a word now and again, it really isn’t that bad. It actually makes you more human and relatable to the viewer. People prefer authenticity, just remember to maintain a natural and conversational approach to your videos.

During the recording process there is a temptation to keep re-recording over and again until you feel confident that you have captured what you need. It’s fine to run through a couple of takes and after you get the first one out of the way you feel calmer and more relaxed and more likely to deliver your message with confidence.

We recommend two or three takes and pick the best one. Try not to overthink what you are doing, relax and everything will fall into place and before long, you will be a seasoned professional in front of the camera.

We can not only help you produce your video to the highest standards but we can also assist with the planning of your video marketing strategy. For a no obligation consultation and to discuss your video production requirements in more detail, call Andy Holt on 780-907-1445 today.