So, you’ve been asked to be videotaped for your company, your organization, or your association. Here are some tips to help you get through.
First of all, relax and act natural. Of course, there’s nothing relaxing about have lights, cameras, microphones and a couple of strangers staring at you to to make that easy, but keep in mind, everyone in the room is on your side and we’re here to make you look good.
There are usually two ways an interview will be filmed. You'll either speak to the interviewer and the camera will capture the interview from the side. Or you'll speak directly to the camera. Either way, Interviews with an interviewer, meaning you won’t have to speak directly into the camera lens, so keep your attention focused on the person asking the questions. You’ll find that by doing that, you’ll become less aware of the camera. Concentrate on making eye contact with the interviewer and smile. It’s natural to think about your answer, and it’s natural to correct yourself in mid-sentence. If you pause to think, try to look down - not up. This gives the appearance that you’re gathering your thoughts, and not rolling your eyes.
Keep in mind, it’s ok to mess up, we just won’t use that part. Say what you mean, and if you flub it, we’ll just have you say what you mean again. Have fun, smile and know that the editor will use your best take.
It’s best to wear solid colors. Mid-range to darker colors look especially good on camera. Try to avoid busy patterns like stripes, and if it’s not your company or organization’s logo, you probably want to avoid that, too. If you’re not sure, bring along a couple of different options and we’ll help you chose the one that will work best.
We’ll remind you, but you’ll want to turn off your cell phone. And you might want to remove any loose change from your pockets.
For many reasons, it can get warm during an on-camera interview. The lights can be hot. Sometimes the air conditioning will be turned off so that we capture the best sound. So guys, be sure to wash your face before coming to the interview - this will help reduce the naturals oils of your face and keep you from looking too shiny. In addition, we’ll often apply a clear gel product to reduce any shine you might have. For ladies, apply your usual daytime makeup. You might want to bring along your lipstick for touch-ups and if you have a translucent powder you prefer, bring that, too. We’ll make sure you’re not glistening under the hot lights.
Oh, and keep in mind, it’s ok to mess up. We just won’t use it.
You’ll be given your questions in advance, but please don’t come with your answers memorized. We’re interested in capturing the story naturally, authentically and in a conversational style. You can prepare what it is you’d like to cover, but this isn’t a test or even a pop quiz. You can always refer to your notes between takes, and if you’ve missed something you really wanted to be sure to include, just let us know and we’ll make sure we capture it.
The best way to think about an on-camera interview of this kind is that you’re talking to a new friend about the topic at hand. We’ll be talking to you about things you’re already interested in and probably know a lot about, so we’re way ahead of the game, since that will come across on camera. However, the interviewer’s questions won’t be heard by the viewer. So, you’ll want to incorporate the question into your answer. For instance, if your on-camera reply to the interviewer’s question is, “Yes, fourteen years,” viewers won’t really understand. But if you incorporate the question into your answer and say, “I’ve been a member of the association for fourteen years and it’s been a great way to keep up with changes in the industry,” then viewers will get the whole story.
Oh, and in case we haven’t mentioned it, keep in mind, you will mess up. You’ll stumble. You’ll stutter. You’ll forget a date or a name or get your facts wrong or you’ll get tongue-tied or you’ll just go blank for a moment. It’s ok. Everyone who’s on-camera does the same thing. We’ll have you pick up, or start over, or the interviewer will re-phrase the question. It’s part of the process, we expect it, and we can tell you that the editor just simply won’t use that part.