Most YouTube videos begin with the infamous, "Hi guys, welcome back to my YouTube channel." This statement is typically accompanied by a cheerful smile and a quick wave of the YouTuber's hand. First question in mind “How to be confident on camera?”
However, shooting a full course on camera is a whole other ball game. The creator must add an extra bit of seriousness to ensure the content feels professional and make the course creator appear like an authority in the subject.
Someone can come up with a super course on paper but lack the confidence to turn it into a video. This is rather unfortunate as video e-courses are a massive part of e-learning.
Different formats of learning or creative ways of adding value are some of the trends in the world of e-learning. Video contents form a massive part of these.
If you said yes to most of the questions above, then this post is for you.
We've got practical tips that will help you to shoot the best video for your e-course.
Here's what you need to know
Back to basics…kind of
The age-old trick of picturing everyone in an assembly naked to help with stage fright might not work here.
For starters, there's nobody in the audience. It's just you and your camera. Unless you can picture your Sony camcorder or GoPro 'naked', you're better off coming up with a new strategy.
However, it's not completely bad advice. You could twist it to a more practical idea. Imagine there's actually someone, a tiny person, living inside your camera.
Then, talk as if you are having an actual conversation with them. If this still feels too mechanical for you, invite your friend to sit behind the camera. This should kind of feel like you have a one on one session.
You're probably comfortable with your course, be sure to pick someone you are equally as comfortable with, so the entire process feels natural.
Use bullet points
Bulleting your points will provide you with a draft that will help you feel better on camera. It will drastically cut down on the 'ums' and pauses.
It also makes editing your videos that much easier. Try to keep it brief. It's not meant to be a teleprompter.
It's best if you were explaining your topic rather than reading it out like an audiobook. Just make concise bullet points, glance at them, and speak from the heart.
After all, it's your course; no one in the world knows it better than you do. Let that shine through to your audience.
Practice
Practice makes perfect. And we don't just mean talking to yourself in the bathroom. Take it seriously. Dress up, set up your camera, and shoot some parts of your e-course. Do it as if you're shooting the real thing.
Watch the video afterward. You can recruit a friend to watch it with you to get fresh eyes and honest feedback on it.
Also, pick out the things you would like to change and work on improving them.
Sometimes, the knowledge you practiced and put in some extra effort may be just what you need to feel more confident in your abilities.
Get comfortable
Ask anyone who vlogs and has to go outside to film in public. A high number of creators would attest to the fact that doing this makes them feel rather shy and awkward. They've got people staring at them and possibly whispering to themselves.
Find a place where you're comfortable. But make sure the background will not be distracting to your audience.
We recommend a familiar building instead of you getting an entirely new place, comfortable or not.
At least, for now, that you are still starting. Once you can hold your own in front of a camera, you can begin to explore new environments for shooting.
Think about your audience
There is no intention to put any undue pressure on you whatsoever. However, you are a course creator; the measure of your success is how much of your course can students understand and retain.
Studies show that viewers can retain a whopping 95% of a message when it comes to a video. [1] There are little wonder videos are such a massive part of e-learning.
With that in mind, if you genuinely want to help your students, putting your courses into video format is the way to go.
Think about them. Young and older people are looking up to you for knowledge. You should draw some inspiration from that fact and be able to step up to the task.
Get a coach
Some people think shooting a video is as simple as sitting in front of a camera and pushing the 'ON' button.
These people will probably think getting a coach is a waste of money. One thing's for sure, getting a coach is NOT a waste of resources.
Think of it as an investment. The better your videos are, the more likely you will have people pay for your courses or subscribe to new content from you.
This coach will likely give you a few tips to change the 'video shooting game' for you. From learning ways to leverage your eye focus, voice, and body language to finding better ways of connecting with your audience, you can rest assured that this will help you improve significantly.
Hire a video editor
You might be new to the whole video scene. Focus on building your confidence in front of a camera for now. Leave the experts to handle the technical stuff.
This 'expert' could also be an editor and a 'Video Guy.' They could help you with lighting, sound, and others.
Also, with how time-consuming video editing can be, the thought of doing it could even add to your stress levels.
With an editor, you should be able to cover more ground in less time and even complete a full course or two in a short period.
Plan ahead
It depends on the style of your course. Is it a personal development course that requires weekly installments? Is it a diet course that comes with daily recipes and such?
Figure these things out before your filming day.
Start by creating a course outline for filming. You must have made one for your students' learning purposes. This one will be different. It will help you research appropriately and figure out the logistics of filming.
It's all about making the entire process, from planning to filming to uploading, easier for you.
Set aside a day for shooting
You could designate this day as your 'filming day'. Even with a video guy, the process of shooting can still be tiring and cumbersome.
If your course requires a whiteboard or other props, you will need to get all of them out and setup. Imagine doing that every time you need to shoot a video. The thought alone could add to your anxiety levels.
However, if you have one day dedicated to filming, you could set up at once and film as many sessions as possible.
That way, you can leverage yourself, your time, and your resources better. If you feel confident in the back-end aspect of your course creation, the chances are that you will feel confident in front of the camera.
Take a course “How to be confident on camera?”
Yes, yes, it sounds a bit weird. But hey! The teacher was once a student.
Besides, your course is probably something you are an expert in. If you believe people who aren't great at it need to try to learn it, then there's no reason for you to feel awkward about taking a course.
There's a ton of Media Training courses on LinkedIn.Udemy and Coursera. Find one that targets your exact problems and take. It's an investment in your business, so don't skimp out on it.
Bonus tip
You're just camera shy, not a bad teacher. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take it one step at a time until you get the hang of it. Even movie directors often run several takes before they reach the perfect scene.
Delete your bad takes and move on with your shoot until you have the right one. But don't get hung up on getting it 'perfect.'
All you have to do is your best. Just do a good job, and your students will be sure to do well in your course.
Last one for “How to be confident on camera?”
Finally, be yourself. Let your videos reflect your style. Trying to copy people will make it harder for you to get into your comfort zone faster.
Be consistent in your efforts, and you will be sure to see positive results.
Good luck!
References
55 video marketing statistics for 2020. Biteable. https://biteable.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics/. Accessed: 04-12-2020.
