It’s not as hard as you think!
Are you scared of being on camera? If so, don’t worry you’re not alone! Most people hate public speaking and hate it even more when it’s in front of a camera that will be played for everyone online to see. Knowing that.. I think there’s an important question to ask. Why do so many people hate being in front of a camera? I honestly believe that it’s nerves, lack of confidence, maybe you’re even a little bit embarrassed.
Here’s the thing.. Saying you’re not good in front of the camera is like saying “I’m a bad astronaut”. I’ve never been shown how to be an astronaut so how could I possibly know what to do? AND if I don’t know what to do I’ll probably feel a bit nervous about being an astronaut if I was thrown into that situation.
I know that’s a ridiculous analogy but it’s the same thing for when it comes to being in front of a camera. It honestly comes down to working with a videographer who makes you feel comfortable. If you aren’t ready to hire someone to help you create videos yet here’s a couple quick tips you can follow to make sure you feel more comfortable in front of a camera and don’t look silly.
You’re going to screw up. A lot.
You’re going to screw up. A lot. And that’s okay! Michael Jordan didn’t start off in the NBA, and you’re probably not going to start off by getting things perfect the first try. You’re going to get better with time, but remember.. It takes time. Have patience and trust the process.
Teleprompters Are Your Best Friend
Use a teleprompter. One of the biggest things I’ve seen is people know what to say before the start filming but once that record button has been pressed you go blank. Well you can avoid this entirely by getting yourself a teleprompter. This doesn’t have to be expensive! For example right now I’ve been reading this entire video script off a teleprompter that cost me $100 from amazon. It looks like it’s a third grader’s science project but hey it works! This allows me to have my points on what I want to talk about and not miss anything. Once you’ve got the teleprompter you’re going to need an app on your phone or ipad. There’s lots out there but I use the: Teleprompt Plus 3 App.
Here’s a bonus tip for you:
If you have two cameras you can cut between the two angles to hide any mess ups you may have. If you only have one, no worries. You can have your wide shot then cut to a close up to hide any mess ups and make your video feel more interesting.
Conclusion
Well there you have it, being in front of a camera for video can feel nerve wracking BUT it doesn’t have to. As long as you follow the tips we just covered you’re on your way to creating more engaging videos that your customers will love. See you in the next video.