Presenting on camera and online: video, webinars, media interviews and lessons from theatre

A growing share of business communication now happens through a camera: video calls with customers, recorded product demonstrations, webinars, social media videos, online training, investor pitches and occasional media interviews. Many people who are comfortable in a meeting room freeze when a red recording light comes on. Others come across as stiff, distant or distracted on screen, even though they are warm and engaging in person.

Being effective on camera is a skill that can be learned. It combines practical technique, such as lighting, framing, sound and posture, with delivery skills, such as conversational tone, energy and clear messages, and personal confidence. Some of the most useful exercises come from theatre, which has always trained performers to project presence, control their voice and body, and understand their audience.

This article covers overcoming camera fear, setting up properly, body language, delivery, preparing for webinars and media interviews, and theatre exercises that build presence.

Overcoming camera fear

Many people find their first experiences on camera awkward. Some freeze completely. That is normal, and it passes with practice.

Make friends with the camera. Practise regularly, so the camera becomes familiar rather than threatening. Short practice videos that nobody else sees are a good start.

Be your own audience and critic. Practise in front of a mirror, then record yourself. Watch the recording as if you were an audience member, and note what works and what does not: moments of hesitation, unclear explanations, distracting habits. Improve one thing at a time.

Look after your health and mood. The camera picks up tiredness, illness and low mood. Where possible, avoid recording when you are unwell. If you must, acknowledge it briefly and proceed. Audiences appreciate honesty.

Setting up properly

Good technical setup lets your audience focus on you rather than distractions:

Lighting: face a window or use soft lighting in front of you. Avoid strong light behind you, which leaves your face in shadow.
Camera position: place the camera at eye level, about an arm’s length away, so you are looking straight ahead rather than up or down.
Framing: frame yourself from about mid-chest up, with a little space above your head.
Sound: use a good external microphone or headset, and reduce echo and background noise. Poor sound loses audiences faster than poor video.
Background: choose a tidy, uncluttered background that does not distract. Check that nothing confidential is visible.
Connection and notifications: use a reliable internet connection, close unnecessary applications and silence notifications.

Body language on camera

Body language communicates a great deal on screen. Do:

Sit or stand upright, relaxed but alert.
Look into the camera lens when speaking, not at your own image on screen. This creates eye contact with the viewer. Do not stare without blinking, but return your gaze to the lens regularly.
Use natural facial expressions that match your message: smile when sharing good news, look serious when discussing important issues.
Keep gestures modest and within the frame.

Avoid:

Crossed arms, which can look defensive.
Yawning, nail-biting and touching your face, which signal nervousness or boredom.
Swaying, rocking or fidgeting.
Looking away from the camera frequently, for example at notes or other screens.

Practise the do’s and don’ts until they become habits.

Appearance

Viewers notice appearance on screen. Wear neat, well-fitting, pressed clothing appropriate to the audience. Solid, medium colours usually work better on camera than very bright colours, pure white or busy patterns, which can distract or flicker. Keep grooming tidy and, if you wear makeup, keep it light and natural.

Delivery: conversation, not lecture

Effective on-camera delivery feels like a conversation with one person, even when thousands are watching.

Internalise your message. Before recording, close your eyes for a few minutes and think through your content. Imagine how you would explain it to a friend. That turns a memorised script into something you genuinely want to say.

Be conversational. Speak as you would to a colleague across a table. Use everyday language and examples your audience relates to. Without a live audience to react, you need to bring a little extra energy and warmth.

Prepare, but do not recite. Write down your key points and examples, and rehearse two or three times so you know the flow. Avoid memorising word for word, which sounds stiff. If you use a script or teleprompter, practise until it sounds natural.

Use your voice deliberately:

Volume: normal conversational volume, because the microphone does the work.
Pace: lively but not rushed. Not like a machine gun, not like a slow train.
Pitch: vary it to emphasise important points and avoid monotony.
Pauses: short pauses add clarity and emphasis. Avoid long silences that look like mistakes.
Pronunciation: check pronunciation of unfamiliar names and terms in advance.

Webinars and online presentations

Webinars combine presenting with managing technology and an unseen audience:

Rehearse with the platform: screen sharing, slides, polls and chat.
Have a co-host where possible to manage questions, technical issues and chat.
Engage early and often: ask the audience to answer a poll or type in the chat in the first few minutes, and repeat interaction every five to ten minutes.
Use clear, simple slides with large text, because many viewers watch on small screens.
Keep it shorter than an equivalent in-person session, because online attention spans are shorter.
Follow up with a recording, slides and answers to unanswered questions.

Media interviews

Occasionally, business owners are interviewed by journalists, whether for local news, trade publications, podcasts or industry videos. Preparation makes a large difference:

Know your key messages: two or three points you want the audience to remember. Prepare simple examples and figures that support them.
Understand the interviewer and audience: what angle are they likely to take, and what will their audience care about?
Anticipate difficult questions and prepare honest, concise answers.
Speak in short, clear sentences. Broadcast and online media often use brief excerpts.
Bridge back to your messages when questions drift: “That’s a good question. What’s most important here is…”
Never say anything you would not want published. Assume microphones are always on.
Be honest. If you do not know, say so and offer to follow up. Never mislead.

