15 ways to (fearlessly) shine on video

Feel awkward on camera? Here’s how to own it – and make every second count.

We all fear the camera. Will I make a fool of myself? How will the people I want to impress see me? Those might be just two of the questions churning in your mind.

Fears aside, short-form videos of less than 60 seconds are a brilliant way to engage, be seen and build trust with your audience.

Here are my 15 rules to performing at your best. Read them. Take them in. Then feel free to break them – apart from No 4 (practice, practice, practice) and No 8 (breath low and deep).

Just do it, and have fun!

1. Be clear about the 'why'

In most cases when doing a video for your website or for social, you' have less than 60 seconds to tell your story. Make every word count.

Answer these two questions before you start:

a) Why am I doing this video?

b) Who is my audience?

"The less you offer, the more people understand" – Mark Dailey, author of ‘A Leader's Guide to Storytelling’

2. Hook the viewer

You have three seconds to hook your audience before they click away. How are you going to do this? A provocative question, a bold statement, a compelling story? And you’ll need to make sure that your one message or big idea is up front.

I structure what I want to say using the ‘imaginary conversation' framework – a technique used since the days of Ancient Greece.

Make sure you can answer these five questions:

• What is my one message or big idea that I want to share?

• What's in it for the audience?

• How can I tell the audience more – expertise, information, data, etc.

• What does this mean for the audience?

• What do I want the audience to do, feel or think?

3. Fear helps you perform... it is not to be feared

Fear is a natural part of performance—it’s not a barrier, but a preparation. Even experienced video performers feel it.

First of all. Ask yourself, what am I afraid of? Write down the answers if this is easier. Are these fears rational? As the chances are they aren’t.

Then step into the spotlight. It's like getting under a cold shower. It takes courage. You need to breathe deep. And remind yourself that you'll feel amazing afterwards!

4. Practice, practice, practice

Apart from your breath, the secret of performance is to practise, and to feel what you say – your words, your intonations – in your whole body. The more you practice the better you'll get.

As you prepare, try speaking what you want to say, rather than writing. Although most people like to jot down a structure outline to give them confidence, I believe this then makes your performance more about your remembering than delivering.

Allocate time to practise. I like to do it while I am out walking, pacing the streets. Apps like LineLearner or Run Lines With can help you rehearse. Otherwise use your phone to record and play back.

5. Dress to keep the focus on your face – on you

Avoid:

• Jangly earrings or bracelets that make a noise.

• Polo-neck jumpers, where there's nowhere to pin a lapel mic.

• Strong stripes or bright patterns that can distract or flicker on camera. I prefer solid, dark colours.

• Bring a small mirror to check your hair, and make-up – there's nothing worse than smudged lipstick.

6. Warm up to unfreeze

When I took part in an acting course at my local drama school, we'd spend the first 30 minutes of each class warming up.

The body is key when it comes to speaking. Too often we speak from the throat, whereas to be impactful we need to speak with the energy flowing through all our body.

Try these warm-up exercises as you wait for filming to start:

• Roll your shoulders back and down your spine.

• Open your chest towards the sun.

• Plant your feet firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart.

• Stretch and circle your neck.

• Relax your jaw and tongue. Give a big yawn.

• Loosely swing your arms.

• Shake your whole body while making a loud sigh.

7. Practice placing your voice

Voice coach Patsy Rodenburg suggests this exercise (slightly adapted) to 'place your voice':

• Focus your eyes on the top rim of the camera lens.

• Imagine touching that point, in an arc, with your breath. Take three breaths.

• Keep your gaze fixed. Hum until you feel the vibration in your lips reaching the point on the rim.

• Purse your lips and vocalise 'oo', then 'ah, opening up and moving your arms as you move between the two sounds.

Remember, English is spoken from the top of the mouth, so feel this space.

8. Your breath: the key to everything

A slow, deep breath is the key to a good performance. Lower your breath as you breathe in, letting it be pulled down by gravity.

To calm any fears:

• Breathe in for a count of 3.

• Exhale and follow the breath for a count of 5.

• Pause for a count of 3.

• Repeat, until you feel calmer.

"As we breathe in the required breath we shouldn't control the intake; it should flow in silently if the body is centred and open" – Patsy Rodenburg, voice coach & author

Many people, as they breath in to start to speak to camera, take a shallow breath from the throat, which creates a little gasping sound – a nightmare for editors!

9. Slow down

To project confidence, slow right down. This reduces 'ums' and 'ahs'. Pauses also convey confidence.

If you suddenly become unsure as to what’s next? Slow down. Realign. If you're not performing live, you can always redo the take.

"Keep it simple, keep it relaxed, and know the text." – Anthony Hopkins in The New Yorker

10. Show your hands

When I worked in TV news, if the audience couldn't see the presenter's hands, we'd receive a flurry of complaints.

That's because, as humans, we’re wired to trust someone less if we can't see their hands. Audiences are also more attentive when the speaker uses hand gestures.

A small point – keep your hand gestures within the width of your shoulders, and between your waist and the top of your chest.

11. Smile at the right time

Smiling with your eyes – called the Duchenne smile – creates warmth and connection. Avoid 'mouth-only' smiles as they look forced. And remember to smile (with your eyes) at the end, when you're saying goodbye. Try it, it’s quite easy, when you smile with your eyes, your mouth automatically turns up slightly.

12. Stand at a slight angle

We tend to communicate better standing rather than sitting. The breath flows more freely, and our posture is more open.

Don't stand (or sit) square-on to the camera. Put one foot very slightly forward, weight on your toes. This will position you at an ever-so-slight angle.

Speakers come over as being more antagonistic when they are front us. A slight sideways angle will also prevent you from looking too stiff.

13. Be the best version of yourself – for that particular audience

Don't overpower your audience by over acting. Many people will tell you to be your 'authentic' self. But what does that mean? Instead, deliver the best version of yourself for that medium, purpose, moment and message.

"The question isn't whether you're authentic. The question is whether you're generous, helpful professional, original, memorable, service-minded" – Jay Acunzo, speaker & strategist

14. Why audio is more important than visual

Good sound is crucial – more so than good visual. If the audio is poor, you'll lose your audience. Here's why:

• The brain processes sound faster than visuals.

• We've evolved to rely on vocal cues – tone, emotion, intent.

• Muffled or distorted sound, or loud background noise, forces the brain to work harder, leading lto fatigue.

• Bad audio makes the speaker seem unprepared, less credible and even less intelligent.

For short-form content, sound acts as the glue that keeps attention focused, and guides the pace, rhythm and emotional arc of the message.

15. And finally… humour, if you can pull it off

Humour is a powerful connector, but it has to align with your audience – and it can require real art to pack a humorous punch into a short-form video,

"Don't take yourself (or your topic) too seriously. The brain loves humour. Give your audience something to smile about" – Carmine Gallo in Talk like TED

I have spent many moments chuckling along to this video by London-based photographer Mimi Mollica.

He filmed the video to raise awareness about the kickstarter campaign he is running to fund his new book, Moon City.

Have I bought a copy of the book? Yes, of course! An unresistable decision once I saw the video. Also, this is very Mimi – he’s like this off screen as well as on screen.

What helps you feel more confident on camera? Share your tips in the comments box. Or forward this on to someone who needs it.