If this is your first time on camera, don’t freak out! It’s not as scary as you think, and it can actually be a lot of fun. If you’re feeling a bit nervous, there are a few things you can do to prepare.
Of course, you need to look good so, by all means wear your favourite outfit. But beware: some clothes don’t work well on camera.
Here are 5 things to avoid when preparing for an interview.
5 Things to Avoid To Look Good On Camera
1. Clothes with Patterns
Tight repetitive patterns (especially stripes) create a weird effect called moiré. This happens when the detail on the clothes exceeds the resolution of the camera sensor.
2. Wearing White or Green
Depending on the lighting conditions, plain white clothing can look over-exposed. And besides, people’s eyes naturally favor the brightest object in the frame. Don’t let your bright clothes steal the show.
This only applies if you’re being interviewed in front of a green-screen. If anything on your person is green, it will show up as transparent (the video’s background will be visible through your body). Kinda creepy.
3. Over-the-Top Accessories
Anything big, dangly, or shiny will only distract the viewer – and worse, may cause some problematic movement or reflection during shooting.
4. Too Much Sun
Don’t spend too much time in the sun before the shoot, unless you want your embarrassing sunburn to be immortalized on video.
5. Sleep Deprivation
Give yourself an opportunity to rest and relax before the shoot, and whatever you do, don’t go out and party. Hangovers look just as bad on camera as they do in person.
If you think you might get nervous, try to avoid drinking coffee at all. We know – for some people, that’s not an option. But it’ll just make you jittery and bug-eyed. The whole point is to appear cool and collected.
Other Considerations
In cases where budget restrictions do not allow for a makeup and hair person to be provided, you may want to bring a brush or comb. Our camera operators typically keep a basic powder kit on hand to reduce any shine caused by the lights, but you may want to bring your own makeup and hair products just in case.
In fact, it’s a good idea to bring extra clothes too – you never know what kind of problem the production crew may run into. It might be the case that the microphone is difficult to clip onto your sweater, or that your seafoam blouse looks exactly like another interviewee’s seafoam blouse. You only get one shot at filming, so it’s good to have a backup plan.
Go ahead and get familiar with the questions beforehand if you have a chance, but don’t get too familiar. The point of doing interviews is to hear people’s genuine thoughts. If you rehearse too much, your answers may sound scripted, and the video will lose that sense of spontaneity.
Above all, remember that being on camera doesn’t necessarily mean you have to perform in any way. We want to interview the real you, so don’t give us your news anchor voice. Just be you! Everything will be fine.
And if it isn’t, we’ll fix it in post ;).
