Overcome Fear of Video with This Easy #5DayChallenge

Struggling to create your first video?

Here’s a #5DayChallenge to help you change that!

Each day will have a tip and challenge.

Rules of Video #5DayChallenge

Rules:

  • No fretting
  • Forget perfection
  • Do the challenges
  • Forget perfection
  • No fretting

If anyone shouldn’t do video, it’s me. That’s because I’m deaf and my accent isn’t from anyplace cool. Still, I tried it with a 20-sec recording and #TheRestIsHistory.

Video #5DayChallenge Day 1

A Tip to Overcome Fear of Making Videos

People have different reasons for not doing video. And fear is a biggie. So, let’s take the pressure off.

How?

Do you do selfies? Bet you do and with ease. Act like you’re doing a selfie … a moving selfie.

Record yourself with no plans to share it. You can say hello, introduce yourself, sing. Whatever.

No pressure.

Just hit record and go.

Remember the rules!

How to Record a Video?

You have a phone, yes? Use its camera. That’s it. Make sure to change the camera to look at you not away from you.

You can hold it or use a tripod.

Your Day 1 Challenge

  1. Create a short recording knowing you won’t publish it.
  2. Write a text post sharing your experience.
  3. Add #5DayChallenge #MerylChallenge to your post.
  4. Post a link to your post in the comments.

Ready? Set … Go!

Video #5DayChallenge Day 2

Video #5DayChallenge Day 2

Open the floodgates!

If you did Day 1, you will have recorded at least one video. Hope it helped you get familiar with the process of recording and doing it without pressure.

Still no pressure here! I’ll give you a simple assignment for Day 2. This is what I did with my first video. Floodgates. Opened.

Day 2 Assignment

Here’s what to do:

  1. Introduce yourself.
  2. Ask a question.
  3. Say thanks.
  4. Upload it to LinkedIn through your phone’s LinkedIn or YouTube app. (If you have trouble with this, post in the comments. I’ll help you.)

Can’t come up with a question? Here are ideas.

  • What was your first job?
  • What’s something you want to do that you’ve never done before?
  • What recently made you laugh or smile?

Your Day 2 Challenge

  1. Create a short video asking a question.
  2. Add #5DayChallenge #MerylChallenge to your post.
  3. Post a link to your video in the comments

Still uncomfortable with posting it? Post it to YouTube from your phone and don’t make it public.

Practicing the act of uploading to a website may help shake those nerves. The more you do this, the easier it gets. Feel free to send me the link. (You can share the link even if it’s private.)

Just do it! #YouGotThis

Video #5DayChallenge Day 3

Video #5DayChallenge Day 3

What the heck should I talk about?

One of the biggest barriers to doing video is that people don’t know what they should talk about.

Content Ideas for Videos

The best videos contain one of the 3 E’s:

  • Educate
  • Entertain
  • Encourage

How can you do this? Get ideas from your life:

  • Answer someone’s question? Others will benefit from your answer.
  • Run into a problem? How did you conquer it?
  • Achieve something? It can inspire someone.
  • Post a comment? Record it.
  • Work with a client? Tell a story or about a problem you solved.
  • Go on vacation or holiday? Bet there’s a business lesson.
  • Get advice from others? A book inspired this.
  • Receive kudos on content? Record it.
  • Arouse curiosity? Ask a question to see what others think.
  • Overcome fear? I freakin’ sang! #NuffSaid

Your Day 3 Challenge

  1. Record using any of the above topics.
  2. Add #5DayChallenge #MerylChallenge to your post.
  3. Post a link in the comments.

What other sources can you find inspiration for content?

Video #5DayChallenge Day 4

Video #5DayChallenge Day 4

Here’s the secret to reaching more people with your video:

[Silent drum roll]

Caption
your
videos

Why Caption Videos?

Many hearing people watch captioned videos. In fact, 80 percent of the people who use captions are NOT deaf or hard of hearing [Source: OfCom]

Can you imagine how many more people you’d reach if you add captions to your videos???

Many hearing folks say they …

  • Turn the sound off
  • Prefer to read captions over audio
  • Multitask while watching video
  • Focus and follow better with captions

Here are more reasons to caption your videos.

You have multiple options for captioning your videos. (Subtitles and captions are not the same.)

  • Service: Rev.com, 3PlayMedia, and Splasheo
  • DIY: YouTube transcription, Camtasia, and Premier
  • Phone apps: Clips (iOS) and AutoCap (Android)
  • Web-based app: Quicc (iOS and Android) and Headliner

Here’s a detailed list of captioning software.

Your Day 4 Challenge

  1. Record with Clips, AutoCap, Quicc, etc. to caption it.
  2. Upload it to LinkedIn.
  3. Add #5DayChallenge #MerylChallenge #Captioned to your post.
  4. Post a link in the comments.

Are you a person with hearing who uses captions? If so, what’s the reason you use captions?

Video #5DayChallenge Day 5

Video #5DayChallenge Day 5

Let’s bring it all together.

If you’ve been following the challenge, I hope you’re more comfortable with video than you were on Day 1.

It takes practice to become more comfortable.

Even after doing videos for months, I keep improving.

Put Together What You’ve Learned in the #5DayChallenge

Let’s get you more comfortable by having you do another video. This time, apply the things you learned in Days 1 through 4 in your video.

  • Day 1: Get comfortable with the camera by treating it like a moving selfie.
  • Day 2: Create a short video asking a question, a great tool for videos.
  • Day 3: Gain content ideas with the best coming from your own life.
  • Day 4: Reach more people by captioning your videos.

Feel free to draft notes or a script to help things along.

It may take three takes or 10. I’ve done my share of 10+ takes.

Here’s an outline for your video:

  1. Open with a question, fact, or topic covered.
  2. Cover key points related to the opening statement.
  3. Finish with a question, comment invitation, or another call to action.

It can be 30 seconds or two minutes. Entirely up to you. The important part is to create a video sharing what you want to say.

Your Day 5 Challenge

  1. Make a recording using all the things you’ve learned.
  2. Upload it to LinkedIn or YouTube.
  3. Add #5DayChallenge #MerylChallenge to your post.
  4. Post a link in the comments.

Bonus points for captioning your video. If you do, add #Captioned to your post.

Congratulations on completing the challenge!

How did the challenge help you? Any unanswered questions?

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