You don’t need to be “good on camera”
Hot take: most people don’t need to “be better on camera.”
They need a set that isn’t stressing them out and a script that isn’t lying.
I’ve worked with a lot of people who are wildly competent in real life and suddenly feel awkward the second there’s a lens pointed at them. Founders, operators, creatives, subject-matter experts. People who can lead teams, make hard decisions, and explain complex ideas.
Then the red light turns on and their voice changes.
They get tighter. Faster. More “presentational.”
They stop sounding like themselves.
It’s easy to label that as a confidence problem. It usually isn’t.
The camera turns communication into a test
The fastest way to make someone sound unnatural is to put them in a situation where they feel judged.
On a set, that judgment can come from a lot of places:
- a room that feels rushed
- too many people watching
- unclear expectations
- a script that’s packed with “marketing language”
- the pressure to nail it in one take
In that environment, people start aiming for “correct.”
Correct is the enemy of real.
The real fix is usually boring
Most “bad on camera” problems disappear when you fix the basics:
- Pace
- If someone feels rushed, they speak like they’re trying to escape. Slow the room down and the voice follows.
- Words that belong to the person speaking
- If the script is something they’d never say out loud, their body knows it. It shows up in their face, timing, and tone.
- Permission to be human
- The moment someone feels like they’re allowed to be imperfect, the delivery gets cleaner. That sounds backwards, but it’s true.
- One honest take first
- Before chasing a “perfect” take, capture an honest one. It’s usually the best one. And even when it isn’t, it becomes the reference point that gets everything else back on track.
Scripts that “aren’t lying”
When I say “a script that isn’t lying,” I don’t mean people are intentionally dishonest.
I mean the words are often written in a voice nobody uses in real life:
- “We leverage cutting-edge solutions…”
- “At the end of the day…”
- “We’re passionate about…”
A lot of it is filler. Or safety language. Or brand language that got approved by committee.
The fix is simple and annoying: say the true thing in plain English.
If it feels too simple, that’s usually a good sign.
The goal is not confidence. It’s normal
Most people don’t need to become a different person to be on camera.
They need to feel normal again.
So if you’ve ever watched yourself back and thought, “Why do I sound like that?”
It’s probably not because you’re bad on camera.
It’s probably because the set was stressful and the script wasn’t yours.
Slow the room down.
Make the words real.
Roll.