Video calls with customers

Everyday video calls with customers and partners deserve the same care as recorded videos, because first impressions on a call shape the relationship:

Join a minute early, with camera and audio tested.
Use your camera unless there is a good reason not to. Seeing faces builds trust.
Look at the lens when making key points, and at the participants’ faces when listening.
Share your screen deliberately: close unrelated tabs and documents, and zoom in so small text is readable.
Summarise agreements and next steps before ending, and follow up in writing.

Small, consistent habits on calls signal professionalism and respect for the other person’s time.

Lessons from theatre

Theatre training develops many skills directly useful in business communication. Shakespeare’s observation that “all the world’s a stage” captures the idea: in business, as on stage, we play roles, read other people and communicate with an audience.

Theatre helps develop:

Oral communication: a stronger, clearer voice, with less shyness and hesitation.
Creative problem-solving: productions involve sets, lighting, costumes and rehearsals, all needing coordination.
Understanding other people: actors study characters’ motivations and reactions, building insight into real people.
Striving for excellence: rehearsing until the performance is right.
Motivation and commitment: success requires patience, hard work and teamwork.
Working in diverse teams: productions bring together people with different backgrounds united by a shared goal.
Expressive body language: understanding how emotions show in posture, gestures and expression, which also builds self-awareness.
Discipline: following rules, schedules and direction.
Working under pressure: live audiences give immediate feedback.
Empathy: understanding others’ feelings, thoughts and perspectives, which raises emotional intelligence. Leaders who understand their employees’ feelings and problems are typically more respected and effective.

Theatre exercises for presence

These exercises, adapted from drama training, build observation, expression and confidence:

Observation at a bus stop: watch people waiting in a public place. What do their expressions, clothing and gestures suggest? This sharpens observation and imagination.
Status exercise: imagine how people of different status, such as a chief executive, a new employee or a customer, would react to the same situation. What would their body language be? How would they handle frustration? This builds insight into people’s moods and personalities.
Roles you play: notice how you behave in your different roles, such as manager, customer, supplier or parent, and compare your reactions with others’. It helps identify habits to change, such as quick irritation over small things.
Free movement: move freely to music without worrying about steps or rhythm. It loosens physical inhibition and makes body language more natural.
Emotion journal: recall recent moments of happiness, sadness, anger or jealousy, and what triggered them. Understanding your emotional triggers helps you manage reactions, especially those that affect others.
Mock interview: take turns interviewing a friend with challenging questions, then swap roles. It builds comfort with uncomfortable conversations and understanding of other perspectives.
Non-stop talking: pick any topic and speak about it continuously for three to five minutes without long pauses. It improves fluency and improvisation.
Charades and miming games: communicate words or phrases without speaking, building mind–body coordination.

Recording a short business video: step by step

Define the purpose and viewer: who is this for, and what should they do after watching?
Outline three points: most effective business videos make one main point supported by two or three ideas.
Write a strong opening line that tells viewers immediately why they should keep watching.
Set up: light, sound, framing and background, with notifications off.
Rehearse aloud two or three times.
Record several takes, and do not aim for perfection. Natural, slightly imperfect delivery often connects better than polished scripts.
Keep it short: one to three minutes suits most social and website videos.
Add captions, because many people watch without sound, and captions improve accessibility.
End with a clear next step: visit a page, book a call or download a guide.
Review and learn: check how viewers respond, and improve the next video.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need professional equipment? Not to start. A recent smartphone, a basic external microphone, a simple tripod and good natural light produce perfectly acceptable results for most business videos. Invest in better equipment once you know video works for you.

Should we use a teleprompter? Teleprompter apps help some people deliver longer scripted content, but they can make delivery sound read. Practise until the script sounds natural, or use bullet points instead.

How do I stop saying “um” and “ah”? Slow down, pause instead of filling silence, and practise. Fillers usually decrease as confidence and preparation increase. A few are natural and rarely bother viewers.

What if I make a mistake while recording? Pause, take a breath and repeat the sentence. Mistakes can be edited out. In live sessions, simply correct yourself and continue, because audiences are forgiving.

A worked example

The owner of a small engineering firm wants to publish short videos explaining common design problems. His first attempts are stiff: he reads from a script, looks away from the camera and speaks in a monotone.

He sets up a simple recording space facing a window, with an external microphone and the camera at eye level. Instead of scripting every word, he writes three bullet points per video and rehearses explaining them aloud as if to a client. He watches each recording, noting one improvement each time: looking at the lens, slowing down, smiling at the start and using his hands naturally. He also joins a local speaking club for regular practice.

After ten videos, his delivery is relaxed and conversational. Clients comment that the videos explain things clearly, and several enquiries mention them as the reason for getting in touch.

Summary

On-camera communication is now part of everyday business. Overcome camera fear through regular practice and honest self-review. Set up good lighting, sound, framing and background. Use confident, natural body language, look into the lens and dress appropriately. Deliver conversationally, internalising your message rather than reciting it, and use your voice deliberately. Prepare carefully for webinars and media interviews with clear key messages. Theatre skills and exercises build presence, empathy and confidence that help in every kind of communication.

Sources: small-business training notes on media confidence and on acting and performance skills for personality development, together with general presentation and media practice. Examples are illustrations.