9 Tips for Talking on Camera

For some people, speaking in front of an audience or even in front of a couple of people can be a really scary thing. Put those people in front of a camera, and it is even worse. There is something about talking to an inanimate object that can just be so incredibly awkward. We want to help you push through that today. We want your videos to be fun, creative pieces of marketing that really help spur on your business.

9 Tips for Talking on Camera (So You Look Comfortable — Even if You Aren’t)

Don’t Be Afraid of Messing Up

I am very comfortable speaking in front of large audiences, but when it comes to speaking in front of a camera, I find myself feeling really clammy and uncomfortable. For me, I am so afraid of messing up what I am going to say for fear of having to do the whole thing over again. And, the thing is that that is just silly. There are so many different editing softwares out there now, that it is pretty simple to stitch together multiple takes or to just cut out the mistakes.

Sometimes, if I mess up really badly on lines or stumble over my words, it actually helps me make a better take the second time. I think that once it is out of my system I just feel more comfortable going forward. Bottom line, messing up is not the end of the word. In fact, it makes the video a little more human-y.

Schedule Time for Multiple Retakes

If you have that intense fear of messing up, be sure that you schedule time in your filming session to do retakes. A one-and-done mentality can really cause lots of stress, and that stress can show through very clearly on camera. Be sure you give yourself time to prep yourself, do a couple of takes and rewatch some of the videos you took.

Practice Before the Camera is Rolling

If you don’t have space on your memory card for multiple takes or if you don’t have the video editing knowledge, you can work around this by practicing what you are going to say before the camera is even on. Set your camera up where you are going to be filming and talk into it as if it were on. This will help you feel more comfortable looking into the camera and talking to it. It is also a great way to practice running through what you are going to say!

Practice Talking in Front of a Mirror

If your camera is being used and you can’t practice talking in front of it, then here’s Plan C. Talk in front of your mirror. This is a great way for you to notice any awkward ticks you might have and to pay attention to your body language. Are you slouching or crossing your arms? Do you talk with your hands too much to the point that they are distracting?

It is also a great opportunity for you to practice listening to the sound of your own voice. For some people, they have heard their voice but never truly listened to it. So, when the camera is rolling and they hear themselves speak, it sounds awkward to them to listen to themselves. Be prepared for that kind of reaction by listening to your own voice while you are rehearsing.

Be Aware of Your Speaking Pace

As you are listening to your voice, pay attention to the pace you are speaking in. Are you talking really fast? Are you meandering through your topic? This is something you really need to pay attention to because if you are talking too fast, you are going to sound unnatural, and if you are talking to slow, you are going to bore people. If you need to do a couple of takes to find a comfortable pace, that is okay. Don’t be afraid to do your video multiple times.

Know Your Topic

Another tip for helping with pacing is to make sure that you know the topic you are going to be speaking on. If you know the general gist of what you are going to say, it will help you speak faster and more naturally because you won’t be fumbling through your topic.

On the flip side, do not memorize what you are going to say. That is going to make you sound robotic and over-rehearsed. You may end up talking too fast. When you memorize your speeches it also can put you in danger of losing your spot and forgetting everything you ever knew about your topic. So, know your topic don’t memorize your lines. If it helps, make bulleted lists of what you are going to talk about. We do that, and we love it!

Wear Something You Love

Watching yourself on camera can be really awkward. We are our own worst critics. So, something that you can do to help yourself feel a little more comfortable is to wear something that you feel really confident in. Watch out for crazy patterns that might be distracting, but otherwise, go for something you love.

Laugh Before You Start

If you are having trouble finding a comfortable place before filming starts, get yourself to laugh. It can really help you find a place of comfort before doing something that may be a little uncomfortable. So, if you need to watch a funny video or talk to someone about a silly story, do it. It can make a huge difference.

Smile

Be sure that you look inviting so that you can attract people to your video. It can be easy to forget to smile because, once again, you are talking to equipment. But, just do it. It will make a big difference in your videos.

Good luck to you as you further your video marketing efforts! Let us know if you have questions.