Believe us, you are not the only one who feels uncomfortable and stressed to be filmed/recorded. We hope our recommendations can help you prepare for your upcoming video shoot and reduce your worries as much as possible.
Best Tips for Feeling Relaxed and Overcoming Your Anxiety of Being on Camera:
You might be thinking that it is impossible to be confident during your speech while being filmed. However, it is not simply about being confident but more so about being comfortable. We all know that is easier said than done, so to help you we have compiled the points we find help most so read and practice the following to be camera ready!
1. Take a Break and Have a Minute to Yourself
Before the shoot begins have a rest and take your time getting prepared. Close your eyes and take some deep breathes. If you enjoy meditating, feel free to do so too. Some feel that a little walk can help then release pent up stress and we encourage you to go on one as we set up. If you have a hard time relaxing in just a short period, you can apply these tips into your morning routine and just before the shoot.
2. Do Not Hold Your Breath
It may sound silly, but many of us tend to hold our breath when we feel nervous or clench our jaw when we are stressed. So, throughout the day remember to be conscious of your breathing and identify what can make you feel better or distract you. Breathing exercises are always an easy and simple method of quick stress relief, simply close your and take slow deep breaths.
3. Do Not Be Afraid of Mistakes
We all get tongue-tied; it is a daily part of our lives, whether you realise it or not. Do not worry about “tripping” over a word because the fact is that today alone almost everyone around you has stumble over their words. If you stumble, just stop, wait two seconds, and repeat what you wanted to say once more, do not force yourself to push the words out of yourself straight away. We can “cut” these stumbles out of your speech.
4. Do Not Try to Be Perfect.
We are not robots; we are unique and irreplaceable human beings. Talking in your own personal and natural way is essential to making your video YOURS. We encourage you to smile, laugh and fully express your original self and not imitate what you believe is ‘perfect’. Keep concentrated on your listeners and your message and you will be just fine!
I will be interviewed on camera… what should I expect?
At Shamrock Space Studio, we know how hard it is to learn your text and deliver it in a smooth, in-the-moment way. To aid you, we setup a teleprompter while you are on camera. A teleprompter is a great tool and presents those in front of it with superimposed text right beside the camera, so you remain engaged with the lens. With a teleprompter providing you with your scrip line-to-line you are sure not to forget a single word. A teleprompter can be beneficial for creating a professional effect for speakers starring in corporate videos or even testimonial content. Another camera will also be positioned to your side to capture dynamic videos. This gives the impression that you are speaking to someone just off to the side of the camera offering a genuine and comfortable feel to the video.
If you have anything that you would like to ask, or that you would like to be included in the video, feel free to discuss it with us and we would be more than happy to find the best solution.
We make sure you know what to expect on set
It always helps to know what to expect when you arrive on set. You can rest assured that we take the time on set to make sure you feel calm and confident. We keep our shoots simple, with a two-person team and a camera, lighting, and sound set-up.
With interview-led videos, we generally set up 2 cameras - one in front of you and one just off to your best side. We place two microphones above you, and we tend to set up 2- 4 lights around the space as well depending on the location.
We will ask you questions that relate to your business and/or to your purpose for the video. People often worry about getting their speeches word for word; however, we believe honest words to be the best words. Therefore, we allow plenty of time for you to feel relaxed and comfortable on set, and our conversational approach, along with the magic of editing, means that the pressure is off!
We like to include footage which relates to the interview content and can enhance the final product. This may include features of you and your staff in your work environment, dealing with clients, and showcasing your product or service. Do not worry, this does not involve acting or improvisation, and we will direct you to capture these moments to ensure that they feel natural.
What to wear to look good on camera?
This topic is very important, and we get a lot of questions on it. From questions such as ‘can I wear stripes?’ to ‘can I wear bright green?’ we have heard them all. However, there are standard suggestions to stick to when being filmed.
Try to avoid wearing anything with a pattern. Often patterns can distort on camera, they can give a false impression of moving, making the viewer feel dizzy. Furthermore, this may distort the figure of the wearer and produce an awkward final image. This includes polka dots, plaid, stripes.
Avoiding reds is helpful too, as it tends to ‘bleed’ on camera. When a colour ‘bleeds’ it degrades the image quality and depletes the quality of the final image. Solid bright whites can have a “glowing” effect on camera. Conversely, black is commonly too harsh in most settings. Also, bright shades of pink, green, yellow, and orange are unpleasant to view on the screen, but darker shades are ok.
We would recommend that you wear clothing that is in theme with your brand (including brand and colour scheme), and that does not display any visible logos or brands not affiliated with your business to avoid distracting viewers from anything unrelated to your business.
When filming cutaway footage, it is helpful to have a couple of changes of clothes, to help make the shots more dynamic and authentic; even just a couple of different tops is helpful. Again, make sure the clothing is brand aligned and appropriate to the action that you will be doing in the cutaway.
Make-up will often show up on camera more than in real life, so we recommend a natural look for hair and makeup. Also, using a translucent powder is a great tip for minimising shine, for both men and women. We always carry some with us on set, in case anyone is particularly shiny on shoot day.
Hope these simple tips are helpful and you feel more comfortable and confident about being on camera. However, our most important tip is to communicate with your videographer, we are here and ready to help. By letting us know about your worries and giving us insight into your vision we are better able to provide advice and cater to your own personal needs. At Shamrock Space Studio, we aim to put you as the highest priority so always feel free to reach out to us if you have any queries, and we hope to see you on set soon!
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