How to Become More Comfortable On Camera
Being in front of a camera can be very frightening and make most people nervous. Not talking to a live audience or being there in person can feel strange and awkward, which could negatively affect the way you convey your message. Video is a highly valuable way to develop your career or business, and increase your success. Struggling to perform well on camera is an obstacle that limits you from creating your best possible video. Like most new things, talking in front of a camera becomes more comfortable, the more you practice. However, there are some ways you can appear and feel more natural and confident. Here are our 6 ways for you to be more confident and comfortable on camera.
1.) Know your message
Make sure you understand the content of your video. Know what you have to say and why you’re saying it. Having a script could be more convenient than talking on the spot, but it depends on what you prefer. When you know what you have to say, you instantly appear more confident and will feel more relaxed. Your audience will value your message more when you focus on polishing the information and delivering it correctly.
2.) Use the appropriate tone
Your tone while delivering your message is crucial in gaining the viewer’s full attention. Experiment with different tones and see what fits the style of your video. For example, a holiday-themed video could feature a happy and cheerful voice, whereas if you’re answering interview questions, you’d speak more naturally, without exaggeration. Afraid of stuttering? Don't worry - this can be edited out in post-production, along with any pauses or wrongfully said words. Using the correct tone is the component that you must perfect, as this can't be edited, and yet is essential to form positive opinions and making yourself look confident.
3.) Use your body language and appearance
Your posture and gestures play a huge part in appearing confident and being comfortable. Simple things such as keeping your chin up and sitting straight go a long way in telling the audience what kind of person you are. Make sure you are not slouched, and your hands are visible at all times. Make yourself presentable and wear appropriate clothing. Choose an outfit that makes you feel proud and good about yourself. A combination of tone, appearance and knowing what you are saying is the recipe for appearing more confident and feeling comfortable.
4.) Block out distractions
Build the set in a space where you won’t get distracted. On the shoot day, having a “To-Do List” and knowing what’s next can help you stay focused. Block out any possible distractions, like your phone. If you’re shooting a video in a more personalised location like your room, you can prevent distractions by doing simple things such as sitting far from the window to avoid distractions outside or closing your door to block unnecessary sounds. Make sure that someone doesn’t interrupt you while you’re in front of the camera. Take deep breaths to relax yourself. Make sure you are not in a rush; give yourself plenty of time for multiple takes or mistakes.
5.) Mistakes are okay
Mistakes let you learn and improve. It’s okay to mess up, use the opportunity to your advantage and remember to smile if the context is appropriate. In some cases, a perfect and flawless video can be a bad thing. Authenticity is a key factor in allowing your audience to relate to you. When the video is genuine, the audience connects with you more and they soak in the things that they watched. Just keep it real and be yourself!
6.) Keep practicing
As the old saying goes: practice makes perfect, and of course, the same logic applies here. After shooting a couple of videos for your business, you’ll spend more time in front of the camera and the process will feel more familiar. Evaluate yourself; see what you can improve for next time. You don’t have to be in front of a camera to practice either, just talk to yourself, a friend or a relative. Ask them for feedback, what would make you sound better? Eventually, it will become second nature to you and you’ll find yourself effortlessly talking in front of any camera with ease.
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