How to capture your natural voice on camera
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash
In conversation with copywriter Sam Brown
@made_simple_by_sam | www.madesimplebysam.com
This conversation is part of a series of interviews on camera confidence held live on Instagram. In speaking with experts in different fields, my hope is to share with you their unique insight & resources. To embolden you to connect to your audience on camera with authenticity & empathy.
To watch our complete interview click here.
In my chat with Sam, we discussed camera confidence and the role of writing in the preparation process.
I know many of you turn to the written word to prepare for recording videos, and I was keen to get a copywriter’s perspective on how to capture your natural voice on camera.
Sam began by reminding us about the main objective of showing up on camera: creating an authentic connection with your audience.
PROMPTS TO SET YOU UP FOR SUCCESS
Next time you’re on a video call or recording a piece to camera, take a moment to notice how you’re coming across. Does it feel natural or is it more performative? We lose the nuance of subtle physical cues when not talking to people in person and so the temptation can arise to over compensate for this in our on-screen interactions.
Certainly dial yourself up a little but be careful to ensure the final result still reflects you. The point of being on camera is to create a connection with whoever’s watching and you can’t establish authentic relationships if you aren’t being yourself.
TOP TIP from HEATHER: TRY THIS
I often use the phrase “dial yourself up” when doing the following exercise with clients. It’s works well especially if they’re naturally more nervous on camera. If this is the case, often nerves can overshadow the message they’re sharing. Here’s a quick overview:1. Do a practice round but with the volume dialled way up. Exaggerate your gestures, posture & volume. It should feel performative and bigger than big!
2. Practice again but with the dial set to just slightly higher than usual. This often will take a quieter client or mean out of their comfort zone into a more commanding presence but as it is much less exaggerated, the brain doesn’t feel uncomfortable. Diminishing nerves & allowing the message to be communicated clearly.
Here is Sam’s tried and tested process to follow for writing to prepare for speaking to the camera.
BEST PRACTICE FOR WRITING TO PREPARE FOR VIDEO:
If your preparation for speaking on camera involves writing out what you’re going to say in advance then I recommend a certain process:
Write it all down, word for word
Read it out loud to yourself. Does it actually sound like you? Do you stumble over certain phrases? Does it feel like you’re reading from a script someone else wrote?
Go back and address the problem areas, smoothing them out so they sound like you.
Simplify what you’ve written. Strip it right back into a collection of prompts that you can have in front of you to make sure you hit your key messages.
If you try and memorise a script for yourself, when you then change a word or fumble something on camera, it’s going to leave you flustered and worrying about what to say next rather than relaxing into what you’re saying.
The biggest thing to remember is that you’re the expert – you know what you’re talking about and will be providing value with your knowledge. By all means give yourself a safety net of a few notes but trust in yourself and be confident in your expertise.
We had a question from the audience about how to avoid waffling, and Sam’s suggestion is definitely one to try:
PRO TIP - HOW TO AVOID WAFFLING
I think the best way of dealing with it is setting yourself a natural conclusion point that you want to make. What do you want people to take away from your message? And as soon as you hit that, stop! Have your rounding up phrasing ready to hand, so you have a natural breakpoint. Decide on your endpoint in advance, and be strict when you hit it.
I also chimed in here as I often suggest this trick to try: focus on the inhalation at the end of the sentence. By focusing on this physical cue, it gives you a moment to decide whether to keep speaking or not. And as it’s simply an inhale, it’s invisible to your audience!
As always with this series of interviews, I finished our conversation asking two questions:
Do you have a ritual or routine before going on camera?
No is the short answer! The only things I consistently do are basic human needs: get a glass of water, go to the loo, stretch. But that all ties into the whole thing of being comfortable, if you’re not physically comfortable with something... in your chair, or because you need the loo… whatever it is you're not going to come across as comfortable with the way that you’re speaking.
I love this! Routine’s don’t need to be fancy or complicated. They just need to work for you. And feeling comfortable is essential to feel confident on camera.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who wants to take a step forward, and be more confident on camera?
We touched on it earlier but remember that you are the expert in the room. There’s a reason why you’re doing it, you’ve been asked to join somebody [in an interview] or you’re recording a new video about a course you’re launching, whatever it is, there’s a reason: and that is that you have expertise and knowledge and value to add and to share. Remember and trust in that, and it should allow you to relax a bit more. And the more relaxed you are the more relaxed your viewers will be.
Many thanks to Sam for sharing her insight on camera confidence. You can watch our full conversation here.
Sam Brown is a copywriter, working with female founders of small businesses to find their voice and develop effective storytelling through creative content. Having spent almost a decade as an editor in a publishing house, crafting powerful narratives and inspiring authentic connection is Sam's speciality. Feeling stuck with a piece of content? Book in for a Simplicity Session and walk away with copy that makes you feel great.
Find out more about Sam and her business Made Simple by Sam.
Want to feel more confident on camera? Check out Camera Confidence: Your Director’s Notes - a new way to work with me, your resident presentation skills coach, to empower you to show up on camera feeling like the best version of you.
