Simple tips for feeling comfortable on camera

Appearing in front of a camera is not something that everyone feels comfortable doing. Especially when you’ve been asked to speak as part of an interview or act as a presenter. The good news however is that there are plenty of strategies that you can use to help you relax and appear more natural on camera. We’ve drawn up a list of simple tips which will help you feel more at ease in front of the lens.

Why is video such a popular content format?

There are a number of reasons as to why video is such a popular format (which also makes it an incredibly important tool for reaching people with your message or mission). Video is very versatile and allows viewers to instantly connect with a story through the power of visuals. 

Visual storytelling can be quickly absorbed by viewers which also makes it the most shareable format, allowing it to be quickly disseminated across a wide variety of social media and messaging platforms.

What are the benefits of having my videos faced by someone?

The videos you produce don’t always have to be faced by a presenter or feature a person on camera. It depends on the video content that you are producing and with whom you are trying to engage. If you’re promoting a product, it might be better to just show the product with a model and have your call to action appear on screen. On the flip side however, having a presenter face your video with your product allows them to speak directly to the viewer, highlight the benefits and demonstrate it in action. 

People connect with other people, so a presenter-led video can encourage your audience to build a stronger connection with your story. An interviewee could add context or credibility to you and your mission. 

One example of an interviewee led video, which could also hugely benefit your brand, would be a client testimonial piece. Providing potential customers with the opportunity to see and hear directly from past clients allows you to build trust and better position yourself as a leader in your field.

Tips to help you feel comfortable when appearing on camera

Rehearse beforehand

An actor wouldn’t appear on stage without rehearsing their lines and practising their part. Whilst you won’t necessarily be ‘acting’ a part, you could benefit from practising beforehand so you feel more confident in your delivery. 

If you will be reading a script to camera, try to learn this or at least familiarise yourself with it before you appear in front of the lens. You could practise with friends and family, in the mirror or when driving to work.

On the other hand, if you are going to be answering questions as part of an interview it’s best to avoid scripting what you’re going to say as this could end up sounding unnatural. Instead, ask for the questions ahead of time or make a list of possible questions you’ll be asked. Read these aloud one by one or ask a friend to do so, and then try to answer them. Feel free to write prompts to help you. 

Forget the lens and focus on the person behind the camera

Sometimes it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed by all the equipment and people that appear in front of you when you sit down to be filmed on camera. Whether you’re sitting in front of a whole crew of people or filming a piece to camera with just a videographer on their own, choosing one person to focus on will help.

For example, if you’re sitting down in a studio to be interviewed with lights all around you and multiple cameras pointed in your direction, take a moment to locate where the interviewer or producer will be sitting and just focus on them. When they ask their questions, look directly at them or the camera (depending on what they’ve asked you to do) and block everything else out so it feels like you’re just having a conversation with them.

Limit distractions

We’re all used to the constant noises, alerts and distractions that are part of everyday life. But when you sit down to be filmed, do your best to limit these distractions. Turn off any devices you have like smartphones, laptops or tablets (or put them on silent and aeroplane mode). Don’t forget to do the same with your smartwatch if you have one on.

If there are other people in the building working, talking or moving around, make them aware that filming is happening and ask them to leave or try to work quietly whilst you’re filming. 

If you’re filming at home, make sure that any pets, children or partners are not going to interrupt or interfere with the filming. Ask them to stay put in a different part of the house or to go out for a walk.

Try warm up exercises

You could try doing some push-ups or star jumps beforehand, but this might not be the best idea if you’re in your suit or dress ready to appear on camera. You might feel nervous ahead of filming, so expelling some of this nervous energy on a quick walk or by doing a physical exercise could help.

Spend some time also warming up your voice. You don’t want to be coughing or clearing your throat during filming. Practise your lines, read something aloud or perform some vocal warm up exercises. Do whatever you want to get those vocal chords nice and warm!

Prepare ahead of time

Most likely you’ll know ahead of time that you are going to be appearing on camera. Whoever has asked you if you’re happy to be filmed or interviewed, will hopefully have provided you with a simple brief laying out what they’d like to talk to you about, have you say or do. It’s then up to you to use the days or weeks beforehand to carve out some time to prepare yourself.

This could include thinking about what you’re going to wear for filming and making sure that outfit is ready to go the night before. If you’re meeting the crew at an unfamiliar location, spend some time planning out your route and build in additional time in case you get delayed. Whilst these examples aren’t necessarily going to make you perform better in front of the camera, they will reduce unwanted stresses you might have on the day and help you arrive in a more relaxed frame of mind.

Chat to the crew before hitting record

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the equipment, the unfamiliarity of being filmed and the watching eyes of the people standing in the space around you, a good strategy to adopt is to chat to the crew. 

Of course you’ll say hello and introduce yourself when you arrive. But then before you sit down or get into position, spend some time chatting to the person who has asked you to appear on camera or speak to the person standing behind the lens. Engaging in conversation will help relax you and take your attention away from the nerves you might be feeling.

Watch similar videos

Whilst watching other videos might seem like an odd tip, you could find this very useful. If you’re appearing in a video which is part of a series, ask your contact to send you a link to a previous video. Or if this is a stand alone piece or a first of its kind, then search online for similar videos or watch TV. 

Seeing other people appear in a similar setting to what you’ve been asked to do will help you visualise how you will be presented on screen. Then before you even appear on set you’ll be more confident knowing what to expect from the experience and how best to come across on camera.

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We’re Sheeran Media

You might have reached the end of this article and thought that you’d like some help from the professionals to create your next video. 

We’re Sheeran Media. An all in one content production company with expertise in video, podcasts, animation and design. If you have a video you need support with, then get in touch. We’d love to help!