There are many reasons you might find yourself needing to appear in front of the camera. Whether it be for a business training video, a Facebook Live Q & A, or a virtual interview, it’s been very important over the last 12 months to find the confidence to appear on the video. Therefore, in this article, you’ll learn how to appear confident on video
Not everyone has it in them to feel comfortable on screen—it’s not uncommon at all for this to feel like a daunting idea. For many, it’s like public speaking but even worse. It’s just you and the camera with nowhere to hide.
If you are looking to feel more at ease on video, you’ve come to the right place. Read along as we go over some tried and true tricks to finding your confidence when filming yourself for a video.
Table of Contents
- Practice makes perfect
- Find a comfortable setting
- Dress the part
- Plan it out
- Talk to yourself
- Know where to look
- Know it’s okay to mess up
1. Practice makes perfect
The number one rule when creating a video, whether it be a personal introduction video, a training video, or an audition tape, is that practice can make all the difference. Set up your camera and lighting and record yourself. You can do this with a script or simply have a conversation with yourself or a friend.
The main point is to get used to talking in front of the camera. Try your best to set up a practice scenario that is as close to the actual video you’ll be making as possible, otherwise, it might not be as effective.
Watch your practice videos back and look for ways you can improve, such as voice, body language, and facial expressions. Ensure you’re not slouching; a good posture can go a long way to improve your energy levels. This in turn can help you feel more confident.
2. Find a comfortable setting
Finding a place to film where you feel at home can make all the difference in appearing confident on video. Most people generally don’t feel 100% comfortable the first time they walk into a new building. It only makes sense to film in a space you already spend a lot of time in such as your study, your office, or even a friend’s house.
Your space must still be professional, especially if you’re making a video for your business. 81% of businesses in the U.S. use video in their marketing strategy. With more and more people trusting sites with video content, when you do create a video it’s important to have the footage look as professional as possible.
Ensure the space you choose has good lighting, acoustics, and looks appropriate for the tone of the video. You don’t want anything in the shot to distract from the main point of the video. But you don’t have to rent out a studio to get the best quality—you can do it with what you have at home.
3. Dress the part
Comfort isn’t just about where you are. It’s also about how you feel in your own skin. Picking an outfit that makes you feel great about yourself and doing your hair and makeup can give you all the confidence you need to be comfortable in front of the camera.
Keep the dress code professional. For any type of business, training, or growth-oriented videos, choose an outfit that you’re comfortable in but that’s also in line with the type of video you are filming. Dressing well can make you come across as more knowledgeable, powerful, and competent.
4. Plan it out
Having a plan or a written script is a great way to organize your thoughts and ideas. It is one sure-fire way to appear confident on video. If you do have a script, try not to get caught up in sticking to its word for word, as you still want to sound as natural and conversational as possible.
Know your main topic and the bigger points you wish to touch upon, but give yourself space to ad-lib a bit. This can help loosen up your mind. When you’re practicing and filming camera takes, it doesn’t have to be the same every time. If you’re in a scenario where you’ve put all this effort into following a script and then accidentally forget a line, it could throw off your entire mood.
Instead, have a bit of fun and just let the words flow. The more you practice this, the easier it’ll become and the more confident you’ll feel.
5. Talk to yourself
It may seem a little silly, but picking a random topic and just talking to yourself about it is a great way to get used to hearing yourself speak. Most of the time, our speech is conversational—we get used to that give and take of words and thoughts between two or more people. Talking to yourself can help set you up for delivering a speech or having a one-way conversation for your video.
You can do this in the car, around the house, in the shower, or even while you’re shopping for groceries—if you don’t mind getting a few strange looks. Pick a topic and just get to talking for at least two minutes. This can get you used to speak without input or interruption. You’ll feel much more comfortable when the cameras are rolling once you’re used to this style of speaking.
6. Know where to look
To be confident on video, it is important to know where to look. In fact, even when you know exactly what you’re going to say and look at the part, you can still come across as nervous if you don’t know where to look. It can be very tempting to look at yourself if you’re recording a video on your phone, but you can lose connection with the audience by doing this.
Research suggests that making eye contact can make what you have to say more memorable to the person listening. A mere 30% of time spent making eye contact with another person (even via video), can increase the likelihood of recall.
If looking at yourself becomes too tempting, you can switch your phone around and use the back camera. To engage with your audience and make them feel as though you’re making eye contact with them, look directly into the camera. When you’re practicing, try this out and look back at the video to see how much time you spend making eye contact.
7. Know it’s okay to mess up
It’s important to remember that nobody is perfect. Even on live platforms, it’s okay to mess up and no one is expecting flawless delivery. A little bit of human error can even add authenticity. Even if you aren’t filming live, you have the ability to shoot different takes and edit the video, so it’s okay to fumble here and there.
Once you can remove the pressure to be perfect, your confidence levels should rise.
Conclusion
Finding your camera confidence doesn’t have to be hard. There are small things here and there you can do to appear more comfortable and confident on video. Your clothes, setting, and ability to talk without other’s input can all be factors that go into feeling more confident when filming yourself. Once you feel like you’ve conquered these fears and are more comfortable, this will surely show on camera.