Are you plagued by self-doubt when creating video content for your organization? “I look terrible!” and “Does my voice really sound like that?” These common anxieties often stem from imposter syndrome. We delve into the world of video content creation and offer strategies to shift your focus and boost your confidence.

More and more we are using video content to promote ourselves, our organisations and our products, through social media and email marketing. In years past video content would often be prohibitively expensive and the results… weren’t always great. Thanks to vast improvements in equipment and easy access to editing tools, we can now create a very professional-looking product using a laptop, smart phone and some natural light.

Then, why are so many of us unhappy with the results?

The one problem that many NIDA Corporate Training participants have in common is a niggling feeling that they somehow don’t deserve to be there. They feel that they’ve somehow fluked their way into their current position and will one day be ‘found out’. This feeling doesn’t discriminate either- affecting anyone from first time junior staff to those in executive positions. We call this ‘imposter syndrome’.

Actors too, suffer from imposter syndrome. In fact, a lot of actors refuse to watch their own work on screen because they find it so uncomfortable. Those that do, often comment on the time it takes to get used to watching themselves and how it requires a lot of effort to do so with a subjective mindset. In other words, removing the negative lens we often view ourselves through.

A negative lens can be challenging to shake, but working through those challenges has benefits. If we start to view our work with kindness, we have an opportunity to adjust and improve the content we are putting into the world.

No, you don’t look terrible, and yes, you do sound like that.

When we are staring down the lens of a camera, we are robbed of the natural feedback we usually receive when communicating face to face. With a lack of someone to direct our focus and listening toward, the natural thing to do is for that “focus” to withdraw back into ourselves. The issue now becomes one of self-judgment. The goal of producing digital video content is to influence an audience, whether that be to increase sales, create advocates or facilitate change. When our focus is on ourselves the most important person in the communication becomes us. If we are looking to ‘influence’ however, the most important person should be the person or people we are looking to communicate with.

Presenting to camera is a very specific skill, one that takes practice and a touch of imagination. When you look down a lens, you not only need to see in your mind’s eye a specific individual you are intending to influence, but also be able to imagine their response.

A helpful trick here is to silently say the name of the person you are looking to influence, at the beginning of every sentence. This can help your delivery in two ways, firstly it will slow you down and secondly it helps push your focus forward, penetrating the lens of the camera in front of you.

Actors preparing for a stage performance rehearse for four weeks, which is on top of learning their lines. Rehearsal time is spent understanding how a character intends to create change in their scene partner, as well as fully understanding the relationships within the play. They also explore the message that the audience should leave with. This idea of how actors prepare translates well to the creation of corporate content. If you’re intending to send something out into the world and want that content to have impact, you will need to budget time to understand what you want your audience to do and how you need to make them feel engaged in that change.

If you direct your focus towards your intended audience rather than onto yourself, and if there is clarity in the outcomes you seek, then any deficiencies you might have as a presenter will be more easily overlooked. Audiences connect with passion and truth.

Ready to make your video content stand out? Practice connecting through the lens and shift the focus from self to your intended audience. By doing so, you’ll speak with authenticity, and the feeling of sounding like a robot will be a thing of the past.

Enhance your camera skills with NIDA Corporate Training by exploring our latest ‘Presenting for Media Course.’ This course is offered for individual training in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, and Melbourne, and can also be tailored to meet the unique training requirements of your teams.