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Don't be your own worst enemy! Kick negativity to the curb. There are often enough naysayers and Debbie Downers out there who'll pick at our self-confidence. Why join your voice to theirs? It certainly doesn't help you rise to your best potential in any way, shape, or form. We're usually our own worst critic, finding fault where few others would even think to look. The truth is, most people are too busy with their own concerns to even notice a flub in your speech, the pimple on your nose, or that you look a wee bit older than you did the year before. Cut the negative self-talk and get out of your own way! Easily said, you may be thinking. Not so easy to do. Well, there ARE a few good tricks to turn our thought processes around to a positive outlook. Some call for a realignment of our thinking. Others are adjustments to our physical habits. This video will give you a few ideas to play the mind games in which you WIN. With the right emotional energy and expectation for success, you’ll feel calmer, more confident, and more capable. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips No one's better at criticizing you than ... you. You're harder on yourself than you'd be on anyone else. Or they''d be on you. It's all totally unnecessary. And a significant waste of creative energy. Flip the script. Here's how. Finding these ideas useful and want more? Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Working from home? Don't let bad or non-existent internet service drive you away Remember when the main reason people moved to new neighborhoods was to enroll their kids in “better” public schools? I do. I was 9 years old the summer that my parents decided it was time to move to a larger house and a more highly-rated school system. So off we went, precisely 2.7 miles down the road to a neighboring suburb. With a new elementary school where my old friends … weren’t. It’s a familiar scenario. But today, internet connectivity – and reliability! – have become just as important a consideration. Who doesn’t work from home in some capacity? Or depend on the internet for electronic communications and digital entertainment? Not many, at least for those below retirement age. It wouldn’t be an issue if connectivity and reliability were fairly standard across the country. But they’re not, especially in rural areas or in places where a monopoly of service providers is in place. And that can be a problem. Case in point: I have a marketing friend who lives with her husband and son in a neighborhood that they’re mostly happy with. But - and it’s a big “but” - their internet provider has a monopolistic hold on their community and delivers shoddy, intermittent service. Not only is it hard for my friend and her son who depend on reliable connectivity for their work, but it’s driven her husband to renting out hotel rooms just so he can do his! Talk about an extreme. Like me, her husband is a voice actor. And believe me, internet availability, fast download speeds, and reliability are huge issues, especially when we’re working with clients in live, remotely-directed recording sessions. What do you do when you internet service is spotty? Well, he leaves his house, packs up his recording equipment and a portable Tri-booth (or Vocal Booth To Go, which is what I use when traveling by car), and rents a nearby hotel room, just to do his work. Untenable! And an unnecessary expense and nuisance. My friend and her family are moving, just so they can work without service interruptions. What should you do if you were looking for a new place to live? Do your research BEFORE you sign on the dotted line What home buyers can do If you’re purchasing from a homeowner, see what type of internet connection they had set up for themselves. What company did they use for phone and internet services? How many devices did they run at one time? Did they have any issues streaming movies and TV? If the service is still operational, use an app like Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com to test the download and upload speeds. Check to see if lines and connections for Cable or DSL are already present in the home. If the house is already pre-wired, you can choose the fastest option. Ask the neighbors what they use and how happy they are with their service providers. Check sites like Broadband Now.com to find out who the providers are for the area. Options for renters Before signing a lease, ask the landlord or building a manager which Internet service providers serve the building, and then compare costs and speed options available. If a renter is already living in the building, test the current connection speed on Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com. Moving into a new neighborhood? Internet connectivity – and reliability! – have become just as important a consideration as the quality of the local school system. Routers and modems and connections ... oh my! Routers can become less effective over time, and upgrading to a better router can do a lot for your internet speeds and reliability. If yours is years old, replace it. Check online to see if updates are available to keep them at top performance. Modems become outdated, too. How can you