How to Look Good on Camera and Improve Your DIY Video Production

It’s amazing how you start to question everything once your finger is hovering over that record button.

“Do I look okay?”

“Is this going to be worth watching?”

“What if I get something wrong?”

Those are just a very small selection of the nagging doubts you may have about filming yourself, and trust us, we know all about them AND more.

But here’s the thing – a lot of the time, it’s super easy to put some of these worries to bed. And those that are a little more persistent? Time and practice work wonders for them.

So what can you do to build your confidence and become a better presenter for your DIY video production?

Luckily for you, we have some tips and tricks that’ll help.

It sounds obvious, but a lot of the time, just being familiar with the information you’re trying to deliver makes a big difference. Knowing the key points about your content will help to keep you on-track with your message and will massively improve your on-screen presence because you will be more at-ease with what you’re saying.

You can work from a script entirely, or just bullet point a few prompts to refer back to. The main thing is making sure that what people see in your videos shows what you know in real life. Remember, YOU are the expert, and people are watching your video because you are an authority on a subject they want to know more about. Work it!

Whatever it is you’re talking about, don’t rush! A common mistake a lot of first-time presenters make is speaking far too quickly. This makes it hard for your target audience to keep up and absorb what it is you’re trying to say. Of course, if you consider the objectives of any marketing content, most of the time you’ll be looking to educate and inform your audience, which is hard to do if the information is flowing too fast.

Another thing to avoid is information overload. If you deliver too much in a small period, it can over-complicate even the most basic concepts, which can see your viewers retain very little info at all. Make sure you’re concise in your delivery, expanding a little on each of your key points, but always linking back to the overall objective of your content each time.

Talking to camera is one of the biggest challenges to people trying their hand at presenting. It’s a very unnatural thing to do, especially if you’re filming yourself, because then there’s not even someone operating the camera to listen to you.

The key is to pretend. If you can imagine you’re speaking to someone else in the room, it can make a huge difference to your delivery. It will look and feel more natural and may even start to work on your connection with the viewer as you’re not just speaking to an object anymore.

Take a second to imagine you’re watching an explainer video presented by someone who may as well be a cardboard cut-out because their on-screen presence is so stiff. Realistically, how long is it going to be before you switch off from that, regardless of how good the actual content is?

Being animated and looking enthusiastic about what you’re talking about goes a long way in making your videos more watchable. It can inject life into concepts, and seeing as there are plenty of industries where the content can be a little dry, a lively presenter is a massive plus-point.

This is a bit of an expansion on the point we just made above, but in the same way that being animated can help your audience get into your videos, a smile is another small but miraculous way to keep viewers tuned in.

It also works wonders for you as the presenter as well because it will lift the whole piece. It’s hard to smile and sound downbeat when you’re talking. Again, it’s a small, seemingly insignificant adjustment to make, but you will be amazed by the difference you’ll see in your videos.

The beauty of recording videos is that you can re-shoot and edit them as much as you like. So guess what? Whenever you fumble a line, or think something could be worded better, or you could be more energetic in your delivery, you can re-do it and get rid of anything that you don’t like.

Mistakes are a part of life. They help us to learn what to do and what not to do; what we like and what we don’t like. Making mistakes will only improve your video content in the long-run, and seeing as you have full control over what makes the final cut anyway, you should feel free to make as many mistakes as you like.

Making sure you’re drinking enough water generally is a good point to take note of, but it does make a difference to your videos. Being well-hydrated will help you to deliver your lines better. They’ll roll off of the tongue and sound crisper and clearer. Plus, you will just feel better because you’re taking care of yourself, and if you’re feeling good, odds are you’ll look good too.

On a similar note, if you’re someone who finds themselves stumbling over words a lot, you might want to try some basic vocal warm-ups before you dive into filming. Not only will they help with your delivery, but they can be quite fun to do, and will go a long way in loosening up your entire performance.

Whether you’re creating videos for your sales funnel or putting together an ad campaign to run on social media, these tips and tricks will help you to come across better in your content. They might just give you a much-needed confidence boost, or you might take a completely different approach to how you appear on camera. Whatever action you take, the main thing to remember is you will look so much better on-screen, and as long as you keep on making videos, they will only continue to improve, and that will work wonders for your marketing campaigns as a whole.