Very few people are comfortable on camera at first and a lot of us seldom ever get to the point where it feels natural to be on-screen talent. I am a behind-the-scenes technician by nature and my comfort zone is nowhere near being in front of the lens. I have had to learn to use a set of tools to get to the point where I am able to deliver a message to the camera and appear to be somewhat relaxed while doing it.

Fear is not useful unless you are really in danger

Anxiety when being recorded is one of those things that is easy to dismiss when you are doing something else, but it sure affects you when you are in the thick of it. You may have a similar reaction as I do and the sooner you find ways to cope with and overcome it, the better. I suggest these hints because I have found them to be effective in my personal experience with making videos.

Talk Slowly, most people need more time to understand what you mean. Do your best to be clearly understood even if you have to say things more than once.

Be emotional when you speak; people watching you will connect with that. Put your heart into your presentation.

One way to relax on camera is to imagine you are talking to a friend, you may need to practice this, but it works.

Use your head and touch the heart

Often how you speak is as important as what you say. When you are interested in quickly capturing the attention of people watching your videos, both the feeling as well as the intellectual message matter. The mind follows the heart, so it’s wise to lead with something that reaches for the soul of your viewers.

What comes naturally at first may not be best

Many people, like me, are nervous when they are on camera.  That can cause us to speak quickly because we just want to get through it, and hold back emotionally because we fear that we’ll act in a way we’ll regret later.  Those are barriers to communication. This is especially true when we do not have the advantage of immediate feedback from an audience.

Who I am:

I’m Philip Quintas and I make it easier for customers to trust you before and after they buy from you by creating simple videos that help you help more people.

If you want one-to-one help with making better videos, I can answer your questions and even write, shoot, edit, upload and promote videos for you or any combination of these services.  Sign up using the Email Address* and First Name* form on this website to get direct access to me, my experience and offerings.