Jake and Jonathan go over some notes before a shoot.
Most people spend very little time in front of a video camera and even those that do occasionally experience difficulty getting their message across. Most companies don’t have the budget to hire actors for their web videos so more often than not talent is sourced from employees. This is great because it is (a) cheap and (b) lends an air of authenticity – the person speaking believes in and understands the subject of the video.
Even the most camera shy can learn to be comfortable during their 15 minutes of fame with the right tools. Here are three steps to making sure your on air talent delivers a comfortable, well rehearsed performance.
- Be prepared. Very few people can improv their way around a topic, so before filming starts, get a rough script down on paper. You don’t want the line delivery to sound forced, so create a general outline of topics you want to hit and rehearse with the subject. This way the answers come out organically and you can ensure that you’ve covered all the bases you want to with your outline.
- Block out a lot of time. Most people aren’t actors. Delivering lines to a camera is a daunting task for many. It’ll take a bit of time to ease your subject into behaving naturally on camera. It’s easy to get frustrated because a shoot is running over time. Solve this by making sure you have more time allotted than you think you’ll need.
- Have a friendly face nearby. When people are being filmed they need assurance that they are giving a good performance. Have someone along who can alleviate the tension of the shoot. A friendly coworker, someone in the office who can make everyone laugh. Laughter will relax your subject and make for a much better performance.
As with many things, the key to making your subject feel comfortable lies mostly in preparation. Invest time getting things ready before the shoot and you’ll be on your way to a great web video in no time!
