Tips for Being on Camera

Even though video is on the rise, and a lot of people are starting to feel comfortable making their own videos for social media, being in front of the camera can still be intimidating. This is especially the case when you’re working with a professional video team and are suddenly sitting in front of multiple cameras and lights and a room full of people. But fear not- I have a list of tips and tricks to make sure you are feeling confident and looking great on camera!

First and foremost, let’s talk about wardrobe. Putting a few extra minutes into considering what you’ll be wearing on camera can go a long way. If you aren’t wearing a work uniform, you’ll want to dress in something that matches the style of your video that you feel comfortable in. Depending on your company culture, you may be dressing casually or professionally. Usually, you can plan on wearing your typical work attire, unless given other instructions. You also want to avoid thin stripes in your clothes or tight patterns, this can create what is called moiré, which is when it appears that the stripes are moving or spinning on camera.

People are always asking me, “Can you Photoshop my interview? I don’t love the way I look on camera.” While AI has certainly come a long way in terms of editing people on camera, there’s no easy way to change the way you look in a video like it is to photoshop a single picture. You have to think, video is 24 frames per second, so that would be photoshopping 24 photos per second of screen time- that’s a lot! But fear not, I have a two things that go a long way in terms of looking your best on camera. Sit up straight and smile. That’s it! By making sure you are sitting or standing up straight, your posture looks nice, you appear more approachable and more engaged in your interview. Adding in a smile while you’re talking or once you finish talking does wonders in the editing room. Speaking of editing…

Don’t get flustered over little mistakes. Everyone has a hard time being on camera, and no one does a perfect job reading their lines or answering interview questions. Have you seen the blooper reels and outtakes from movies?? And those people are professionals! Editing is a wonderful thing, and it happens to be my favorite part of the video production process. So if you make a mistake, just take a moment and restart, no big deal!