For a lot of us, fear of going live or being on camera is real. What if you say the wrong thing? What if you don’t like how you look? What-if no one watches? What-if everyone watches?
There’s just something about staring into a camera lens at a faceless, unseen audience that feels overwhelming. But don’t worry. This feeling doesn’t last forever and there are lots of things you can do to feel way more comfortable. Here are 3 ways to overcome your fear of video.
- Start a Video Journal.
Grab your phone, open up your camera, switch to selfie mode, and record a short video. It could even be something as simple as your daily to-do list or just saying hi to yourself. Don’t overthink it or delete and re-record. Just record the video.
Now do it again the next day and the next.
The great thing about creating a video journal is that it can absolutely just be for you. You don’t need to share it, post it online, or even send it to a friend. The important thing is to get into the routine of recording yourself. Once you have a few videos recorded, force yourself to watch them back. What changes would you make? Make them in the next recording. Chances are that after a few weeks of creating daily videos, you’ll feel more confident on camera and will know what to expect when creating a video.
- Go Live.
Wait. Don’t run away! Live-streaming can seem like the scariest part of video production, but it’s actually one of the easiest ways to get started and to overcome your fear of video. Why? Well, live streaming is free. You can stream right now using your phone to Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram, for example. It’s also a great way to practice and get immediate feedback.
Consider creating a private Facebook group for testing and practicing. You can add in your mom, best friend, work colleague, partner… whoever you’d like. Every time you live stream into that group, you’ll not only be practicing your presentation skills, but also getting more familiar with basic videography principles like audio, video quality, lighting, and more. And with friends and family cheering you on and providing helpful feedback, you’ll also get more comfortable with the act of creating video.
Pro tip! If you use an app like Ecamm Live, not only can you create high quality live streams, but you’ll also be automatically creating recorded videos that you can repurpose later.
- Participate in a Challenge.
There are lots of incredible video and live streaming challenges online to help you overcome your fear. For example, LEDA (Live Every Day in April/August) encourages you to go live every day for a month. Challenges are similar to video journaling, but have the added benefit of a community of like-minded individuals to cheer you on and keep you accountable.
By signing up for a video challenge, you may find that you not only master camera confidence, but gain some valuable relationships in the process. Win-win!
You’ve Got This!
However, you decide to overcome your fear of video, the main thing to remember is that this isn’t life or death. These days, viewers aren’t expecting perfection. They simply want to see you as you are. Every time you hit record or go live, you’re learning something new and getting a little bit better. Ideally, you’re also helping your audience learn and grow, too. And that’s the important part.
About the Author: Katie Fawkes is the Director of Marketing at Ecamm where she gets to work alongside some of the most amazing live streamers, podcasters, and content creators out there, helping them reach their goals and grow their business through video and live streaming. In addition to heading up Ecamm’s Marketing team, Katie is also the co-host of the video podcast, The Flow.
