Camcorder Technique for Product Presenters And Business People
By Lawrence Benedict
Getting Comfortable in Front of the Camera
If you are the open and gregarious type who is completely unfazed by stepping in front of a camcorder when that little red light is blinking, your main task will be to make sure you are in control of your material and, also, your surroundings. Most of us, however, fall somewhere between total aplomb and paralyzing self-consciousness.
Actors rehearse over and over again, before going in front of anyone.
Some spend years learning to overcome stage fright. Everyone’s heard the stories about
shy actors who panic before performances; then once they hit the stage they’re fine.
Self-consciousness is something that can be controlled, harnessed, and usually cured. The camcorder is not scrutinizing you. The camcorder is a tool like a pen or a phone. You are in control of it. You use it to communicate your thoughts to others. It represents freedom for you, not constraint.
Nonactors can be even more distressed by something about their appearance that
dissatisfies them. They may think their nose is too big or their hair is too thin or their
right side is better than their left side. If you suffer from these feelings, it’s comforting to realize that no one notices these things but you. Your presence is determined by your
degree of relaxation, your understanding of your subject, the depth of your conviction,
and an appropriate sense of humor.
Dressing for an On-Camcorder Presentation
Intricate patterns and herringbone jackets should be avoided and it’s best to stay away
from white. The auto iris, when in use, reads the brightest area in the picture and stops
down (or reduces the brightness) accordingly. This means that your face will appear to be too dark. Wearing a color that is a shade or two darker than your skin tone is the best bet. Otherwise, being attractively dressed with a neat appearance is really your only concern.
To this end, it’s good to bring a friend or assistant along to check your hair and make up and to see that your clothes do not become disheveled. If you are wearing a jacket, be sure it is pulled down at the back so a big fold does not appear across the shoulders. For men who will be seated, it’s a good idea to wear knee-high socks. With ankle-length
socks, trousers can ride up, flashing a distractingly pale shin that the camcorder tends to exaggerate.
Putting your hands in your pockets pulls your jacket open and makes you look
disheveled, distracting the viewer from your message. Using pockets is often a way to
conceal nervousness or self-consciousness. Practice leaving your hands and arms loosely at your sides and using them to gesture, the way you would if you were in a normal conversation.
Getting Used to Being On Camera
If you are, to some degree, camera-shy and know in advance that you will be presenting, or appearing on camera, get out your home camcorder and begin to develop a relationship with it. You can work with it at home, alone, or in your office.
Don’t practice your planned presentation with it, at this point, because you don’t want to rehearse nervousness into your performance or let the material become stale. Use almost any other subject to drain off your nervousness. Visualize the imaginary person you’re talking to as being right inside the lens, as if it were a window. Also, visualize your imaginary audience enjoying your communication.
Don’t bother to write a script for your practice sessions, work with a subject that you
know. The idea is to become comfortable enough to think freely in front of the
camcorder, similar to what you may have achieved with public speaking.
No one ever needs to see your practice performance but you. As a result you can loosen
up. Let go. Shake your hands around. Shake your shoulders. Relax. Let yourself be a little foolish, notice that it doesn’t matter. Use your remote to stop and start the camcorder.
You don’t need to look at everything you shoot, forget about it until you’ve recorded
something you feel you’d really like to see.
If you’re working on overcoming self-consciousness, do your practicing alone. You don’t need the extra pressure of an audience at this point. You’ll know when you want to show your new skills off to someone. Then, bring in a friend to run the camcorder for you. Let them know that you’re just practicing and you plan to make mistakes. It’s important to keep the exercise fun. This goes for the day of the actual shoot, as well. Unless there’s a studio audience, you’re free to just do another take. It could take plenty of takes to get it right and there’s no need to castigate yourself or apologize. Everyone does multiple takes, that’s how the process works.
Scripts, Teleprompters and Cue Cards
Once you’re ready to shoot the actual video, it’s best to know your presentation so well
that scripts, teleprompters and cue cards are unnecessary. If you are unable to work
without using a script, give yourself time to learn it backwards and forwards. If you
cannot avoid reading, use a teleprompter that fits over the lens and, only as a last resort, use cue cards. Cue cards are least distracting if they are placed below or above the lens, rather than at the side. Always memorize the first and last lines and say them straight into the lens.
Make-Up and Hair
Women can use street make-up, applied a little more heavily than usual, to make up for
any video lights that might be in use. Study your make-up on the monitor to be sure you are satisfied with it. Some women hire a professional make-up person for important presentations. Avoid hairstyles that consist of a large bun or knot on top of your head; the camcorder person will have trouble framing you.
For men, a little powder is all that’s necessary, especially to reduce shine from perspiration. Even if you don’t hire a professional, it’s important to delegate the job of watching for shine and unruly hair to someone.
Oh, and as a last suggestion? It’s okay to smile!
Lawrence Benedict is a published author, videographer and Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Editor/Trainer.
His book “How to Shoot Better Home Videos – Help from the Hollywood Pros,” can be
purchased from Amazon.
