In short: On camera your face does much of the work, especially in a close shot. Decide what you want the viewer to feel, then let your expression follow that feeling. Exaggerate slightly, because what looks lively in person can look flat on screen. Record two minutes, watch it on mute to see the face alone, and change one thing at a time before the next take.
On camera your face is most of what the viewer sees. Start from the feeling you want them to have, exaggerate slightly, and check the result on mute.
Why the face matters on camera
In a head-and-shoulders shot, the face fills most of the frame. Alastair Greener's Present Yourself tips make the same point: on screen, the face is all the viewer really sees. That is why a small, tight expression can look blank, and a relaxed one can look warm.
Start from the feeling
Expression follows what you are thinking. If you are anxious about the lens, the face shows it. Before you record a section, decide what you want the viewer to feel: interested, reassured, serious or pleased. Then let the expression come from that. Trying to arrange the face on its own usually looks stiff.
Exaggerate a little
What looks lively in a room can look flat on screen. Present Yourself's body language tips suggest exaggerating expressions slightly, and smiling more than feels natural. Practical adjustments:
- Open the eyes a little more than usual.
- Let the smile arrive before the first word, not halfway through the sentence.
- Pause after the main point, so the expression has time to land.
- Keep the jaw loose. A tight jaw shows in the voice as well as the face.
Steps for a clear expression
- Set the framing first. Framing yourself: headroom, distance and eye level covers the basics.
- Choose the feeling for each section.
- Practise the opening and the closing with the expression you want.
- Record two minutes, then watch on mute to see the face alone. Then watch with sound.
- Change one thing, such as the eyes or the jaw, and record again.
A worked example
A 30-second introduction for a website. The message is "we can help you with this." The feeling is confident and friendly.
On the first take, the face is tight and the eyes drop to the notes. On the second, the speaker looks at the lens, lets the smile arrive before the first word and pauses after the main point. Watched on mute, the second take reads as warmer. Nothing about the words has changed.
Common mistakes
- A frozen face while the other person is talking, in an interview or a call. Show you are listening.
- Over-acting a serious message with a big, bright face.
- Watching your own face in the self-view box while you speak. Hide the self-view if you can, and check the recording afterwards.
- Never recording, so the expression is judged only from memory.
For the eyes, read eye contact with a lens. For how much energy to bring to the lens, read being more than you are on camera. If you want to rehearse on camera with someone giving feedback, our media training studio page explains how a day is set up.
Related guides
- Eye contact with a lens: arrows, eyeline and the window
- Framing yourself on camera: headroom and distance
- Being 10% more than you on camera, 20% on stage
- How to read an autocue without looking like you're reading
- Sit or stand for camera?
- All guides and tools
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
How expressive should you be on camera?
More than in conversation, but not theatrical. Exaggerate slightly, so the expression reads on a small screen, and keep it tied to what you are saying.
Why does my face look frozen on camera?
Usually because you are thinking about the lens, not the message. Choose the feeling for each section, look at the lens, and let the expression follow. Watch a recording on mute to see whether the face is doing anything at all.
What should your face do when you are listening on a video call?
Show that you are listening. Alastair's advice is to nod, smile and use reactions, so the other person can see you following them.
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