Writers don’t always like being in front of the camera. We’re more at home behind the scenes, right? But if you’re preparing for a Skype chat in the ASJA Virtual Client Connections event (or for any other video meeting) here are some tips to help you look and feel better on screen.
ASJA has provided Skype technical advice already but many people worry about how they appear. I often have Skype meetings and it’s true that we all usually look less than our adorable best. The good news is that you quickly forget about it once you’re engaged in the video conversation. The person on the other side of the screen will also look less than divine and they know it too. Nobody is competing over who looks most pasty and podgy. So relax, set the stage and then focus on substance over style.
I’ve found the most important things to look respectable are:
1) Lighting. Don’t sit facing a window as the light is too brutal unless you are a 22-year-old model, and even then. Don’t sit with a window behind you as you’ll just be a silhouette. Create a pool of diffused light if you can (draw the blinds) and have a few different side lamps around the room.
2) Camera angle. Keep it fairly level with your face but if anything place the camera angle a little above you if you are not the 22-year-old model. Most of us appear better looking slightly UP than in any way DOWN. Our eyes look more open and awake for one thing. Under the jaw (let alone up the nose) is not a good angle for most people.
3) Background. Keep it simple, no clutter.
4) Seating. Either stand to talk or sit on an upright chair or stool. Don’t risk a soft chair or sofa even if it feels more relaxed and conversational – it’s hard to keep the posture erect in a professional manner.
Learn from my mistake: I have a deep red velvet fainting couch in my office that I often relax on while editing manuscripts. The rich red looks fabulous as a background on Skype. However, on one Skype call I had to stand up to fetch a document. Watching me flail my way up from that low couch is like watching a winded sumo wrestler arise from the floor. Not pretty.
Even an adjustable desk chair that is a bit bouncy (you know the ones I mean) can be distracting. When I talk with one guy with a bouncy chair on Skype he bobs about only a tiny bit but it’s disconcerting when you’re cropped in on just his head.
5) Distance. Sit a few feet away where you are close enough to be seen (you’re not a speck on the horizon) but you’re not filling the frame in a possibly intense “look at my enormous head” fashion. Imagine you’re at a crowded coffee shop, having a chat. Sit that far away.
6) Where to Look. We automatically look at the person we’re speaking to on screen, but depending on where our camera is, it may seem to them that we are gazing elsewhere. It’s best to look directly into the camera so if you have a separate webcam adjust the position accordingly. The Skype app on an iPad (my preference) or smart phone puts the camera so close to the screen there’s no wandering gaze, but the phone makes the other person’s picture small. It’s still fine for the purpose if you keep the phone still… rest it in a stand.
Ready for your close-up? Experiment with your camera and do a test call with a friend before your meeting and you will be!