How comms teams can offer advice on presenting to camera

Effective communication is essential for a business, whether you’re sending a message internally or outside of your organisation.

Video can be a powerful tool to deliver any information you may have, but it’s not just a case of clicking record and starting to speak.

As a communications team, you’ll recognise the value in using video as part of the marketing mix but, once you’ve got buy-in from the management team, how do you offer the best advice so the resulting video has the best impact?

Here’s my advice for comms teams on ensuring your company video hits the spot.

Before you shoot

A managing director may say they’re used to presenting to 700 people and don’t need a script, but we all know you can’t wing it on camera. Standing in front of a hall of people or one person and a camera lens are two completely different things – but people often don’t realise this until it’s too late. That can mean they’re left struggling, with lots of ‘erring’ and ‘umming’ when the camera operator hits record – and the production team realise they’re in for a long day.

As a comms adviser, you’ll know preparation is key in any situation where key messages are needed. Before anyone sits in front of a camera, make sure you set out a script and ensure the person presenting on screen gets to grips with it.

Importantly, it’s not enough for them to read it in their head but out loud to make sure they can articulate every part. If there’s a sentence they keep tripping over or find difficult then reword it to make sure they’re comfortable.

Pre-record tips

On the day, the reality of sitting in front of a camera can hit home and feel like a daunting prospect. The comms team should keep the presenter as relaxed as possible to ensure a smooth flow once the button is pressed.

Some advice you can offer on the morning would be around what not to eat or drink. Carbonated drinks can cause gas and bloating, while coffee can dry the vocal chords and cause jittering. Both should be avoided in favour of water to ensure the voice is clear and the speaker kept comfortable. Similarly, an adequate breakfast will help avoid a rumbling stomach, which could be picked up on camera.

Time for action

Preparations done and it’s time to press record. It’s important for a speaker to have a good team around them to tell them how they look and sound, so now’s the time for the comms team to watch for the things others may not see.

Firstly, look at the surroundings. Ensure the area the filming takes place is well lit to show the speaker in the best light. It’s also vital to look at what’s behind them. We’ve probably all seen social media images of Zoom screen grabs where a speaker is unaware of an awkward object in their background. It’s your job, as a comms professional, to see what the speaker can’t see. Ensure there’s nothing incriminating in the background, if there are books look at the titles to make sure there isn’t one you’d rather people didn’t see. Personal photographs, on an office shelf, for example, should be removed as well as anything that could date the footage, such as a calendar. If you’re on a shopfloor, ensure it is clean and tidy with nothing out of place. You want it to look like a working environment but an orderly one.

Body of work

You’ve checked the background, the speaker is ready, but something seems amiss. If their body language looks off then they’ll look uncomfortable on camera.

It’s not something they’ll be able to see, but, from the viewer’s position, you’ll have the best sight of how things should change. Offer advice on how to sit or stand, what to do with hands or where to look – whether it’s straight down the lens or slightly off camera. Decide on the style you want and then make sure they stick to it. If you need to stand to the side of the camera to give them something to focus on then do so. If they’re reading an autocue, keep a close watch on their eyes and step in if it looks too obviously like they’re reading the script.

Listen up

As a comms team, you’ll know the presenter within your business pretty well. That means you’ll be able to listen out for anything that doesn’t sound right.

If they sound stressed, for example, you’ll be able to spot it. Is their voice wavering or are they saying ‘erm’ a bit more than usual? If so, stop the filming and help them calm down before starting again.

Think about the speed at which they’re speaking too. People tend to speak quickly if they’re nervous to try and get through what they need to say. But that can mean you lose words from the script that could be important. Step in if you think they need to slow down. Often a speaker thinks they’re speaking too slowly but it’s the right pace.

Think about how they sound in terms of the mood they’re conveying. Make sure they sound sincere and authentic to ensure your messaging comes across. It’s more difficult when you’re not speaking in front of a crowd of people because you can’t react to cues from the audience. Listen out for how the speaker is coming across on camera to ensure your video turns out the way you intended.

Be brave

And finally, if you’re taking on the responsibility of supervising filming, don’t be afraid to speak up. If a senior colleague seems stressed or insincere, or you think the quality of what they’re doing just isn’t good enough, it’s important to step in.

It’s a big problem we see time and again at Bigtank, when the people around the presenter don’t feel brave enough to flag up when they spot an issue.

It’s more damaging to see something on camera that’s insincere and say nothing so that you end up with a film that doesn’t quite hit the mark. So, to get the best from a filming opportunity, be bold!

Bigtank can offer advice on presenting to camera to ensure your video marketing shows your business in the best possible light. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.

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