Submitted by Michelle Newlands on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 - 12:03

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Putting your skills to test is quite an interesting thing. It means you have to take all of those fundamentals you have been practicing over the last few days and make them work together. Remembering everything about lighting, background, angels, proposition, audio, volume, articulation, is all a must. Now, however, you must also be on camera yourself. This means you have to consider facial expression, accessories, hair, makeup, posture, eye contact AND you must remember what your script says you must be saying. AS WELL as everything previously mentioned. There are a lot of things going on and it is easy to get distracted and forget multiple of these fundamentals. If even one aspect is forgotten, lighting, for example, or facial expression, the shot will probably be unusable and must be re-shot.
Another thing to keep in mind is how easily distracted one can become when a camera is put in front of them. Things that may seem to come naturally without the camera present, are easily forgotten once it is added into the mix. The expression ‘camera shy’ is easily understood even before it starts rolling. Techniques can be taught, but without practice they are just theory… so get in front of the camera and try, try and try again.

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