TIPS TO HELP
‘Present yourself as you want to be seen.’
- Present yourself as you want to be seen Even if you are working from home. Even if you are working from home, avoid the t-shirts and the bad hair day. If it’s been recorded you may have to live with the image for some time to come.
- Talking to the camera If you are presenting, always keep eye contact with the camera. Your audience is watching. If your eyes wander around the room you, stop engaging with your viewer and they will wander around your room.
- Stay on script If you have written a piece that you intend to present, then have it on screen just below the camera. Do not print it out or put on to another screen.
- Be Prepared Read the script through a couple of times before you do your presentation. You don’t want to appear to be reading from a script.
THE BACKGROUND
- The background should be fairly simple and uncluttered.
- If you want your bookcase, tidy it up.
- Turn your computer camera on and check the view of the room.
- Untidy book shelves or lots of coats on doors doesn’t look great. So spend a little time smartening the background up. Maybe hang a picture if you have a blank wall that is fairly innocuous (see the different examples).
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
- Obvious but true Ensure you have a good internet connection. Help yourself by setting up as close to the router as possible. If you can hardwire your computer (ethernet cable) into your router, this always helps and avoids those pesky WIFI issues.
- Kick the kids off! When you are online try and make sure that you have few devices on the internet as possible. Some routers will prioritise devices, it might not be the one you are using. . .
- Conduct your interview on the computer Do your interview on your computer, not a mobile device and set the angle of the camera to have your whole head in frame. But make sure it’s not looking up your nose!
- Lighting This is important. Do not have a window or lamp/ lightbulb behind you. The camera will adjust for the light and you will be a silhouette. A much better idea is to put a diffused light behind the camera or even bounce it off the wall behind the camera.
A QUICK REMINDER
- Present yourself well
- Look at the camera when talking
- If you are reading, try to look natural
- Make sure the background is tidy
- Be as close to the router as possible
- Use an ethernet cable if possible
- Make sure your head is fully in shot
- No lighting behind you
- Plenty of diffused lighting behind the camera