Video camera fright

I just got a Zoom Q3HD from garywj today and I will say it's really nice and works great. My problem is I've tried it numerous times and as soon as the camera is on record I become a bundle of nerves and can't do it. I did about 15 takes and every time I would screw up somewhere in the song and stressed out to the max. I can play this song I'm trying to do all day and rarely make a mistake and as soon as I hit record it's all over but the crying. I am so mad at myself right now. I've made videos before and did all right but still pretty nervous and would make a mistake here and there but nothing like this. I am playing in the bathroom because it's quiet and the acoustics are better but I don't normally play in there and maybe that's part of the problem. I try not to think about the record being on but it doesn't work. I am so upset with myself that I took a Xanax hoping to calm myself down enough to do a recording. I take Xanax at bedtime for sleep not because I'm a nervous or anxious person so I don't understand why I have such a problem with it. I'm going to try again in a little bit after the Xanax kicks in and see how I do then. Can anyone help me??? I'm at my wits end as to what to do about it and have nowhere else to turn but the UU to ask what's wrong with me. Please help if you can with whatever suggestions you can to help me with this. Thank you for any help. I've decided to try it in my bedroom where I normally play and see how that goes here in a few.

Mark

I might add that no singing is involved in this song it's an instrumental. It is a tough song but I've got it down pat till the camera is on. The only problem with this is now that I have taken the Xanax I'm going to have a buzz in my video. Oh well I guess if it works I'll take it but I can't take one every time I'm ready to do a video. I guess I could title the video Mark playing Uke with a buzz...lol. Thanks again.

That's exactly why I got rid of that camera ;-) I do the same thing. On about my 8th video I started getting a "little" better. On most of my videos, I don't settle down until about the 6th try, and I get an acceptable one on about number 12. If I can give any encouragement it is that I have gotten better. And the no singing is a good idea. When I add another element, I get nervous - like when a recently added Band-in-a-Box. I got an acceptable video today on my 7th try using Band-in-a-Box, so that's good for me. Most of the mistakes are obvious ones that's I'd never make off camera. Don't give up. I haven't tried drugs (yet).

garywj said:

That's exactly why I got rid of that camera ;-) I do the same thing. On about my 8th video I started getting a "little" better. On most of my videos, I don't settle down until about the 6th try, and I get an acceptable one on about number 12. If I can give any encouragement it is that I have gotten better. And the no singing is a good idea. When I add another element, I get nervous - like when a recently added Band-in-a-Box. I got an acceptable video today on my 7th try using Band-in-a-Box, so that's good for me. Most of the mistakes are obvious ones that's I'd never make off camera. Don't give up. I haven't tried drugs (yet).

Click to expand...

Thanks Gary, the Xanax didn't work I tried it again and after several takes still couldn't do it. I'm hoping to get used to it but I'm going to have to get a power cord for it because I'm running thru batteries quickly already on my 3rd pair.

I'm a terrible bundle of nerves. That's why I don't do many. I've heard just doing them makes it easier. Good for you for doing them. I can't hardly play in public unless it's at ukulele club. I've learned that drugs or alcohol don't help me at all.

My hat is off to you for making videos. Ya got guts.

sukie said:

I'm a terrible bundle of nerves. That's why I don't do many. I've heard just doing them makes it easier. Good for you for doing them. I can't hardly play in public unless it's at ukulele club. I've learned that drugs or alcohol don't help me at all.

My hat is off to you for making videos. Ya got guts.

Click to expand...

Thanks sukie, I'll keep at it tho I'm going to give it a rest and try again this weekend. I'm just glad I'm not the only one out there that suffers from this. I thought i was the only one.

While I'm not shy at public speaking in from of small crowds, you stick a camera in my face and I turn into the human popsicle. Dunno why that is. Weird stuff. I tried to do a few videos even just for my own records (knowing nobody else would see them) to document my progress but I play so much crap in front of the camera they would all look/sound the same... crap. lol

Maybe it's the thought of looking into an inanimate object that causes you to muck up? If you figure this out Mark, do let me know!

Some random thoughts: I don't look into the lens. That makes me too self conscience of my expressions or something. Being in front of people doesn't bother me after the first minute or so. For me the camera is just something else on my mind that interferes with playing and singing. Early on I decided I'm going to do this and keep at it. Every time I start a new video it's easier. One more thing that helps is practicing for a few days before the taping. I will play a piece through a dozen times for two or three days. When I started playing I remember I couldn't tap my foot and play at the same time.

I think this may be a problem more common than you think...I never perform at my best on camera and have an embarrassing amount of takes...I take some time off, take the uke into another room and try to get back to 'enjoying the song again' which is what playing the uke is all about, and therefore try to ground myself, but there has never been a uke vid I have sdone...and only done a few, that I am not a little tense on, or cannot project my vocals better 5 minutes after the recording but it is early days for me....LIke everything else, practice and getting more comfortable in front of the camera...Sometimes I do vids I have no intention of sharing,

Chris

What I have done to help with camera fright and crowds is to always play to something that you can concentrate on.
I am lucky that my awesome boxer dog, Stella, will come running down the stairs to hear me play, so I end up playing to her.
Why does this matter? Well when ever I play (For people or the camera) I just block everything else out and play to her, even if she is not there.
Maybe try grabbing a stuffed animal and practice with that in front of you then have it next to the camera when you play.
2 other notes.
1. leave the camera rolling, just start over and edit, edit, edit
2. Try doing the king louie dance on camera before you play. you will feel so silly and you just did the stangest thing that playing will seem normal.
King loou dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9cWkUhZ8n4
basiclly wave your arms all around while jumping around.

