Creating video content is the next big thing in online branding, and producing video content can provide a slew of opportunities for your brand such as increased SEO and brand awareness. But when planning & producing your video content, keep in mind you may run into the issue of your interviewees’ camera shyness.
Although being “natural” on camera should seemingly be the most normal thing to do, many people fear being filmed and freeze up when they are on camera. When it comes to creating brand videos, even the most experienced speakers can find themselves stricken with one of the dreaded destroyers of high-quality video content: camera shyness.
With the following tips and tricks, you can learn how to feel natural on camera and produce great interviews for your videos.
Dress Appropriately for Being on Camera
To feel more natural on camera, you will have to dress comfortably. Nothing is more bothersome than dressing in clothing that you can’t move freely or sit still in. When looking for an outfit, find clothes that are not only comfortable but make you feel comfortable when wearing them. Also, try selecting an outfit that you feel best represents you and who or what you are representing.
There are numerous styles of outfits that you can choose from. If you want to dress formally, try wearing a suit and tie or a variation of a blouse, skirt and dress pants. Also, try to go for neutral colors as opposed to brighter tones. Neutral colors look better on film whereas overly saturated colors can be distracting. If you want to wear any kind of accessories, try keeping them to a minimum. You don’t want to feel weighed down by what you are wearing. Once you have selected your best and most professional outfit, you will feel good about yourself, and your ability to be natural on camera will show.
Speak Naturally
When speaking on camera, you should always use your natural voice. By trying to speak in a way that isn’t natural to you, you can come across as sounding artificial. When addressing the camera or the person who is interviewing you, speak to it or them as if you know them personally. By imagining you are speaking to someone you know you will be able to relax and give a more authentic interview. Also, when people view your videos, they expect to see and hear you, and not some recreation of what you think you should sound like.
Tyrone Family Dentistry Testimonial Video – Crisp Video Group
One way to speak naturally on camera is to not script your answers in advance. Doing so can actually make you more nervous because of the added pressure of having to stick to the script. After working with countless people on various video projects, we have found that interviewees’ most natural reactions come from impromptu questions.
Be Prepared
Don’t mistake discarding a script for not preparing. Being prepared for your interview is the most important tip to feeling natural on camera. Nothing is more troubling than being on camera and not knowing what to say or how to act. In some cases, an interviewer may have cards for you to read from during the interview that are shown off-camera. Although, all interviewers are different, and you should never expect this luxury to always be made available to you. Therefore, the best interview technique is to prepare and practice before you start the interview. In doing this, you will already know the answers to the questions that are being asked and won’t feel as intimidated or unprepared when being filmed.
Conclusion
Feeling natural on camera isn’t as hard as most people think. Although camera shyness can affect anyone, anywhere, there are ways in which you can use tips and tricks to feel more natural when you are being filmed. To recap, use the following tips to help you get more comfortable with the camera:
- Dress Comfortably If your clothes are uncomfortable, it will come across on film. Aim to find a professional outfit that you can move freely or sit still in comfortably.
- Speak Naturally Don’t use a tone of voice that isn’t a reflection of you. Your audience expects to not only see but also hear you for you. Don’t disappoint your audience by not giving them what they what.
- Be Prepared Avoid the deer-in-headlights look by going over questions that will be asked during the interview or reviewing the information that you will be asked about.
