Tips for Being In Front of The Camera

20 Mar Tips for Being In Front of The Camera

Get Comfortable With being Filmed: Tips For Getting In Front Of The Camera

More and more of us are having to navigate being in front of the camera for work. For one person that could mean feeling more comfortable with Skype meetings. For another it’s using Facebook Live to promote their business. I asked ex TV presenter  Hanieh  Vidmar for her advice for anyone who finds themselves having to get in front of the camera.

Don’t Get Paranoid

People generally want to see you do well and will be very forgiving. If you do stumble, well, acknowledge it with a smile or quick joke and move on. Your audience will have forgotten it before you do.

Get Inspired

It can sometimes help to picture your favourite actor, actress or TV presenter doing well. Watch them in action and pick up tips from the professionals. Watch out for the at the way they look in front of the camera. Do they look straight at it? Are they expansive and use their hands, or more controlled? Devote some time to assessing how they succeed.

Practise, Practise, Practise

Use your mobile phone and your laptop to play around with making videos. You don’t have to show anyone for a while. The idea is that you get comfortable and make your mistakes now, while no one is watching.  Once you’re feeling braver, start to show some people and ask for constructive feedback.

Accept That It’s Journey

You will always be improving and learning new tricks. Six months from now you will be so much more comfortable in front of the camera but if you don’t start now, that won’t happen.

Have Some Fun

It’s not a big deal, really and the sooner you get to grips with it, the sooner you can have some fun.

Be Bold

Look straight at the camera and keep looking at it. Wandering eyes will make you look shifty and untrustworthy and that’s a look to avoid at all time – whether it’s a Skype job interview or you are creating your own YouTube videos. Looking the camera straight in the eye, so to speak, will help you exude an air of confidence. Just remember to breathe too.

Invite Company

If you’re doing this to promote your business, invite someone to join you so that you feel the camera isn ‘t focused on you alone. A good rapport and conversation will also add interest and energy to the video.

You can see Hanieh’s videos and more at http://haniehvidmar.com