(Ruth Sherman)'s Video On-Camera Presence Do's & Dont's

http://VideoCharisma.com http://RuthSherman.com

VideoCharisma Speakrets™ - Do's & Don'ts for Fabulous On-Camera Presence

VideoCharisma Speakret™ #1: Choose from a variety of Video Backgrounds. A white wall can be the perfect backdrop. And if you leave a little space to the side, you can add some text to the wall. Or you can use nature as a video backdrop. Or we can be at the beach, still in nature, still beautiful. If your office is neutral or boring like a lot of offices, you can brighten things right up with a beautiful vase of fresh-cut flowers. Or a strategically placed stack of books. Make sure you include your own bood in that stack.

VideoCharisma Speakret #2: Be vocally and facially animated. A lot of people speak like this. They're very boring. Their face is boring, their eyes are boring. In fact they don't blink. But if you brighten things up on your face, if you're physically animated, and you SMILE, that's the best advice that I can give to you, lots of vocal variety, lots of vocal expressiveness, facial animation, and SMILE!

VideoCharisma Speakret #3: You do have to clean up. Shows you care. Ok, so I'm in my pyjamas... love to work like this, but you have to admit, looks like hell. This is much better, don't you think? And you don't have to go crazy. It took me 30 minutes to get ready from that last shot.

VideoCharisma Speakret #4: Use a mic to get a "present" v. "hollow" vocal sound. Or be closed to your camera. Right now, if you listen to my speaking voice, it sounds what's called "hollow," kind of distant, kind of echo-y. But now my voice sounds what's called "present." It sounds intimate, we sound close together. You need a mic to do this or you need to be sitting close to your camera or your webcam.

VideoCharisma Speakret #5: Look into the lens. That's where your audience is, where you make a connection. Look into the lens, that's where your audience is. When you don't look into the lens, you don't make the connection. When you do look into the lens, you make that connection big-time.

on-camera presence, video presence, become fearless on camera, fearlessly create video

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[mofo269]

Thanks for all the tips! I love all the different setting in this video :) The book tip is great. Even if you don't have your own book, people can tell a lot about a person by scanning the books they read.

[RuthSherman]

@mofo269 Yes, a stack of books, with titles showing, can tell a lot about a person! Thank you!

[JenWilner1]

AWESOME Ruth! Loved the pj scene. Fantastic!!! I get it I get it!!

[RuthSherman]

@JenWilner1 haha, again, amazing what a little hair & makeup can do. OMG, that was painful.

[isitebuild]

Great tips Ruth..how do you read a script and still give the appearance of looking directing into the camera..I'm having trouble with this one?

[RuthSherman]

@isitebuild Since the scenes were short here, no script necessary. But for longer ones - over a minute and a half, I use a teleprompter. ProPrompter for the iPhone, in particular, has been fab. You have to position it so it's near the camera lens, obviously. You can also tape notes or have a flip chart w/notes to stay on track. But even so, you must be far enough away to create the illusion you are looking directly into the lens. Trial & error. Best to start w/short vids, so no scripting nec.

[CharlieVandersluys]

Great video Ruth

[SkillCasting]

Great tips, Ruth. One's eyes & smile are so important for that true connection. Loved it.

[RuthSherman]

@denisesonnenberg Thanks, Denise -- If I can do it, anyone can.

[RuthSherman]

@klimadesigngroup Marina, it's the same in your business. Nothing like before/after or, "Show + Tell." Very powerful. Thank you.