video

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Getting through it: 3 ways to manage your emotions on-camera or on-stage

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My friend cried on the phone with me as he rehearsed his remarks that he was going to deliver at his father’s funeral later that week. His heart was broken and his words stumbled and eeked out from behind a growing lump in his throat. His pain was so palpable, I wanted to reach through the phone to wipe away the tears welling up in his eyes.

“How am I going to do this,” he asked. “I don’t want to turn into a blubbering mess up there, Andrea. But, I owe at least this much to my father.”

“Don’t go up there alone,” I replied...

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How I beat my camera shyness

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Despite the fact that I’ve been in hundreds of videos throughout the course of my career, I still don’t love seeing myself on camera. And I know I’m not alone in this. How many times have you shied away from being photographed or interviewed for something simply because you always think you look terrible on camera? We picture ourselves looking our absolute worst and completely recoil from the opportunity to do something really brave and worthy…which is to allow others to see us. Learning how to bravely be on camera has literally brought thousands of dollars of income to my business. Here's what I learned along the way...

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Let there be light!

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Light means everything for a high quality business video. The lens on your camera - whether it’s your smartphone camera or a professional-grade camera - is just like the lens of your eye. When it’s bright, you see better; when it’s dark, your eye struggles. Your camera lens will pick up on greater detail and give you a better image if you shoot in an area with great light.

If you don’t have the budget or space for professional lights, there are still some ways you can improve your light quality right now - without spending a single penny.

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The Real Cost of Professional Video for Your Business

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I’m gonna do my dear friends and colleagues who work in the professional video production industry a solid right now and throw down some truth: professionally-produced video is amazing because it’s a damn art form that requires skill, equipment, talent and creativity - which is why...ahem...it ain’t cheap!

There, I said it and here’s why you might be glad I did: shopping around for professionally-produced business videos when you have less than a $5,000 budget is a gross misuse of your time AND most often an insult to the pros you’re soliciting.