Hey! Happy to see you again!

Being natural on-camera is a skill, not a natural talent. Everyone can learn it with enough time and practice. So if you are putting off creating videos because you don’t like your performance, keep on reading.

Today’s issue is based on a recent conversation I had with one of my lovely YouTube channel subscribers who liked my presence in videos. She asked for tips on how to be more natural on camera and as a former actress, I’m gonna tap into my training and share some practical tips with you today.

Don’t speak to a camera, speak to a person

Whenever you sit down to film a video, picture a person that you feel comfortable around and imagine you are speaking to them.

Your energy will shift as you relax and the viewers will feel as if they are sitting there with you having a coffee.

The camera picks up and magnifies how we feel. When we are focused on ourselves and how nervous we are feeling, that’s what the camera will pick up and we'll look very uncomfortable.

If you struggle to imagine someone, print a picture of them and look at it while you take a few deep breaths before you press record.

Seeing a familiar face and the deep breathing will calm your nervous system and your on-camera presence will be more relaxed as a result.

Rehearse before you record

Read your script out loud multiple times and feel free to go off-page (not say it exactly the way it’s written).

When we are really focused on trying to remember everything we want to say and how exactly it’s written word-for-word, we become disconnected.

It then looks like we are talking “at the camera” instead of to the viewer on the other end.

This is why actors rehearse their scripts, so they can then focus on the performance (= being present in the moment) and not on remembering their lines.

Additional tip: If you film yourself speaking in a second language, you probably don’t feel as connected to what you are saying as you do in your native language. It’s because it’s not something that you do a lot in real life. I learned to overcome this by talking to myself (like a crazy person, yes 😅) and by practicing filming myself without ever posting it. Remember, the more we do something, the more natural it becomes.

BONUS TIP: Flirt with the camera to become magnetic

Now this is an advanced tip. Once you are comfortable in front of a camera, you can take it one step further and add a little bit of flirting – subtle and natural, nothing too obvious or awkward. 😅

This is what actors use to make themselves magnetic on-screen. Just picture Chris Hemsworth or Austin Butler, they are masters at this.

It’s not about their looks or charisma and neither it's a gift or talent, it’s a skill they have developed through acting training. Mind you, this takes quite a bit of practice, so don’t give up if you can’t do it instantly.

I have to give credit where credit is due with this tip. I learned this flirting tactic in acting classes at John Sudol's studio in Hollywood. Thanks, John!

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Hope you found this useful and let me know if you want to hear more about this topic in the future. Just hit reply and ask away. I read every e-mail I get!

Stay creative,

Lenka xx

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