If you feel a little strange the moment a camera points at you, you’re in good company.
You can talk about your business all day with customers, employees, or coworkers, but put a camera in front of you and suddenly you’re thinking about your hands, your voice, where to look, and whether you’re sitting correctly.
Getting comfortable on camera takes a little practice. Here are a few things that can make recording easier.
Don’t Try to Memorize Every Word
Memorizing a paragraph can put you in a tough spot. You start concentrating on remembering the next sentence instead of thinking about what you’re actually saying.
For most business videos, try working from a few talking points instead.
If you’re explaining three things customers should know before scheduling an appointment, write down those three things. You already know how to explain them. The notes are there to keep you on track.
If the wording needs to be exact, that’s different. A commercial, formal announcement, or scripted introduction may be easier with a teleprompter.
Talk to One Person
It’s easy to start thinking, “A lot of people are going to see this.” Forget about them for a minute. Picture one customer asking you the question you’re answering.
How would you explain it to that person?
You probably wouldn’t suddenly change your voice, use complicated language, or try to sound like a television presenter. You’d simply explain what they need to know.
Try to bring that same conversation into the recording.
Give Yourself Permission to Stop
You don’t have to finish an entire video in one perfect take.
If you lose your place, stop.
If you say something and immediately know you could explain it better, say it again.
If you need a second to look at your notes, take it.
Those pauses don’t have to appear in the finished video. Editing gives us plenty of room to clean things up afterward.
Knowing you can stop usually takes some of the pressure out of recording.
Slow Down a Little
People often speak faster when they’re nervous.
You may not even notice you’re doing it.
Give yourself a little more time between thoughts. Finish the sentence, pause, and then continue.
This is especially helpful if you’re explaining something technical or giving viewers several pieces of information at once.
You’re not racing the camera.
Don’t Worry About Your Hands
This comes up more often than you might think.
“Where should I put my hands?”
If you normally use your hands when you talk, use them. Trying to keep them completely still can make you look and feel less comfortable.
The same applies to facial expressions.
You don’t need to hold a smile for the entire recording. Listen, react, smile, and speak the way you normally would during a conversation.
The First Take Can Just Be Practice
Sometimes the easiest way to get comfortable is simply to start. Go through the first take knowing you can do it again.
By the second or third try, you know what the lights feel like, where you’re looking, and how the recording process works. That first-take nervousness often starts to fade once there’s nothing unfamiliar about the setup anymore.
You Don’t Need to Become a Presenter
Most business owners aren’t trying to become professional television hosts.
And they don’t need to.
If you’re recording a video about your company, the person watching wants to hear from someone who actually knows the business.
At OASIS Studios in Orlando, we work with people who record regularly as well as people walking into a professional studio for the first time.
We’ll help with the cameras, lighting, audio, teleprompter when needed, and the recording itself.
You don’t need to put on a different personality when the camera turns on. Talk the way you talk. We can work with the rest.
