10 tips to help you prepare for filming

Filming isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, in fact, going on camera at all detests some people, but for some videos it is the right things to do and needs to be done to market your business effectively through video. With that in mind we have done the noble thing and put a blog together around what we find is the best way to put you at ease before a shoot…

1. Let the filmmaker guide you – it’s our job

At the end of the day it is our job to get the best out of you, not the other way around. We are the ones to help you and make you feel at ease. Especially at Reel Film, I believe it is our responsibility to make you feel as comfortable as possible for camera to achieve the best video. Us filmmakers do this for a living every day, so let us guide you on everything – we know what we’re doing and you’re in safe hands!

2. Have a drink with you

It is always good to have a drink with you. If you feel your mouth dry up and just get a bit thirsty you don’t need to worry about having to delay everything to get a drink – you have one already!

3. Meet the filmmaker before

When we are interviewing someone, if possible, we make an effort to meet the person before. It puts a face to a name and immediately puts you at ease ready for filming at a later date. After all we are just normal friendly humans! If it is troubling you, why not ask to meet your video crew beforehand?

4. Don't prepare so much

Don’t prepare a script to be etched into your brain, this way you will hang on every word and most likely come across quite stilted and uneasy. Instead, if you do need to prepare something beforehand, just think about some bullet points you want to discuss. You should know what you are talking about so you should be able to speak about it naturally – if not – ask for an autocue!

5. Nobody really care what you look like

To you – going on camera might be the worst things ever. How you do you look? What will people think? The reality is, you look the same as you would walking down the street and nobody really pays attention to it, all they care about is the content and if they want something from you – don’t worry about it. What you are wearing though is a different matter.

6. Be natural, pauses are OK

If you need a pause in a sentence of a second or two that is fine, it can actually look quite natural. Don’t worry about everything having to flow in one perfect 30-second piece. You’d be amazed the wonders we can work in the edit with pauses also – it will finish like they never happened!

7. Don't be afraid of the camera

The camera is just plastic and glass with maybe some metal thrown in. Don’t be afraid of it

8. If you have questions, just ask

If you are unsure about anything – ask! Your video producer should go through everything beforehand but if you are still unsure on anything at all then ask the question, we would rather that then something go wrong!

9. If you mess up – nobody cares, do it again

If you mess up, we can delete it and do it again, simple as that. Don’t worry about it, nobody will know but you and the video producer. To the rest of the world when the finished video goes online you will look like a pro – born for TV!

10. Relax your shoulders and move your hands

It is amazing how much dropping your shoulders and gesturing with your hands can do for making you look at ease on camera. So if you are nervous – do this – trust me, the results will be fantastic.