There are few activities that elicit a more negative response than making someone go on camera.  Sure, there’s folks out there that enjoy the spotlight and naturally gravitate towards being interviewed but in our experience, those folks are greatly outnumbered. It’s rare that we’ve been asked to interview someone without any expertise or knowledge of the subject matter (sadly, it has happened) but what is common is interviewing someone who is uncomfortable with being on camera.  For those of you that are starting to sweat just thinking about having to speak on camera, I’ve prepared some helpful facts to help take the scariness away from interviews. 

1. You look just fine.

So many people are concerned that they’ll look awful on camera and have huge anxiety about it leading up to the interview.  The great news is that you have nothing to worry about.  Cinematographers’ mission in life is to make things look pretty on camera. I’m confident they can make you look your best for your interview.  The best way to make yourself look better on camera is to have confidence while you speak.  It helps, trust me. 

2. It’s just a conversation

Don’t forget that all you’re doing is having a lovely chat with the interviewer and the handful of crewmembers in the room.  They’re pulling for you to succeed and will do whatever they can to make you feel comfortable.  One of our favorite things to do in an interview is to stop talking about what we planned to talk about and just talk about fun things the interviewee likes. What’s your favorite football team? Been to any great concerts lately? Do you have any cool hobbies?  Talking about things we enjoy really helps everyone (including the interviewer) to relax. The more authentic and “real” you can be the better the end product. Oftentimes we see people trying to be so perfect and articulate that it can sometimes seem more rehearsed and robotic than they naturally would be…so just keep it relaxed.

3. You’re the expert

Yup, the reason the camera is pointing towards you is because you have the expertise, knowledge, or personal story that will make an impact on the target audience.  That should definitely give you a boost of confidence as you begin to answer questions. 

4. You won’t be seen as much as you think

The lifeblood of any good video is B-roll, otherwise known as the footage we see that illustrates what you’re talking about. In other words, you’ll only be seen a fraction of the time you were interviewed and the editors are going to make sure we only see the best parts. 

5. It’ll be over in a few minutes

You would not believe how many people are shocked when we’re finished with the interview.  We hear a lot of “wow, we’re done already?” and that’s a shame because it probably means they built this thing up into something to dread instead of enjoying the experience.  

Being on camera can be a daunting challenge for those who are not used to it but I hope these five facts will help you conquer your fears and enjoy the experience.