Tips for Being More Comfortable in Front of the Camera
Appearing in a publicly posted video—to promote your brand on Instagram or to speak about your company in a founder’s video—is to put yourself out into the world, which can be a frightening and vulnerable experience. And, of course, when we watch ourselves on camera, we tend to tune out the message and zero in on the elements that we dislike about our physical appearance. Furthermore, it can be unsettling to see your face from any angle other than the one you see in the mirror each day; and appearing as a stranger to yourself can be very disorienting. As digital introverts, it took us a long time to overcome these issues and to gather the nerve to appear on camera. It’s something we’re learning to accept and to value as we build our business.
Why Appearing On Camera is Important
Have you ever been to small business websites that don’t have a photograph of the team or the founder? And you wonder—who is behind this brand? Is it a real company? Is this a trap? People want to connect with people, not with faceless brands and authorless websites, so showing yourself as the visionary behind your business is an important way to connect with your audience and lend it legitimacy. Posting a video of yourself talking about your company and how and why you started it can be very compelling. Videos like this capture the spirit and the personality of the business owner, which can help the audience relate and to form a connection with the brand.
Embrace the Process
As we have tried to become more comfortable appearing on camera in support of our brand, we’ve developed a few tips to lean into the process. Keep these in mind the next time you find yourself eye-to-eye with the camera:
1. Keep the camera rolling. If you mess up, take a breath and start again without stopping the recording. Don’t try to capture the “perfect take” because it doesn’t exist. As you run through a few takes, you will sharpen your language and settle into your on-camera persona. Remember that your goals should be clarity and relatability rather than perfection.
2. The thing that will make you more comfortable shooting video of yourself is…shooting video of yourself. We know this feels like one thousand paper cuts; however, the more you record yourself, the more you will get used to it and the more comfortable you will appear. Each time you sit down to record, it may take you a few minutes to settle in. Make sure to build that time into your shoot schedule so that you don’t feel rushed.
3. Start small. At first, aim to create bite-sized video clips (15-30 seconds). After you make many, many of these small clips, and you start to get the hang of it, you may feel comfortable creating a longer form piece like a documentary-style founder’s video.
4. Don’t leave your personality at the door! It’s easy to freeze under the cold, dead eye of the camera. However, if you are quirky or hilarious or thoughtful or intellectual, bring this to your on-camera self. This is what people want to see because it’s what makes you relatable.
5. Precision is not the end goal. In fact, some of Cowbird’s most popular video clips include unscripted blunders. People respond to this because it’s very human to say ridiculous things or flub a line or burst out laughing. If people can see you’re having a good time and being your authentic self, they will respond. Personality translates through video.
6. Don’t become fixated on the small details—the way that one strand of hair looks out of place, how your shirt is bunching up on the side, the way your left eye closes slightly when you smile. The list goes on. Remember that no one is looking as critically at the video as you are; your audience is too busy focusing on your message.
7. This might sound counterintuitive, but don’t overprepare. Create a general outline of the material you’d like to cover, and do a few practice rounds before you record. We’ve found that clients who try to memorize a script come across a bit flat on camera. Often, instead of being engaging and speaking to the audience, they find themselves tuning out and trying to recall their lines.
8. When you’re delivering content, imagine that you’re speaking to a friend. Instead of looking at the lens, imagine you’re looking through it and speaking with your wonderful, receptive friend on the other side. This will help you feel more comfortable, and your message will be delivered more naturally.
9. Don’t tense up! It’s easy to get stressed out in the moment just before you hit record. This can cause your shoulders to rise up toward your ears or your posture to become rigid and unnatural. Right before you start recording, take two deep breaths. Sit or stand up a little straighter and relax your shoulders. Thinking of something lighthearted—a good memory or a funny story—right before you begin recording can put you in the correct frame of mind and body.
By speaking about your business on camera and posting video content that the world can see, you are authenticating your brand and connecting directly with your core audience. Professional video can elevate your mission, showcase your product and highlight your community. If you’re interested in developing content for your small business and want to level-up your production, check out our video packages!