Preparation
You’ve been assigned or you’ve decided to be filmed on video. At first, that’s gotta feel great. But unless you’re a trained actor or a seasoned presenter, there’s a good chance you’ll feel at least a bit of anxiety as the video production day approaches. That’s true for first-timers or those that haven’t been filmed for a while. Since you naturally want to appear relaxed, knowledgeable and even charismatic to your audience, it’s a good idea to work on bringing your comfort level up before the shoot.

The best way is simply making sure you’re well prepared and well versed on the material. Even if you’re working off a script, it’s a good idea to memorize your talking points. Practicing is another good exercise, whether that’s in front of a mirror or in front of a friend. The aim is to familiarize yourself well with the information you’d like to relay.

Once you feel prepared and comfortable, it will allow you to embrace your quirks and unique mannerisms. This is good. There is such a thing as over-preparation. And what happens is that you can come off as stiff and robotic. You’ve beaten the anxiety problem but now come across as tedious. Prepare for the camera enough to where you feel comfortable but still feel genuine and engaging.

If you naturally find yourself frequently using your hands for emphasis in regular conversation, that’s great, use it. Are you more comfortable sitting to speak or standing? You’ll want to think it through beforehand. We’ll work with you to find the most comfortable setting which allows you to focus your energy on the material, rather than trying to curb or minimize natural mannerisms.

Shaping your Messages
At the root of a good shoot, we find those who film well are in alignment with the information that’s conveyed. That is, a clear vision and a strong message can go a long way toward dispelling camera-shy tendencies. Good messages are easier to remember and prepare for. And they then also contribute to a more confident, natural and camera-ready persona.

Again, we recommend spending some time going over the bullet points or script to really commit a good amount to memory. When you know what you want to say and how you want to say it, you eliminate more of the reasons you might feel camera nervous. Finally, on the day of the shoot, get to know and put trust into your video production agency. They’ve likely done this before and will be helping to show your best side.