How to be More Natural on Camera

How to present yourself more naturally in your YouTube videos.

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[SimpleHappyZen]

This was one of the most challenging things for me to learn, but it's getting better and better. What I noticed is that the camera takes away about 50% of your energy, so even if you feel you're being alive and energetic, it can still look a little subdued and dull. My advice would be to just practice, practice, practice :)

[MeAnINFP]

Part of the reason I am more restrained and talk lower in some of my videos is because I’m afraid of being overheard by people. I do need more practice to act more naturally and be more comfortable in front of the camera.

[AthenaIsabella]

I want that flip camera, so cool!! This was such good advice, I always pretend I'm talking to a crowd of people and picture certain ppl dozing off so I try to get more expressive to get that attention back. Ever since you recommened looking at how your face works I feel so much more confident about who I am overall as a person lol.

[ZehShugugn]

Yes! Whenever I would record myself I ended up rerecording it 3+ times, each time getting less anxious and more straightforward. I think spending a long time and not rushing is important.
Maybe you could also trick yourself into relaxing by telling yourself it's just practice and you're not uploading it (but then you do)?

edit: getting into more comfortable physical positions could make it easier too?

[hazelold]

You mean I’m not the only one who talks out loud in the car when there’s no one else there?! 😂😁😱 Helpful as always Frank xx

[pink]

Timely!!! I didn’t post two weeks ago because I felt like I was lecturing at the camera. I really wanted to look conversational so I didn’t script it and...I looked away because nobody but an INFJ maintains eye contact in real life for the length of time one would do if speaking to the lens for a video. 😉 However, just watching you again, the eye contact really does work on a video when it might not, in person. I really like when you look away to the side or down and look back at the lens (flirtation trick #1) but I haven’t succeeded in that. I just look like I’m having a stroke (not so alluring) because I look up too much (thinking). I guess it’s good to have goals. Something that helped me recently was to imagine that I was talking to someone in particular when I looked at the lens. Energy...I’m pretty soothing, not high energy at all, to others perception, so I will find a way to project higher energy that performs to the camera without acting. Thanks for the “direction, ” Frank. Maybe you could do one on nonfiction storytelling - how to be riveting when you’re sitting in a single position talking about carburetors or gratitude the whole time 🤔 Glad to see you survived the eggplant. 💖

[kathleenrivard]

I’ve heard that a lot of people don’t like how they look but only because what’s in their mind doesn’t match what’s in the mirror, not actually b/c of anything aesthetic.
I’ve been taking more pictures of myself lately and it’s true for me. I’m getting more confident about my appearance.

[ThePFFamilyVlog]

All my questions are all in your videos .. thank you very much ..

[Thebibleauthority]

I think similar to you, I can relate to what you are saying, you are a thinker.

[lindsayjeanchannel]

Yay you did the video 😁! You make some really good points. Before filming my videos, I tend to practice what I will say in the mirror so that I know what I look like/what facial expressions I am conveying. The point about going quiet in front of a camera is so true! I feel like I need to almost be shouting in order to sound normal on camera 😅. Keep the vids coming!

[hildcit]

Thank you for the videos, and for this channel in particular! Although I’ve heard this advice before, (like I already knew the more id practice it, the more natural and easier it might feel) you still have a way with wording it, and make things seem a lot more approachable than what I might feel other places.

I find when I’ve tried to record something of myself, but then with the additional camera into the mix, everything feels so unnatural and I might end up forgetting 70% of what I wanted to say just moments ago because my brain automatically goes everywhere else. I usually end up not doing anything with what I recorded, because I just don’t “feel it” afterwards, as if whatever I just did was some sort of a “mistake” or something 😅

I do have a question though;
How do you set up a helpful script, to stay on topic (I might struggle with that😅), or even just potentially how to take it from an idea, to a script, then to a full fledged video.

[mariafilar]

I’m trying to work through this now and i just bought a camera but whoops it doesn’t have a flip out screen darn it

[baizawai]

Do you think if I put googly eyes on the camera that would that help?

[alenajingle]

Filming audition tapes makes me realize my face does dumb things I have no idea about. I should practice but I don't like looking at my face lol

[Thebibleauthority]

That’s a good one, we think we look one way, but we don’t.

[ArcaneGinger]

Professor I had a dream last night that you told us watchers/students your name was Eric. Not Frank... I was shookith to my core! 😱
Anyway,
I have been working on a list of *pointers* To stay on topic for a video idea of mine.. unfortunately I keep getting distracted and my home is so loud that filming anything would be difficult without background sound. Plus I am so awkward and uncomfortable in front of a camera. *sigh* However I will be visiting a much quieter place next week so I wonder if i could film there. 🤔

[miriamw.]

I can't even stand the sound of my own voice so I am a long way from being in front of a camera. Maybe one day.
I will keep this in mind.

[kathleenrivard]

When I play the flute I have to project my air from my core all the way past to the audience’s ears. Kinda similar.

[Jenna_Joseph]

Request: How to upload videos (best places to go, I guess), when your internet at home is horrendous

[cierahayes]

For people (like myself) who feel as though their nerves sometimes cause them to become a bit hyper and OVERLY expressive on camera... 🤪 Remember to take some deep breaths, calm down, focus your mind and energy on your message, and just have fun. When you're filming a video, imagine that you're talking to your best friend... 🤗 It will make staring into the camera lens less intimidating! 📷😳 If you tend to talk too fast when you're nervous, remember this: when you start to worry that you're talking too slow-- SLOW DOWN even more! 😅 Happy filmmaking! 📽 🎬 😇👍