So you’re going to speak on camera, and of course, you want people to listen. Which means you must have the right content… and good delivery of the message.
Here are 5 good methods for delivering your message on video.
- Use an outline – if you know the material, but just want to make sure you don’t leave anything out, make a short bulleted list of reminders. We either use a large white board near the camera (best for interviews where you’re not looking directly at the camera), a powerpoint on a large monitor behind the camera, or teleprompter with the bullet points and enough spacing to let you know when it’s time to move on to the next topic).
- Interview – This is great for testimonials or success stories, where the interviewer is off camera. You answer their questions, and someone edits your responses into a great story. Or for discussions with an expert where the interviewer is on camera and the video shows the interview (or an edited version).
- Off the cuff – these are fun if you’re one of those people who can turn on a camera and just speak effortlessly. They’re very natural and fun to watch (great for casual content for social media)… IF you’re able to keep it brief, control your “ums” and other crutch words, and you can stay on topic without repeating yourself, back peddling, or skipping topics. Very few people can do this successfully, so if you can, congratulations! Otherwise, this may take several takes and may not be the best option for you or the viewer.
- Scripted – best for a short message or announcement where you want to be concise and not forget anything important. If you use this method, I strongly recommended you practice out loud (not just in your head) until it flows off your tongue… you can read it comfortably, with good voice inflection… so you don’t sound like you’re reading a script. We use a teleprompter with scrolling text (so your eyes aren’t moving side to side).
- And finally, voice only. This is where you give your message off camera, just an audio recording. Then use visuals, like pictures, slides, animation, or video clips as the visual for the video. Much easier to do, but not as personal and does require some editing.
I hope this has been helpful. If so, check out our video on 3 Bad Habits that will Lose You Viewers. How to Detect and Correct.
And definitely feel free to email support@cn-video.com or call at 314-843-3663 (that’s 314-video me) if you’d like to discuss your video project.