8 Do’s and Don’ts of Dressing for the Camera
Those who have worked in the media industry understand that it takes time to help professionals feel comfortable in front of the camera, especially when they’re representing their company.
However, ensuring your subjects are prepared with witty remarks and on-point messaging is only half the battle. The visual element of video can also enhance (or detract) from whether or not what they say resonates with viewers.
No matter if you’re teeing up your execs for national television, a company overview video, or an interview at an event, here are 8 key tips to consider when preparing them.
Discuss clothing
- Avoid any bold patterns. Intense prints (like stripes or plaid) can shake on camera due to the light and thus are a major distraction from what is being said. TV stations and video production companies will mention this before they film, but be a pro and make note of this ahead of time.
- Ask where the interview will take place. While most interviews will be held either outside, in an office setting, or in a studio, it’s always smart to check in case your shoot involves a green screen. If it does, make sure that that the interviewee is not wearing green to avoid a floating talking head.
- Consider what colors will flatter the individual the most. Industry experts know to avoid colors that will bleed on camera (pink, pastels, red) and white, which will make all the other colors appear underexposed. Leverage cool, solid tones like greens and blues to get the most comfortable look on camera.
- Dress your subjects professionally to create authority for your company. Depending on your brand or industry, blazers are not always needed (but definitely recommended). However, short sleeves can come across as unprofessional and a bit underwhelming. Connect with the individual ahead of time to know what they’re planning on wearing – and advise accordingly.
Talk accessories
- Keep jewelry to a minimum. While style is certainly important to exude the right feel of your brand and employees, large necklaces and big earrings can be loud and interfere with the microphone’s ability to pick up sound. This could lead to frustration for both the camera crew and your colleague.
- Ties are typically recommended for men on camera. It ties (pun intended) together the look, but still needs to compliment the shirt. Like with shirts, avoid ties with distracting patterns that will shake on screen and detract from what is being shared.
Final touches
- To avoid awkward fidgeting and face touching, make sure hair is kept out of the face. The focus should be on what the interviewee is saying, not on hair adjustments.
- Remember makeup. Whether you’re in a studio or on an event floor, making sure that you look your best involves a bit of coverage and having some extra makeup on hand for touch-ups. Cameras can wash out your skin, so you’ll need to add a bit more than you’d wear normally, but still tasteful. Can’t convince your CEO to wear some foundation? At least have some mineral veil to eliminate the shine, which can come across as nervous sweat.
When you’re taking time from your executives’ busy schedules, you need to make sure they excel – down to every detail. These simple but effective tips will eliminate visual distractions to make sure the focus is on them and their message.
To get more out of your video at events, check out our recent presentation The Video Marketing Playbook for Events to delve on which video you should capture at events.
One last tip: Always have a spare shirt for if something goes wrong. Odds are you’ll never need it, but you’ll be the hero the one time your colleague does!
