Be more comfortable in-front of the camera.
By KODI BAY
Talking in front of the camera can be a really scary. You can be the best speaker and clam up in front of a camera. Getting good at this can really help in other ways too, such as talking on the phone and being able to talk though hard topics
Its not like talking to a wall is normal…for anyone other than me that is. Wait you do that too? Good i’m not crazy…anyways talking to a camera is even harder because it catches every um, if, and or but.
However, there are a few things you can do to ensure your performance looks as human as possible. While it is almost guaranteed you won’t get it on the first take, or the fifth, with a bit of practice and patience you can become a boss in front of the camera in no time.
“…you can become a boss in front of the camera in no time.“
Breathe and Relax
This is fairly self explanatory but something which is a lot easier to say than it is to do. Taking a minuet to breath in and collect yourself makes for all the difference in the world. No one will get mad at you for taking a few seconds to compose yourself.
Pro tip: Start the camera early. You can edit out all the dead silence and horrified looks later
Body Language
Be your-self. If you talk with your hands then do that, if your face is very expressive, then let that show. A lot of people say to be calm and reserved, to those people i say hell no! When someone meets you for business you want them to think your fun and exactly how they saw you in the video, not shell shocked by the difference.
With that said don’t dance so much as to move out of the frame.
Pro-tip: Place a full sized mirror behind the camera. This will help you check in on your body language.
Pace Yourself
After you have spent some time breathing normal this becomes much easier. Yes that means you can’t hold your breath. Talking normal is perfect some times however speak as if your talking to someone that has no idea what your talking about. So slow down, just don’t come across as a but hole. This will help you to enunciate better too.
Tone of Voice
Think back to that professor you hated. Yes, the one that put you to sleep. When we talk on the camera we don’t want to put your audience to sleep. With that being said we also don’t want them to be blown back like that play button set off Hiroshima. Put some energy into just don’t explode. Most of the time a happy normal tone will work well.
You Got This!
Your normal smile is perfect. One of the easiest ways to make sure this one isn’t over looked is every time it pops into your head think of a semi amusing joke. That 60% smile you just did was probably perfect. Just dont be Jonnie from the Shining.you can also look at your reflection in the camera lense and react to yourself as if your reflection was your best friend. Practice You know your content, and if you don’t then brush up on what your going to say. This is different for everyone. I normally don’t write a script because it makes my voice to robotic. I become that annoying professor. So I write an overview with a few bullet points to keep me on track. This wont work for everyone so find out what works best for you. Smile
Relax before you film
This is not an interview. Just do whatever makes you relax; exercising, yoga, meditating, eating your favorite snack, singing at the top of your lungs anything that makes you feel better and happy!
You CAN do this!
Hopefully this has helped you mentally prepare before you go in front of the camera. Don’t worry if you make mistakes, and don’t worry if it takes a few goes. With a bit of practice it will start to become second nature.
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