We all know the power of video in today’s digital age. People love watching videos, but being in front of the camera can be a different story. Whether creating content for marketing, education, or personal branding, projecting confidence on camera is crucial for engaging your audience and achieving your goals.
By doing it and then gaining confidence, you will win before you have even started. This rings true, especially when speaking on camera.
Here are five essential tips to help you become more comfortable and confident when recording your videos.
1. Understand and Address Your Nervousness
Feeling nervous in front of the camera is normal, especially if you’re new to it. The key is to identify what specifically makes you anxious.
Common concerns include how you look, how your voice sounds, and whether you’re presenting yourself well. Overthinking these aspects can undermine your confidence.
There are many deep-seated reasons why you see yourself differently on a camera, and this can affect your performance if you think about it. This is too much to go into detail here, and I do delve to a deeper understanding on my online course.
There is no substitute for preparing thoroughly and focusing on delivering your message rather than on self-critique. Remember, confidence comes from preparation and self-assurance.
2. Write down a script – Then condense it.
A well-prepared script can significantly enhance your on-camera performance. Even if you know your subject matter well, a script helps maintain focus and coherence, reducing the likelihood of filler words like “um” and “uh.”
Instead of writing a detailed script, condense the script down using bullet points to guide your talking points, allowing room for natural creativity and spontaneity.
With the skills we show you on “Speak to Camera”, you can stay on track without looking away from the camera by reading a script.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice is essential for building confidence. Practice as many times as needed to understand how long it will run. You may need to expand or contract the script to fit a time limit. The more you practice, the more natural and confident you will appear on camera.
4. Use Hand Gestures
Hand gestures can make your videos more engaging and help convey your message more effectively. They add a dynamic element to your presentation, breaking the monotony of a talking-head video.
If you overdo the gestures, it can distract the viewer.
Make the gestures make sense with what you are saying, for example, if it’s a small point you are making use your thumb and forefinger to convey that. If you are talking about a wide vista, then use your arms and hands.
If you’re unsure what to do with your hands, start by practising simple gestures that feel natural to you. Over time, incorporating hand movements will become second nature and enhance your overall presence.
5. Lighting to make a 3D image
Lighting can significantly impact the quality of your video and your confidence. Proper lighting ensures you are clearly visible and look your best.
Other “experts” trot out “use 3-point lighting” ……..without really knowing what it is…
Consider using ONE large source of light. I have lit thousands of professional broadcast interviews of many famous people using just one main light source.
To keep the temperature and complexity down use as few lights as possible.
Ideally, use a quality photography and video LED light. They have different qualities to regular LED’s for domestic use.
Balance the colour temperature of the source light with the ambient light and make your key light slightly “warmer” than the background.
Depending upon the circumstances light the background with a separate light source.
Conclusion
Confidence on camera is a skill that can be learned, like anything we do.
By understanding your nervousness, preparing a script, practising regularly, using hand gestures, and ensuring good lighting, you can significantly improve your on-camera presence.
There is much more to it than this of course, which is where I can help. Please click on the link to get in touch for a short discovery chat with no commitment either way.
https://tidycal.com/speaktocamera/15-minute-meeting
John Keedwell
#speaktocamera #johnkeedwell
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