Have someone else press the record button.

Seems simple, but it works for me.

king louie dance lol I prefer to futterwacken

I like the idea about pretending you are playing for your dog

IMHO its performance anxiety. If you are so worried about geting something 'just right, you just create tension and it becomes a selfforfilling prophesy. Keep doing it like this and you are building a muscle and mental memory of tention and fear responce and why as you go the mistakes get worse and you get more frustrated.

here is an idea, try running the camera and filming yourself doing other things beside trying to get a song right. film yourself doing the chores or something and get used to the camera beign there and you being 'on the spot' as it were. try a video reading allowed, recite some poetry, make some silly little short films, then incorporate performing one of your songs into it. dont practice 'performing' in front of the camera , practice being in front of it in a relaxed state. keep your uke nearby then after some of this while in a relaxed state, catch some footage of you performing.

you could also take a class in public speaking


you realy need to get to place where you feel just comfortable being who you are , flaws and all, learn to laugh at yourself you your mistakes. So what if something isnt flawless or even downright bad. chances are what you see as terrible someone else will see as brilliant. There is something to be said for perfectionism, but also to be said for not giving a hoot. perhaps the key is finding a middle ground.

hope this helps , best of luck, looking forward to seeing your video progress and hearing how things go.

Learn The Band's "Stage Fright" & use it to plow past the obvious...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvR4GKyETHg

Actually, you've gotten a good bit of good advice. I have done literally years of public speaking to technical audiences, & the only time I freeze up is when being recorded! And, I've only actually recorded ONE uke video, though I intend to start doing more...

Keep plugging & don't stress over it so much. It will come...

I've only been playing ukulele a few months but spend a lot of time working in front of and behind the camera, so might be able to offer some advice with this... The fear and awkwardness that comes when the camera is turned on is obviously just your mind playing a trick, so you have to trick it back so it relaxes. A simple way to do this is to shoot yourself practicing. Pretty soon your brain gets used to the fact that the camera is always on when you play and you'll find yourself settling in with it and performing naturally. I'm hoping you're shooting on a card rather than tape, but if it's tape you'll probably just go through a couple before you're feeling more comfortable... You may find that you never get around to actually recording a formal performance because one of your practice runs was so good that you end up posting that instead.
In tv and film it's called "shooting the rehearsal" because often the best performances come when the actors don't think it's the real thing. They're relaxed and tend to be a little more natural. I shot a scene last week with a nervous actor. We shot 3 "rehearsals" and then went home - done for the day. ;-)
Hope that helps!
Bob

I fully understand you Mark, same problem here. No problem speaking or playing in public but, alone with a camera or a microphone for that matter, I cant even do simple things right..........

I've also had some trouble with the audio-only H4 recorder. Haven't tried to record myself with my Q3HD, but I had kind of planned to.

What I would suggest though is to get a 16GB or 32GB SDHC card - if your Q3HD isn't yet at the firmware level where SDHC can be used it's very easy to upgrade. Just download new firmware from the zoom website, and follow the instructions. It's basically to install a file on a (non-SDHC) SD card and press the right buttons.

Anyway.. the point of that is that even with the highest resolution a 16GB card will run for more than 3 hours, and a 32GB card about seven.. you may have to use an external power supply (I use the one which came with my H4, they're extra for the Q3HD, but pretty standard anyway). Or at least use Lithium batteries, they'll last long too.

Then you can just start the recorder and let it run for _hours_, just run your normal practice session in front of the camera until you (hopefully) forget all about it. Later you can edit out a piece of the recording on a PC - the Q3HD comes with some software for that, or you can use some generic video editing software.

-Tor

I had the same problem early on. The thought of the whole world watching and every little imperfection being captured for eternity can be intimidating. Just some thoughts:

* I try to focus on the feeling or meaning of the song and try to get that across, rather than trying to do it "perfectly"
* Your performance will never be as perfect as you want it, but eventually you get to the point where you feel "okay, this is probably the best I can do." I give myself a one-hour time limit on takes, so I don't feel so bad screwing up early takes.
* It does get easier the more you do it. You might want to start off with easier songs in your repertoire in order to establish more confidence, then do more challenging stuff as you get more comfortable in front of the camera.

I appreciate everyone's help with my problem. I finally gave it up last night and went to work today and I'll give it another go this weekend when I'm off. I've read everyone's replies and will definitely come back and read them all again probably several times before I try it again. For now I'm just going to relax and not worry about it until I give it another shot. Thanks for everyone's help it is very much appreciated.
Mark

Being in front of a camera is not natural to most people. Like everything else it takes practice. We expect that it won't change anything, but we start thinking about how we look and other things we wouldn't normally care about. Practice makes perfect. Another thing you can do is to just leave the camera on and start playing. Once you stop caring about the camera you will get your good recording.

However, a bathroom is not really a great background to record in.

Just keep at it - record a whole performance and don't stop just because you make a mistake. Finish it anyway and then watch it back. Do several - don't treat each take as 'the one'. Record it just for yourself - if you happen to get a good one than stick that on youtube. If you can't get a clean take then do something simpler and come back to the one that's giving you trouable another day. Just get yourself used to to it. I still find it a bit weird but it's getting easier each time.