You didn’t get into business to become an actor. But now, you’re being told that showing up on camera is part of the job description 🤦

Here’s the truth…video content is one of the most powerful tools for building trust and attracting leads. People want to see the real you before they ever book a call or hit the “buy now” button.

But from our experience, if you’re new to video, it’s totally normal to go full Troy McClure mode (yep, the guy from The Simpsons):

|“Hi, I’m a totally normal human and this is totally not staged!”

You’re definitely not alone. So many of our clients come in saying the same thing:

“I hate how I look on camera.”
“I sound weird.”
“I feel like an awkward presenter.”

So, how do you get over the robotic, deer caught in the headlights syndrome and actually start creating video that feels like you?

Let me be the first to tell you, in case no one else has, that you do not suck at video, you just haven’t been taught how to make it feel natural.

The good news?

I’ve got five surprisingly simple, rarely talked about fixes that’ll help you stop cringing and start authentically connecting with your audience, leading to more leads and sales.

And, you might actually enjoy it…

1. Stop Facing the Camera Head-On…

A lot of our clients have what I call “Chandler Bing Syndrome.”

Funny, chatty and charming when the camera is off, but as soon as it points towards them, they look like a deer caught in headlights.

If this sounds like you, then one of the worst things you can do is stare the camera dead in the face (or lens, if you aren’t anthropomorphising your camera) 📹. It can make even the most outgoing people freeze up, forget their words, or go completely monotone – definitely not the ingredients for an engaging video.

Instead, record at an angle, so you are recording the side of your face instead of straight on. This way, the camera won’t be front and centre, and you won’t be directly looking at it.

Look at a spot on the wall, or (pretend) to talk to someone just off-camera. This instantly makes you feel like you’re in a conversation, not giving a TED Talk to a ring light, and will look much more natural.

Even people who are great on camera use this. It makes your video feel more intimate and way less staged, like you’re having a conversation instead of making a school presentation.

2. Don’t Talk to Yourself…

Most of us don’t sit around monologuing to inanimate objects. So, sitting in a room, talking to no one…it’s unnatural and it often comes across that way on film.

What we recommend instead is to have someone with you when you are recording to ask questions – it could be a friend or someone like us. Yes, it might feel icky, and you’ll be embarrassed at first, but pretty soon you’ll get over it and look and feel much more relaxed.

When we film clients, we act as their directors throughout the day – we prompt them, challenge them, and tease out the gold that’s already in their brain. This helps them naturally expand on points in a way that they would during face-to-face conversations, and it feels more like a chat than a performance.

You’ll stop sounding like a presenter and start sounding like a real human. That’s what your audience wants.

3. Let Someone Push Back on You…

This one might feel uncomfortable, but it works so well and will really help take your video content to the next level.

When we’re filming clients, we’ll often gently object to something they’re saying.

We’ll say something along the lines of:

“Okay, but what if your audience doesn’t agree?”
“Wouldn’t someone push back on that?”

Why?

Because objections bring passion to the surface.

You stop “explaining” what it means to the audience and start really believing. Your face lights up, and you start to pull to the surface points that you probably hadn’t intended to include, and it brings an energy that makes you magnetic.

Plus, it allows you to really get to the root of what the audience wants to know, it’s not just surface level, it’s digging deep into customer psyche. It crushes your audience’s doubts before they even ask the question.

It makes really great, authentic, brilliant video content that actually leads to really believable results – the audience will feel like they are in the room with you.

4. Lose the Script…

We get it, scripts feel safe, like a comfort blanket when you are already so far out of your comfort zone.

But, unless you’re a trained actor, scripted videos usually come out stiff and lifeless, and you’ll have people wondering whether it’s really you reading or the latest AI update.

Instead of scripting every single word, use prompts, simple bullet points of what you want to say that will help keep you on track.

Talk it through like you’re chatting to a friend, and don’t worry if you go off on tangents, sometimes that’s where the gold is. And if you need to cut the fluff out later, then that’s what a good editor is for.

It’s so much better to sound human than robotic, and this will help you keep the authenticity and naturalness of a conversation.

5. Don’t apologise…

Have you ever counted how many times you say sorry in a day?

So often, we see someone new to video mess up and then immediately stop, sigh and say:

“Ugh, sorry – can I do that again?”

Don’t do that!

It is totally normal to mess up, even if you are a seasoned pro; it happens in every shoot we do, with every client. But there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater and start again.

Just stop and restart the sentence. That’s it.

Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t apologise. It will take you out of the flow, and you’ll become really self-conscious about messing up again.

Editors are magic. They’ll cut the slip-up, and no one will ever know. But if you go into self-criticism mode, it kills your flow and makes you more nervous.

Ready to Show Up Like You on Camera?

Here’s the truth…feeling awkward on video doesn’t mean you’re bad at it. It just means you haven’t had the right setup, the right support… or the right strategy yet.

At Jammy Digital, we don’t just point a camera at you and hope for the best. We direct you, coach you, and pull the gold out of your brain, so your videos feel natural, relaxed, and actually drive results.

Whether you’ve never hit “record” before or you’re tired of scripted, soulless videos that don’t convert, we can help you create content that feels like you, connects with the right people, and turns views into leads (and leads into high-value clients).

Check out our video content marketing services and let’s get you showing up with confidence and clarity.