We may be a video production company but so much of what we do at Fresh Ground Films involves the human side of filming.
When participants are relaxed and confident on camera, the finished video always feels more authentic and compelling
Its normal to experience a ‘fight or flight’ surge of adrenaline as you’re gearing up to appear on camera. You’re not alone if a dry throat, sweaty palms and flushed cheeks accompany your first forays into film-making. You might feel stilted and awkward on camera at first but like everything, practice really does make perfect and at Fresh Ground Films we are proven experts in putting people at ease.
The Fresh Ground Films approach to Video Confidence
We take a deliberately relaxed, unhurried approach to filming so that interviewees don’t feel pressured into giving a polished performance on the first take! A ‘slick’ over-prepared performance really shouldn’t be the main goal – none of us are BBC newsreaders so the more genuine you appear, the better
If you feel nervous, we’ll spend some time coaching you one-on-one to calm the nerves and bolster your confidence before we start. We also have a few technical tricks up our sleeves. We use a technology called EyeDirect that allows the person on camera to look at their interviewer via mirrored glass, instead of just looking down an empty lens. This gives a much more connected and conversational feel (and is also used on 24 Hours in A&E and Supervet!)
Also remember that the interview is only part of the visual story, there will be multiple camera angles and other b-roll footage to help with editing it all together, so we don’t need to get one continuous take of you speaking.
Once you’ve been filmed, you’ll be delighted that you had a go (and like many people we work with, you might even get a taste for starring in brand videos!). Next stop, YouTube influencer?!
Here are our Top 5 Tips for confidence on camera
1. Focus on what you’re saying, not how you look.
Turn your focus outwards. Instead of worrying about whether you’ve worn the right jacket or if you look too tired, focus on the message you’re trying to get across. Allow yourself to communicate the excitement or passion you feel for the subject matter and you’ll soon forgot about your appearance. You don’t want to sound too rehearsed but it can help to practice saying a few of your key points out loud before filming day.
2. Remember to breathe
Sounds simple, but many people don’t! When we feel a bit stressed, we often do shallow breathing from the chest. To calm yourself down before filming starts, take some long, slow deep breaths from deep in your abdomen to calm down and regulate your nervous system.
3. Speak more slowly than you think you should
When we’re nervous we tend to rattle through our words to get it over with. Try to speak deliberately more slowly than feels natural and you’ll be surprised that it seems like a normal pace when you watch it back. Try to avoid a monotone delivery, be energetic in your speech and use different tones and emphasis to add interest to your words. Pause between sentences so that each point is delivered clearly.
4. Stand/sit up straight
Good posture communicates confidence and enthusiasm so try to stand up straight. Its fine to use your hands to emphasis a point as long as you don’t wave them around too much as the camera magnifies every small gesture. Dress comfortably but avoid loud, clashing patterns and prints that may detract from what you’re saying. Remember that authenticity resonates with viewers so if your participant works on a farm, don’t suddenly insist that they wear a suit for filming!
5. Stay hydrated
Drinking water before you appear on camera will stop your throat feeling dry, allow you to pronounce your words better and speak for longer
Last but not least have fun!
Filmmaking is exciting and a chance to showcase your brand or project creatively to a wide audience. If you feel positive and excited about making your video, that will translate on camera and viewers will pick up on your enthusiasm. Like everything, the more you put in, the more you will get out.
Get in touch to talk more about your filming project
With our camera expertise and years of filmmaking experience, we can help your organisation to compete on a regional, national and global scale.