tell? You've had your modem for more than 5 years. You need to reset the modem regularly. Your Internet connection drops out. Your Internet speeds are either slow or inconsistent. Your modem makes a buzzing or humming noise often. Help, I'm stuck! What if there just isn’t a decent option available and for whatever reason, you can’t simply pick up and move to a different area? Consider one of these options: Use cellular. Most of the major cellular carriers have an option to provide WiFi from their cellular system using a cellular WiFi router. Use satellite. There are several satellite companies that provide internet to anywhere in the US or Canada. Investigate a DSL line through the phone company. Point-to-point microwave. Laura's Quick Tips Do your research before you decide to buy, rent, lease, or squat somewhere. Ask the locals about their services and then verify that you can get similar quality, too. Make sure that your own equipment is up-to-date. Hopefully, you can make some changes so that you don't have to totally uproot yourself to a new home, but if you do, at least you can avoid the problem of bad internet service again. Until the technology changes again and makes everything you've done a moot point.... But in the meantime, you can relax about all that and just worry about the really important stuff about your new neighborhood: the tax base, school system, local air and ground traffic patterns, HOA, crazy neighbors (see HOA), etc. And when all that gets to be too much, at least you know that you’ll have good internet service to escape into. 😉 Bad internet service not enough of a worry to keep you up at night? No problem! We got you covered with all kinds of other weird, unsavory stuff to think about. Like dive-bombing owls. Read all about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

A Tale of Two Ski Resorts When push comes to shove, great customer service MATTERS. You may find cost-cutting deals. You may be OK with poor service in exchange for low rates. But if you’re paying for a decent product or service, the human element – customer service – may very well determine if you’re a returning customer. Or not. I find this is especially true when it comes to vacations. After all, you’re paying for an experience. Or a getaway to relax and recharge your battery. You may not want or need the royal treatment, but you’ll expect to get your money’s worth and be treated fairly. My husband and I recently took a four-day ski vacation. Usually, if we’re going to ski, we’ll aim for January through March when the snow is best. This year saw a record-breaking snowfall, such that the Utah ski resorts decided to extend their season a few weeks into late April. A very unusual event and my husband Alex, whose love for skiing is only eclipsed by his passion for tennis, was desperate to go. Not so deep down, I’m a fair weather skier. Groomed scenic black and blue runs on a sunny, warm day? I’m there! Freezing temps, blinding snowstorms, and poor visibility? Not so much. I’d rather sip hot chocolate (or something …!) by the fireplace instead. Surprisingly for late April, we didn’t get the spring skiing. It was cold and snowed just about the entire time we were there, with low clouds and fog obscuring what would have been spectacular views. What irked us, however, was not the weather, but – and this is where the conversation on customer service comes in - how the ski resort handled their guests. It’s much harder to win a new customer than it is to retain a happy one. Park City We booked a very nice hotel with a well-respected name in Park City that had easy, close access to the Canyons ski area. We didn’t know until we arrived that: The entire Canyons ski operation had been shut down at the end of their original season, about a week before we had arrived. When we called the hotel to book our reservation (a few days after the original last day), we asked about ski in/out availability, and they said nothing about that part of the ski resort being closed. Only 20% of the Park City ski resort was operational, greatly reducing the number of lifts and runs. We still had to pay 100% - full value - for the ski pass for access to only 20% of the mountain. WHAT?! Ski operations were severely understaffed because the resort and the town (with its many restaurants) had lost most of their contract workers, South American nationals with work visas that had expired at the end of the original season. The runs that were open were not well-maintained, but very short, rather boring (and flat), and required a lot of trudging along on skis to access. Including the initial walk up the hill to access the first available ski lift. The few employees we did see looked overworked. No happy campers there. Consequently, we were quite put off by Park City. It’s not good customer service to charge guests 100% for a full mountain experience and then give only a poorly-maintained fraction of it in exchange. So we went a little farther down the road to … Deer Valley Built as a luxurious residential ski community, Deer Valley is squarely in the white gloves service end of the skiing industry. And it shows most in their excellent customer service. Case in point: Half of their mountain was open for business. Lift