Increase your confidence on camera with these 10 tricks
You've put up your lighting, hit [rec] your preferred camera then... you could not feel more scared. If you're filming something on your own the feeling of freezing up, having trouble in your speech, or feeling uncomfortable with your camera is incredibly common.
However, gaining confidence with your camera is crucial to make an impact in our video-forward world, both from the inside and outside. "Being assured on camera is a skill that will be useful in any area of your life," says an entrepreneur and productivity specialist Ali Abdaal. "I've definitely found that having done the training for talking to cameras has helped me increase my confidence and self-confidence in the real world as well."
Ten stress-tested methods to make you be (and look) more confident on camera
It's totally normal to feel weird when you're directly speaking to a camera. However, there are numerous strategies and techniques that could break down those barriers and ease your anxiety. Ahead of your next onscreen appearance, read our advice on how you can master your camera presence throughout the entire production process.
Then, before you shoot
1. Create the atmosphere
If you're lacking others' energy to tap into, it's easy to seem a little low-energy. A good listen to your favourite pump-up song will give your mood a little nudge, which can naturally increase your mood as you settle down to take a picture. Extra points if you perform a song - it'll serve double duty to loosen you up and get warm in your vocal box.
While you're there, clear your surroundings of distractions. It's incredible how an unintentional Slack ping or phone call could distract you from your game. Choose a peaceful spot at home or in the office, and set that tech to do not disturb so that you can focus completely when recording.
2. Make it look nice
Set your background set up. Check your backdrop for color, lighting and general aesthetics. Choose a place within your office or home that's visually interesting, but isn't distractions. It's a pleasure to find a corner near a bookcase or any other comfy backdrop to add texture without distracting from your real focus, which is you!
Dress comfortably, but keep it basic. In general, the solid color is best for a cameras. However, you must choose clothing makes you feel the most comfortable. You won't be fidgeting with your collar or bouncing around in your chair.
3. Prepare what you're planning to be saying.
The mileage you get will likely depend on the type of preparation you'll need to complete prior to sitting in front of the camera. For certain people, a comprehensive outline is all you need to feel confident when recording. Others, a basic logline is enough to stay on track.
Every person is different, however it is recommended to create a bulleted outline of your presentation to permit the speaker to communicate naturally, without wandering off or forgetting your main details.
"A majority of YouTubers prefer to create their videos according to a specific format," says YouTuber Vanessa Lau. "Over time, what I've realized is the best approach is a bullet-point technique. It means I'm aware of at a minimum a handful of distinct areas of focus, and since I can easily see that in my writing this makes it much harder for me to drift off."
4. Practice with the camera off
The mere act of turning the camera on can result in the heart rate to increase and sweaty palms. To minimize this feeling, run through your outline in front of the camera prior to pressing record. It will not only help ease you into the actual process of recording, but it also helps you identify any problems with the script, so that you are able to fix the issues before you roll tape.
During your shooting
5. Speak to one person
Any speech writer or public speaker who is worth their salt is aware that before planning to speak to any kind of group of people is crucial to understand exactly who you're speaking to. Whether you're filming a video update for your coworkers or creating content for TikTok, having a strong idea of the people who are looking at your video - as well as how you'd speak to them - gives you the greatest chance of capturing and keeping the attention of your audience.
When you've identified the people who will be watching your video and you know who your audience is, be more specific and consult a confidence coach Chalene Johnson advises talking to only one individualwhen making your film. "Whenever you're filming it, I do not think of all of the people who are gonna watch it, I think of just one individual," she says. "It's simple to be authentic and feel comfortable."
6. You can try using a remoteprompter
Even as a seasoned pro, speaking without any kind of cueing is incredibly difficult. But using cards or staring at your laptop screen might disrupt your connection to the camera, which can create distractions for both you and your audience. Teleprompters can be a wonderful method to secure your recordings and not require card shuffling or memory. This'll help to keep your bullet points at the forefront of mind whether you're giving a flawless speech or just a quick report for your team.
7. Change your fear into excitement
However well you prepare, there will be a bit of nervousness during recording will be present. In order to harness that energy we suggest reframing these physical manifestations of anxiety as excitement. Since those physical sensations, like increased heart rate, tension in the chest, and throat are connected with both emotions, attempt to tell your brain and body the sensations you're feeling are a result of being exuberant to speak and not scared. (You may be amazed at how well it works.)
8. Mind your body language and your eyeline
In real world, body language is key to communicating confidence. Keep an eye on these three things when filming the next clip.
Watch the line of your eyes. Talking to a camera is somewhat odd. Eyes are accustomed to dart around the room, or look down at your fingers. Try, however, to keep eye contact with the camera to ensure that your viewer(s) at the forefront of your attention.
Use the hands. When filming in an upright position, you can boost the impact of your film by moving your hands about the middle of your body while you speak. This adds dynamism to your final product and keep you from looking unnatural.
Make sure you smile when speaking. One way to kick your on-camera energy up a gear is to increase your smile's corners when delivering your message. The smile doesn't have to be a full teeth-baring grin, but having a smile while speaking your message could go a long way. "It appears fake at first," says Ali Abdaal. "But it genuinely appears more assertive."
9. It's time to slow it down
It's perfectly normal to finish your film in the shortest time possible. However, this could lead to you rushing through your script, or appearing stressed in front of the camera. Be sure to take a breath (even doing a short breathing exercise before hitting record can help!) And try speaking slowly so you don't rush through the message.
Following your shooting
10. Review your work in a non-critical manner.
As with any other skill, gaining on-camera confidence is all about practicing, practicing, and practice. Like an athlete who reviews their gameday footage and rewatching your content to see the things you could alter and what you like regarding your recent video. Take a moment to clock any verbal ticks or mannerisms that might be distracting for the future viewers. But do not forget to be nice to yourself. This is a great opportunity to sharpen your skills and don't beat yourself up!
The final point is about on-camera confidence
If you follow the above tips, it can get you well in the direction of the state of confidence in your camera Do not worry about not being flawless. Everyone has their own unique screen presence - learning what yours is (and acknowledging it!) is one of the best strategies to increase your self-confidence in the future. Now get out there and smash your next video!