You have just scheduled your appointment for a video shoot. You may be asking yourself “What kind of questions will they be asking?” “Will I stumble a lot?” “What am I going to wear?” All of this while thinking about sitting with a camera in your face and the lights shining down on you. This is normal and with a little preparation, these worries will fade away. Here are some tips to get ready for the day and knock some of that nervousness away.
Looking From Another Angle
You may see this video shoot as a nightmare, especially if you are not used to public speaking or generally talking about yourself. It’s actually much simpler than that. Typically, a video bio shoot includes a very small crew (sometimes even one person) who will be in the room with you. Try to keep in mind that this isn’t a public speaking affair but a conversation between you and the producer. Think about how easy it is to talk to friends about your daily life and your experiences. It’s more or less all about having a conversation about where you have been, who you are, and why you do what you do.
Being Gentle With Yourself
Our minds like to play tricks on us. We live in a society where we are quick to say sorry and think negatively about ourselves even if it means we are doing the best. During the shoot, there are going to be times when there will be retakes or do-overs. Don’t take this personally, it’s part of the process. The producer may just want to get the best answer or response out of you so that your story pieces together both consistently and confidently. Being gentle with yourself to make mistakes helps get the best delivery out of yourself. The producer will always be patient with you no matter what because at the end of the day, they want your story to shine the best.
Prepping For Yourself
Preparing for a video bio shoot is similar to how you may have prepared for exams in school or for a job interview. The same “study ahead” principle is applied to doing something such as talking on camera. Think about some of the things you want your audience to know about yourself. This is your moment to really share your stories and experiences that highlight you! One of the best ways you can do this is to make note cards or write out responses. It helps in structuring how you want to approach a certain topic and how to organize your thoughts on defining them. The same can be used in your video bio about yourself. Share some facts about yourself and write them out. That way you make a plan about what you think sounds great and how you want to structure out your response. It will make you more confident in your answers which in turn will make your story flow better for your audience.
Practice Makes Perfect
You would be surprised how much practice really helps. The more you do something the more comfortable and familiar you get. One of the best ways to prepare for the shoot is to practice saying what you would like to say on camera. You can do this in many ways such as: talking to a friend, talking to a mirror, or maybe even a pet. We may not be actors who do talking on camera for a living but one way we can be more comfortable in getting into that space is by practicing. It’s like jumping into a pool, it’s going to be cold at first but as you continue jumping in it’s going to become warmer and natural to you. This will help get you into the rhythm on the shoot day of being in the space and mindset. On shoot day as you progress through questions you will see how comfortably you will get over time so make sure you get some practice in. Actors and actresses also have to practice doing what they do well!
In Conclusion
Being prepared is typically the best way to be more confident on shoot days. There is no issue in contacting the producers about questions they may ask on shoot day. If you can get the questions earlier it can help you plan and prep so that you have an idea of how you want to tell your story. The more time you can prep ahead the better grounded you will be in your answers. Most importantly at the end of the day be gentle with yourself. We are going to make mistakes and we aren’t going to hit the nail on the head on our first attempts. But when we allow ourselves to be open to making mistakes, that’s when we open ourselves to the biggest changes.
At Points Group, we have over 20 years of experience creating compelling stories through imaginative cinematography. Contact us today to learn how we can help create engaging content for you.
