How to Be Confident on Camera? 5 Tips That Will Help You To Not Be Camera Shy

If you are developing eLearning or an online course, you may have to spend time on camera recording video content. Not used to talking to an object, many beginners wonder how to be confident on camera. After all, being on camera can be very intimidating, especially if you haven’t done it before. The following five tips will help you stay confident and relaxed while presenting your content. 

Tip #1. Prepare 

You should always prepare before recording content for your eLearning course. Just like you prepare before a presentation, prepare before the video. Remember that you won’t have an audience keeping you engaged and active. 

Part of preparing means coming up with an outline for the video. Every video should have an introduction, three to five main points, and a conclusion or transition. Do your best to decide what these are, at least as bullet points. 

For more in-depth tips on preparing for a lightboard video shoot, check out this blog post. 

Tip #2. Visualize Success

Before you start recording, sit down and remove all of the distractions. Close your eyes and visualize yourself going through all of the videos and being successful. This will help you feel more confident. 

Tip #3. Don’t Force Yourself to Be a One-Take Wonder 

One of the most important parts of how to be confident on camera is to be realistic and acknowledge that you don’t need to be a one-take wonder. There is absolutely no reason that you need to do everything perfectly in a single shot. This can be hard to embrace, especially at first, but it is important. If you make a mistake, just keep going. 

Remember that you will be editing every single video you record, at least to some extent. With modern editing software, it is incredibly easy to combine different takes. Record as many videos as you need to get a complete set of great content. It won’t be from the same take and doesn’t have to be. 

Tip #4. Be Yourself 

When you get in front of the camera, be yourself. You don’t have to act like you’re following a script or be like an actor. Instead, be yourself. This will make it easier for you and boost your confidence. 

Remember that you are the one in the video for a reason. You are the subject matter expert, and the person learners want to learn from. Your learners are investing in you and want to hear from you, so be yourself. 

Part of this means being willing to change things as you go. After all, remember that if you don’t like the change, you can adjust it in the edit. 

Tip #5. Start with the Easiest Content 

You may have heard to start with the hardest task so you can get it over with. We suggest the opposite as a way of how to be confident on camera. Think of this as turning the easiest content into a warmup. Simply put, starting with the easiest content will get you used to being in front of the camera and show you how easy the process is. And even if you start with the easiest content, remember that you can reshoot it if necessary. There will be a learning curve, and that is natural. 

Conclusion

You can improve your confidence behind the camera by preparing, visualizing success, being yourself, accepting it doesn’t have to be done in a single take, and starting with the easiest content. From there, you should notice your confidence growing.