How To Keep Your CEO From Looking Like A Tight-Ass On YouTube

Have you ever noticed that executives tend to come off stiff, polished and rehearsed on web video? And who can blame them. It’s their job to provide a clear vision for their employees and boards of directors. They have to be ON. All. The. Time.

But when you’re trying to humanize your company with a few quick Flip segments, having a well trained, professional, speaker can come off, well, kinda fake. Your boss’s heart is in the right place, but all that professionalism can get in the way of some good ol’ fashioned transparency.

It often takes practice to appear natural in front of a camera, particularly for some executives who might associate an informal demeanor with being unprofessional or even disrespectful. So here are a few tricks to try to help your client feel and appear a little more relaxed on camera.

1) Don’t Turn Off The Camera

On almost every shoot we do, an interviewee will explain something over and over again while on camera and just not get it right.

The second we flip off the camera though, he says, “No, it’s really true.”

Then he proceeds to provide a heartfelt, thoughtful explanation of the topic. You can tell that he genuinely believes the message he wants to convey in the video, but has trouble speaking informally when he’s got a camera recording every sound and move he makes for all the world to see on the internet forever and ever. That could make anyone nervous and no one can appear nervous and credible at the same time.

Solution?

Don’t turn off the camera. Don’t lie and say you’ve done it when you haven’t. Just reach over and touch the back of your camera and change your tone of voice. What do I mean by change your tone of voice? The next time you’re on a shoot, be mindful of the shift that occurs in your feelings and actions after you turn off the camera. Do your shoulders relax a little now that you don’t have to be keeping track of everything in real-time? Do you speak more freely or even a little louder now that you’re not worried about talking over an interviewee’s line and messing up the audio? Maybe you take a deep breath and reach for your water bottle. Often these changes are subtle, but these non-verbal cues can be incredibly effective at setting your client at ease.

You’ll find that the weight of the world lifts from your boss’s shoulders, the skies open, birds start singing…

And they tell you the truth.

2) Keep It In Their Own Words

Transparency is so important in web video. Especially if you have to respond to a crisis situation with a quick YouTube video – much like what Dominos had to do earlier this year.

Does that video feel off to you? Yeah, me too.

To avoid coming off stiff and rehearsed, ask your subject to give her side of things in her own words.

This is an art form. Let her write it out. Ask her to cuss or make it rhyme. Have fun with it.

Just ask her to do something different to break up the corporate PR speak that we’ve all grown to hate.

3) Change Locations, Change Locations, Change Locations

One way of accelerating a feeling of comfort with someone is to shift locations repeatedly in a short period of time.

When we’ve seen someone in multiple situations we tend to think that we know a lot more about them. The same works for video production.

After changing locations a few times, your subject will get used to the process and will eventually feel like he’s part of the team.

Feeling more involved, your subject will relax a bit and give you more natural dialogue.

There’s a line here. Be sure to be conscious of your boss’s time and let them know you will have better options in post-production with a good variety of angles and backgrounds.

4) Explain It To Your Best Friend

Another spin on the “own words” trick is to have your executive explain the situation/pitch/subject as if he was talking to an old friend, or explaining it to a child. Or, better, his Mom.

This works well for subjects who have already internalized a topic. He knows all the points and can hit them with half a brain tide behind his back, but when the camera comes on he acts like he’s talking to the board of directors.

Finally, practice, practice, practice. Get your boss used to being around you and the camera. Get them involved in the project. Remember that she does have a lot of responsibility and it’s your job to make her (and your company) look good and credibly represent the truth behind your company’s message.

And, remember. Fly casual.

What’s worked for you? I would LOVE to hear your tips on this. Ping me at @Talmadge or leave a comment if you’ve got some ideas.

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