Ready for Your Closeup?
October 07, 2009 | By
Occasionally you will find yourself lucky enough to be asked to appear on television or in a film. A great media appearance can have an overwhelming impact on your handmade business, but a media flop can have horrible implications. If you have never found yourself in this situation before, never fear! Here is a blunt, bare bones guide to making a good media appearance!
Before the Interview
Makeup
Bring your own makeup with you, there might not be a makeup artist on site. Match your face powder exactly to your skintone or else it will look fake and overdone if too dark, or pasty and chalklike if too light. A good rule for women is to wear the amount of makeup you would wear to a professional job interview. Don't overdo it, bright red lipstick is best left for COPS reruns.
A Special Note for Guys: If you don't wear makeup, you'll look sweaty and plastic-like, and you don't want that. Also, Chuck Norris looks amazing with a moustache; you do not look like Chuck Norris. A moustache isn't television friendly because it obscures your mouth. Unless it's part of your branding image, it's time to part with it.
Wardrobe
Let me stress: DO NOT wear white. Showing up in white attire can get you chewed out by the production crew. Speaking from personal experience as a media production intern, white is a nightmare to capture on film. It glows and flares out on camera and just makes a scene a visual disaster, likewise for overly bleached hair. It might make your tan look fabulous, but it will look hideous on camera.
Pastels, neutrals (charcoal, gray, brown, tan) and earth tones work well on camera. Solid blacks and bright reds do not; black absorbs light and red flares out, casting a reddish tint on everything around it. Avoid small stripes or checks; they make your clothing look like it's caught in a funhouse mirror.
Keep your attire simple, (unless you are a designer) so viewers pay attention to what you're saying, not what you're wearing. Keep your jewelry simple (unless you are a jewelry artist), and wear comfortably fitted clothing. Tight or even slightly snug clothes only magnify every roll and bulge you have. Also, make sure you are wrinkle free before you go on camera. Bring an extra shirt in the car, you never know what might happen before you sit for your interview.
Ignore the Courtesy Table
Avoid the belch heard 'round the world and dodge the courtesy table prior to your interview. Drink only water beforehand, and absolutely no food before your interview. The last thing you want is to drop food down the front of your shirt and have to go on camera like that. Also, it might be tempting, but coffee can make your throat dry if you consume it within an hour of your appearance, and if it contains dairy products, it can cause you to get a lump stuck in your throat and the next worst thing to an unintended belch is an accidental loogie hawked in public.
The Interview
Prepare Yourself
You never know when your segment will get cut short, so it is best to prepare the first 30 seconds of your interview to include all the information you need to get across. The rest of the time should be spent elaborating on those points. This ensures you get a maximum amount of information across before either the studio switches to breaking news, or a channel surfer clicks the channel button on the remote. Don't use notes, it looks really unprofessional (especially if it is your own products you're talking about).
Speak Up
Speak clearly, enthusiastically, and a little louder than you would in normal conversation, especially if you are on the shy side. It's best to treat it like you're telling someone a great story in a crowded room; elevate your levels enough to keep the interest of your audience without trying to get the whole room's attention. If you overdo it, you will sound like one of those infomercial guys selling fad products.
Watch Your Gestures
Be conscious of your posture and hand gestures during your interview. Swiveling or rocking in your chair makes you appear nervous so avoid that at all costs. It is best to keep your feet planted on the floor, and when you are not speaking, keep your hands in your lap. Tilting your head slightly to the side opposite the camera while your interviewer is speaking gives the appearance that you are listening intently (a good tip to keep in mind is pretend your head is at 12 on a clock face, tilt it to 11 if the camera is to your right, and tilt to 1 if the camera is on your left). Keep your hand and arm gestures within reasonable limits, there's no point in being melodramatic. Don't make funny faces or roll your eyes, it makes you look unprofessional. And last but definitely not least: Don't lick your lips, it makes you look like a pervert.
After The Interview
After your interview is complete, stay put until your microphone can be removed and the producer tells you that you can leave the set. Ask the producer when your interview will be aired (if not live). If your interview was live, ask the producer when and where you can request a copy of your interview tape. Wait a few days and send the producer a short thank you note for allowing you to be a part of their broadcast, this will make a lasting impression that could possibly lead to another appearance later on.
Image Credits: AlwaysAmy on Artfire & PolkaDotGlassShop on Artfire
Kelli is a mixed media artist and writer with a serious vintage hat and scarf addiction. Check out what she's up to on Twitter, or email her with your thoughts at HMNKelli@gmail.com
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