ticket prices were correspondingly half the regular rate. The runs were beautifully maintained. Long, winding, picturesque, and perfectly groomed. A fair weather skier’s dream. Guests were greeted and treated well, despite half the park and almost all of the restaurants on the mountain being closed. The result? As far as Alex and are concerned, we will return to Deer Valley. We had a terrific time and look forward to enjoying it another season when the full terrain and amenities will be open. Park City? Most likely not, though we did enjoy our last morning in town on its Main Street, visiting its museum (which is excellent by the way and a fascinating look into its origins as a mining town) and coffee bars. Lessons Learned We could have done a better job of researching before we finalized our plans, but after nearly 30 years of skiing together, we’d never run into this situation. Going forward, you can bet that we will: Hesitate to accept the promise of a hotel, resort, or other establishment that everything is la-dee-da perfect in unusual circumstances. Even top notch hotels that should care about their guests’ experience. Ask locals or call around the area (restaurants and shops) to learn the real truth. If nothing else, we would have learned that the whole area depending heavily on seasonal employees with contracts with expiration dates and work visas that were non-negotiable. By inference, we would have suspected that the ski resorts would have had trouble finding workers, too. Rethink our decision to spend money where we’d have limited recreation, limited dining options, but full costs. In the end, we had a nice trip (once we decided to ski only in Deer Valley), but we feel we got burned a bit because we didn’t know the right questions to ask. Or that we’d even have to ask these sorts of questions. So, here’s one more lesson learned: In an unusual situation, think of everything that could be a problem and see if any of it has merit. And when in doubt, either don’t go or decide to risk it and view the whole thing as an adventure, however it works out. One that you’ll enjoy just because it’s something different. I think I remember one advertiser summing it up best, whatever it supposedly applied to: “Know before you go.” Yup! Got it. Thanks. And for anyone out there who offers a product, service, or experience … don’t screw with your customers. It’s much harder to win a new customer than it is to retain a happy one. Laura's Quick Tips Experience is a hard teacher. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Don't screw with a loyal customer. They're not going to stick around. 'Nuff said. Except a friend who used to be in the restaurant business told me this axiom that he had his employees follow: People will forgive bad food if they experience great customer service. They won't forgive or forget bad customer service, no matter how great the food is. Customer service MATTERS. How do you provide great customer service? Back in my days of corporate sales, the tenents of customer service were plain and simple. And we were dedicated to them. Here's the formula we followed: Read more about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Fast talker, slow talker. Or maybe you're the Goldilocks of speed? Choose the right pace when you're on speaking on camera. It does make a difference! It's not just WHAT you're saying on camera that matters. It's HOW you're saying it, too. The pace at which you speak is important. It affects the viewer's impression of your products, services, and overall message. Sometimes you want to take it nice and slow, so that everyone can follow what you're saying. Other times, you want to raise the energy in the room by speaking more quickly and excitedly. There's also the Goldilocks zone, that happy medium between putting your viewers to sleep and getting so swept up in your message that you begin to sound like a teenage girl hyped up on sugar. (Tip: Don't go super-sonic. Trust me, no one will have a clue what you're saying. If you have a teen girl at home, you know what I'm talking about.) The right pace also depends on who you're talking to, the content of your message, and what you're trying to achieve. A sales pitch to a young audience will generally bounce along much faster than an instructional assembly guide. As an added benefit to your viewers, you might also consider captioning your videos to make them easier to follow. That also allows your viewers to watch them silently when in a noisy environment - or if they're hearing-impaired. There's a happy medium between putting your viewers to sleep and getting so swept up in your message that you begin to sound like a teenage girl hyped up on sugar. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips HOW you say something is as important as WHAT you're saying. Your pace and tone greatly influence how well your message is received by your viewers. Never talk down to your audience! People like to learn. They do not like to be lectured. Don't forget to pace YOURSELF when making a video. You don't want to run out of energy halfway through! Ready? Then take a few minutes to watch this video. You'll find out about several different pacing options and styles of delivery to consider. See how your tone influences your delivery and how you can maintain your chosen pace throughout a potentially very long taping schedule. Like these tips and want more? No problem, there are plenty in this video series. Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Are you a voice actor interested in expanding into on camera work? I'm delighted to be a speaker at the One Voice Conference 2023, coming to Dallas on August 10-13, 2023. My topic? "From Mic to Lens: Expanding from Voice Over Into On Camera Work." Hey, why not? I'm both a voice and on-camera actor working in film, TV, commercials, print, and corporate industrials. On camera work can be lucrative, a lot of fun ... and quite different from the comparatively quiet world of voice over, in which we mostly work alone from our home studios. Find out what skills you already have to ease the transition, new training you'll need to pick up and master, the tools of the trade, and how to get started ... the RIGHT way, so you don't get scammed by some of the shysters out there. Thursday-Sunday, August 10-13, 2023 Details coming soon! (check back here, as I'll update this section when they're available) I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

You're the company's video spokesperson Do you know what the heck you're supposed to be doing to sell your message? Sadly, not everyone who's plunked down in front of the camera knows what to say, think, or do when the director calls, "Action!" Don't be the deer in headlights. It can be rather painful when you're sideswiped by reality. No one wants to end up as roadkill when the project doesn't go as well as intended. Do you know what the creative team wants? If not, it's time to ask three basic questions that will help you understand the what, who, and how of the message: What is the purpose or message of the video? Who is the intended audience? How would they like their story told? There is a tone and style to the message that will be in line with its purpose and target viewers. All three elements must be on point so the story will resonate with its audience and have half a chance to be successful. As the video spokesperson, you have to be an effective storyteller before you can hope to sell whatever it is you're supposed to be pitching. If you don't know the answers to these three questions, you can't properly tell the story. Want to be successful? Have a clear understanding of your purpose, the people you'll be addressing, and how to tell your company's story to maximize its appeal. The story has to be told before it can be sold. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips Clarify the message and purpose of the video with the creative team. Understand the target audience and why you were selected as the spokesperson. There's a reason! Work the desired tone and style into your delivery on camera. You may have been chosen as the spokesperson for one or more of the following reasons: you're a match for the message (ex. a well-known athlete for a running shoe) or representative of the audience (ex. a retiree for a pitch for a Medicare plan) or the owner or manager of the company and speaking as the expert, in which case you probably know the answers to the how, what, and how and don't need to watch this video. For everyone else out there, just hit play. It's only a little over 5 minutes long. And there's a funny story about Betty White. Enjoy this and want more? Check out the videos in the On Camera Tips for Success series. I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

How to look good - and professional - in a video Do patterns work on camera? What's considered professional? How far can you go to express your individuality and still be appropriately dressed for the video you're making? Yup, wardrobe matters when you're on camera. It doesn't matter if you're a spokesperson, an actor, or a business owner being interviewed for the umpteenth time. You want to represent both yourself and your message well. Just like you once needed to know how to dress for that first interview or corporate job, you need to know how to present yourself for the camera. I'm talking colors, styles, patterns, and even type of footwear. If you're not careful, you could end up visually competing with your message. If viewers are more focused on what you're wearing (or not wearing, for that matter), that's all they're going to remember afterwards. And you certainly don't want to show up in the final product as a bodiless floating head (don't worry, it doesn't hurt, it just looks weird). Or be the one who ruined otherwise clean audio because you made loud squishy noises with every step you took. Avoid the pitfalls. Dress like a pro. You'll come off as polished, professional and credible. And on good terms with the editing team. Don't appear as a bodiless floating head. It looks weird, especially if you're making a serious business video and not a Halloween special. