My First Experience on Camera was a Trainwreck

There's no better time to get start making and sharing visual stories than now. Not so long ago you either had to pitch your story to a TV station and pray for coverage, or hire an expensive production team to leverage the power of video.

You  can still go the professional route, but hiring a professional crew, even if it's just a cameraperson will cost from $500-$1,500 a day. That doesn't include the editor, writer, producer, or soundperson.  Heck, if I didn't know how to make videos myself, I couldn't afford to hire me... fa real. 

The equipment now is more affordable than ever.  Smartphones and webcams are excellent tools for the beginning video maker.

The greatest benefit is the ability to tell your own story.  Plus you can teach, inspire,  build relationships, and add value at the same time. There is someone out there who needs to hear your message or learn from you. 

So why aren't you making videos regularly? Don't say you're worried about doing something silly on camera.  

Have I ever told you about one of my first news live shots? Oh boy did I suck. I was covering some kind of shooting for the ten o'clock news for FOX 13 in Tampa, and I had to go live. I had only been reporting for a few months, and I wasn't ready.

I'm sure that station management knew I wasn't ready either, but the News Director told me that I would either, "sink or swim."  In my early days, I came close to drowning more than once.  

Back to my moment. The camera was on, the anchors "tossed" to me, and it was all downhill from there. I stuttered and stammered through the whole thing.  I can still remember what my cameraman, Scott Anderson told me right after. He knew how atrocious it was.  But he kept it on the positive side and said, "It's all about getting your reps in."  

Lord knows it took a lot of reps for me, but eventually, I figured it out, and by the time I left that station, I could handle any story, any time. In fact a couple of my live reports were featured on CNN and FOX News Channel. It all came down to being relaxed instead of fearful. You can never perform well when you're emotions are all over the place.  

As I've been talking to people, I'm finding out that plenty of people want to create videos, but that there is usually something that holds them back. For some, it's simply the fear of  saying the wrong thing on camera. There are those who are intimidated by the equipment and the process.  Others just need a mentor to help them figure it out (that's what saved me). 

I know from personal experience that 80% of it is mental, and the rest is just practice.  Making videos is just like any skill.  If you haven't done it before, it may not be the greatest, but if you keep at it, you will get gooder (that's not a word).

 You probably will never have to deal with the stress of going live on TV, and even if your video isn't perfect, you can rehearse and practice enough times to get comfortable with your message. Just get your reps in. If you can work a stove or set up a tent, you can set up and use camera equipment.

 My point is, wherever you are in your production journey, you will get better.  You just have to stick with it, and get a little help if you need it.  

From the classrooms of Georgia Universities to making production tutorials, I enjoy helping others who want to help themselves.  

You can do it. I believe in you.  

If you want to learn  a few secrets that the pros use, change your plans tonight (February 3, 7pm), and watch my free online production class.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how the pros create videos, so you can do the same.

Hold My Spot: Zero to Video Hero: Simple Secrets to Video Success in 2016
Wednesday, Feb. 3 7pm