How to book on-camera jobs?
PRACTICE.
Yup.
Musicians practice everyday. Athletes train. Actors continue to study their craft.
But for some reason, people starting out in hosting and presenting think: I’ve taken your hosting class(es), did Marki Costello’s Boot Camp and Patricia Stark’s Weekend Connection, I’m good to go!
You’re good to start.
Now you have to put the tools and feedback to use. If you take a lesson with a golf pro and never practice your swing you will not improve. The same applies here.
Record yourself everyday. Start with 5 minutes. Build up to 10 minutes, then 15.
Be intentional. Be creative. Give yourself permission to be silly and take risks. Push yourself.
You want to develop range, depth, nuance.
Don’t do the same thing over and over the exact same way. Try doing it differently each time. Study your takes – what’s working? What’s interesting? What’s entertaining?
Get to know your face and how effective a well-arched eyebrow is. Not to mention a perfectly timed pause.
If you’re stuck for ideas, try: Reading the morning headlines and offering analysis, do a movie/album/restaurant review, transcribe host copy from segments that have aired, grab your camera and go outside and do Man-On-The-Street segments, interview a friend…
Don’t let trying to do it “right” get in the way of being good.
