Guides / Writing
Hate being on camera? How to make YouTube videos anyway
Almost everyone hates their first ten videos. Your voice sounds wrong, your face does something weird, and you forget what you were going to say halfway through a sentence.
The good news is that most of that is not about the camera. It is about talking without a plan. Fix the plan and the camera gets a lot easier.
Why it feels so bad
- You are thinking and performing at the same time. A script takes the thinking away.
- You are watching yourself. Turn the screen away from you while you film.
- One take feels like it has to be perfect. It does not. Film in short pieces.
- Your recorded voice sounds strange to everyone, because you usually hear it through your own head. Viewers hear it as normal.
A way of filming that takes the pressure off
Nobody can see that the video was filmed in twelve pieces. They only see that you sound sure of yourself.
Formats where you never show your face
All of these still need a script, maybe more than a face-to-camera video does, because the words carry everything.
Start smaller than you think
Try a 30 second Short with your voice only. Then one with your face for the first three seconds. Most people find that once the words are ready, the camera stops being the scary part.
Cuely writes the script one line per thought and marks what to show next to each section, so you can film it line by line or record a voiceover straight from it.
Questions
Can a faceless YouTube channel grow?
Yes. Plenty of tutorial, gaming and story channels never show a face. What matters more is a clear hook and a voice people want to keep listening to.
Should I use a teleprompter?
It helps some people. If your eyes move a lot while reading, put the prompter right under the lens and keep lines short.