Planning a video that will include on-camera interviews? You might get some hesitation when you send out that email request to camera-shy participants.
Maybe you are the one who is being interviewed on camera and are having second thoughts.
We get it. Not everyone wants a moment in the spotlight! In this vlog post, our production team shares a few tips to help your participants prepare for an on-camera interview to help them feel more prepared and more comfortable.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Wardrobe:
Stay away from things with stripes or busy patterns. There may be certain colors that we don’t want you to wear on a shoot. If you’re going to be photographed on a green screen you might not want to wear green or else we’ll be able to see through your body. – Ken Schellin
Don’t rehearse:
If you rehearse your answers, you may come across as very stilted and “oh this is what I wanted to say and I want to make sure I say it properly” and it’s going to sound unnatural. You really want to come across as yourself, human! – Gael Garbarino
Don’t be afraid of makeup:
For the men, don’t be afraid of a little makeup. You’d be amazed at what a little bit of powder can do for your face. – Angela DePons
Complete sentences:
Being interviewed is a lot like being on the TV show Jeopardy, you have to incorporate the question into your answer. For example if we ask, ‘how’s the weather today?’, don’t just say ‘fine’, because that’s not good for editing. Instead, say something like ‘the weather is fine’. Think in complete sentences and you will have a spectacular interview. – Lance Miller
Wave your hands in the air:
What do you do with your hands? Go ahead…use them! Using your hands actually adds a little bit of energy to your presentation. If you talk with your hands, you’ll do it without even knowing it; try not to think about it and you’ll be OK. – Rich Schmig & Trevor Wright
A word about broccoli. Just don’t. – Bruce Gibb
Making mistakes is normal:
Don’t worry about stumbling or making a mistake on camera. The bottom line is if you look and sound great, so will the finished video! We have no problem re-shooting to help you get past your jitters. We do that all the time! – Gael Garbarino
Have fun!
Don’t be too nervous. If you’re working with the people at Plum, we can assure you that we’re very nice, friendly people and we’ll make it as easy as possible. Be prepared to have fun and have a good time with it. Just roll with it.
- Ken Schellin & Rich Schmig
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Originally published January 17, 2017 | Updated March 21, 2019