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips Dress for the occasion Don't visually compete with the message Know your background, so that your clothing complements - not clashes - with it Unless you're making your own video, check with the production team for guidelines. They should have a well-defined idea as to what the finished video will look like. They may furnish clothing options, provide suggestions, or just ask you to bring in several choices for them to decide upon. But whether you have guidance or you're forging ahead on your own, you can't go wrong knowing some of these basics. So what are you waiting for? Watch the video already! Wardrobe is an important consideration for looking good on camera, but did you know that hair and makeup - even for guys - play a significant role, too? Check it out in this short video . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Speak more clearly and confidently on camera by getting your head in the game. Literally. You'll have much easier time speaking on camera - or with any type of public speaking - by relaxing first. Easier said than done? Or working within physical limitations? No problem. You don't have to turn to meditation, yoga, long walks in the woods, or an adult beverage to help you relax. A few quick and easy warm-up exercises for your head can go a long way in helping you rid yourself of tension or stiffness BEFORE you go on camera. This video will start with some basic relaxation techniques for your head, focus on facial massage and pressure points, and help you loosen any tightness you carry in your mouth or jaw. Simple enough to do in your chair The result? You will become more relaxed - and more engaging - when the camera begins to roll. And your viewers will pick up on your positive, easy energy and be that much more receptive to you and your message. People will be looking at our faces for clues as to whether they can and should trust us. Any nervousness we feel about being on camera will most likely be on display, front and center. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips When you're relaxed, you can more easily project your unique personality. Feeling sore or tense anywhere in particular? That's where you need to work on relaxing those muscles first. Viewers will be looking at your face - and especially your eyes! - for cues as to whether they can trust you and what you're saying. Muscle tightness is a sign of fear or nervousness, which rarely translates well on camera. What does the viewer perceive? An uncomfortable spokesperson or interviewee, and they're less likely to trust the individual AND the product or service. That's why most spokespeople smile and seem very easy-going. Their friendliness welcomes the viewer and shows confidence and expertise about whatever they're saying. And guess what? It works. Want more ideas for appearing comfy and confident on camera? Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Apply your best on camera technique when making a video. And that includes knowing if you should sit or stand when talking to the camera. "Stand up! Sit down! Fight! Fight! Fight!" That was pretty much our cheerleaders' chant in just about every high school football game. It was rather catchy, but it wasn't totally clear what we in the stands were supposed to do. Stand up and sit down on command? With nary a "Simon says?" It was a conundrum. Similar confusion takes place on set when you're making a video. Unless you're advised - or told explicitly - you may not be sure whether you're supposed to stand, sit, or move around in front of the camera. Awkward! Maybe it would be helpful to have a bunch of screaming teenage girls telling you what to do and when. But if you're a parent, you may have already had your fill of screaming teenage girls. Especially those jumping up and down in your face, gently informing you at the top of their lungs what they think you should be doing for them. Nuh uh. Not happening. You'll decide for yourself, thank you very much. OK, so do you stand up or sit down when speaking to the camera? Well ... and don't you love this answer?... it depends. Really, it does. Besides, why give a good, ol' straightforward answer when you can revel in ambiguity? It's all about the energy you want to project And what you want the viewers to feel empowered to do after watching your video. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Here are a few things to think about: Laura's Quick Tips What type of video are you making? Works best for the subject matter? What works for YOU, the speaker of said video? What's the overall length of the spot? What type of energy do you want to convey to the viewers? What's your call to action? In other words, what do you want the viewers to do after watching your video? All of these matter, though there IS an industry consensus about which is typically most effective. Curious? Take a few minutes to watch this brief video and find out. Your choice, whether you sit or stand while you do. Enjoy this and want a few more handy dandy pointers? Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a magical portrait at Hogwarts? Well, now you can. If you're making a video, that is. That little box your video is appearing in is ... well ... really little. At least if you're talking to the camera with only your head and shoulders in view. One TINY step to either side can look HUGE on camera. And a simple movement from your arm could look like you're flailing around. Trust me, it's not a good look. Take a tip or two from the acting world and see how you can be most effective within what we call a tight frame. Even if you're going to be farther away from the camera lens so that your whole body showing, you still have to know how much you can move before you d.i.s. a. p. p e a ... from view. Just think of the magical portraits at Hogwarts. People can see the animated you within the picture frame that's your video, but only as long as you don't go off "visiting" some other portraits. The frame is that amount of your surroundings that will be seen on camera and specifically how you will be shown within it. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips Find out how much space you have to move around: up, down, left, and right Get a sense of the tightness of the shot: head and shoulders only or full body? Adjust your movements to match the size of your frame - usually that means to keep them SMALL Ask these questions before you begin shooting the video, so that you can keep your gestures and other physical movements in proportion to everything else happening on screen. Remember that the camera magnifies everything. In a tight shot, the slightest, shift of weight from one foot to the other can be quite noticeable, making it look like you moved partly across the screen. Move too much and you could actually distract from the message you're trying to give. Practice a bit with your phone's camera after watching this short video and you'll see what I mean. I'm sure you'll get it, faster than I can say Abracadabra. Like these tips? There's a whole series of short videos to help you become more comfortable and effective on camera: On Camera Tips for Busy Execs . And if you'd like to explore a little 1:1 help, reach out for a free 15 minute consultation . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

"Eyeline" is the acting term for knowing WHERE to look when you're on camera You're making a video. Maybe you're talking about your company. Maybe you're introducing a new product. Or maybe you're explaining a technical concept as part of a training video. It doesn't matter. Because when it's just you and the camera lens - especially when you're not used to speaking on camera - it can be a bit unnerving. One of the biggest questions is: where should I look? At the camera lens? At another point in the room? And that's just if you're the only person in the shot. But what if there are other people in the shot, as in a panel discussion? What's appropriate: speaking to the camera or to the other people? Or to your shoes? (No, do not talk to your shoes. That was a trick question. It's unlikely they'd answer back.) You need to know something about eyelines. "We're so used to directing our attention on the person we're having a conversation with. So what happens if no one is there? Just a camera lens, silently watching. And recording." - Laura Doman Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips Speaking directly to the viewer? Address the camera. Is this a 1:1 interview? For the most part, ignore the camera and look and talk to the interviewer. Are you part of a panel discussion? Look at whomever is speaking, as you would normally. Be aware of where you should be looking while you're on camera, but don't dwell on it or let it distract you from saying what you're there to say. Focus on your message and the other person who is receiving it, even if the other person isn't really there (like a future viewer of the finished video). And feel comfortable to look away from time to time, just as we do in real life when we gather our thoughts or consider an important point. No need to stare - that's best reserved for Halloween or other creepy occasions. Curious about other acting tips for becoming more comfortable on camera? Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

You're not just talking to yourself! Here's how to deliver your message effectively on camera. Welcome to my new video series, "On Camera Tips for Busy Execs," where I share tips, tricks, and techniques from the entertainment world to help you shine on camera. The first step is to become comfortable on camera so that you can use it to your best advantage. And come across as believable and trustworthy, whatever message you're delivering. Here's how to do that, by learning how to talk to one person - representative of your audience - when you're in front of the camera. Talking to a vaguely defined group of people doesn't cut it. Why? Because there's no relationship between you and the unknown. And the camera will catch it. Subscribe on YouTube for new videos! Laura's Quick Tips Talk to one person. Your eyes give it away. Do you believe in what you're saying? Connect by transforming a generic audience into one specific human being. I get it. We're all a little nervous the first time we're talking directly to the camera. Especially if we're the only one in front of the lens. But that doesn't mean you have to LOOK nervous, scared, or downright uncomfortable. With a few tips from the actor's arsenal, we'll get you looking like a pro in no time - at ease, full of good will and advice, and every inch the effective spokesperson. Love this and want more? Check out On Camera Tips for Success . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY