What Does On-Camera Training Help With? The Complete Guide for Business Owners, Executives, Presenters and Actors

In today's digital world, being comfortable on camera is essential—not just for actors, but also for business professionals, content creators and public speakers. Whether you're shooting and editing videos to promote your business, auditioning for a role, hosting a webinar, delivering a keynote speech, or recording for YouTube, on-camera training helps you build confidence and communicate effectively.

This post will explore everything on-camera coaching sessions help with, including technical skills, confidence-building, audition techniques, professional communication and career growth opportunities. By the end, you’ll understand why on-camera training is a game-changing skill across multiple industries and platforms.

Building Confidence and Overcoming On-Camera Anxiety

Why Do People Struggle on Camera?

Most people experience nervousness, stiffness, shaking in the legs and hands, or a lack of natural expression when speaking on camera. Performance anxiety, lack of familiarity with the medium, and self-consciousness about body language and voice are common challenges. I have never worked with an on-camera client who wasn’t nervous in some way. The biggest causes of nervousness are almost always the same, and they often center on self-image.

Thoughts like: I’m not attractive enough, skinny enough, young enough, or smart enough often plague people. But with the right coaching, these self-doubts can be overcome.

How On-Camera Training Helps

• Exposure Therapy

  The more time you spend in front of a camera, the more natural and effortless it becomes. Practice, as they say, makes perfect.

• Personalized Coaching

  Professional feedback helps pinpoint specific habits that need improvement. Most people can’t see and hear what they’re doing that might negatively affect their performance. A coach can help you identify those areas quickly and constructively.

• Mindset Shifts & Techniques

  Exercises like breathing control, vocal warm-ups, and relaxation techniques help reduce stress. These tools can be life-changing, but it’s important to note that different techniques work for different people.

For instance, I worked with an athlete who was nervous about doing on-camera videos promoting his exercises. The grounding and on camera essentials techniques I taught him helped him gain confidence, which translated into more engaging and polished videos and virtual-training sessions.

Bottom Line: Most of us are feeling at least one of the “not enough” insecurities listed above. They are so common, and you are never alone if any of these resonate with you. Something that helps me and my clients is to remember that when we are scrolling through content and a video doesn’t connect with us, we usually just move past it. Rarely do most people stop and then write a comment that someone is “too” something and chastise them for posting the video. These comments do exist from trolls and people who hate themselves, but most don’t write that stuff. My point is that more people connect with videos and will communicate that compared to those who would say something mean to you for even trying. The positive almost always outweighs the negative.

Michelle Kennedy speaking to students on stage at Academy of Art University in San Francisco about how to perform in-person and on-camera through Zoom. 

Mastering On-Camera Auditions and Public Speaking 

For Actors

It’s important to understand camera framing, eye-line placement, and hitting marks to create a powerful presence. Mastering these aspects frees up mental and emotional space to focus on the performance rather than worrying about technical details. Delivering natural, engaging performances with strong energy on camera is crucial for any actor.

For Public Speakers and Business Professionals

In today’s on-camera world, it’s vital to learn how to bring the right amount of energy to command attention during virtual meetings, presentations, and video interviews. Mastering eye contact with the camera lens builds trust and helps you connect with your audience. It’s also imperative to adapt energy levels to different formats—corporate videos, social media content, webinars, and training sessions—something an on-camera coach can guide you through.

For example, I recently worked with a real estate agent who wanted to use on-camera videos to convert sales through engaging video calls and recorded presentations on social media. She had a background in television news but felt that too many years had passed since she’d been in front of the camera. I helped her reignite her passion and find her voice again by working with her on a couple of videos that helped remind her that her skills still existed. She just needed to wake them up again.

Michelle Kennedy recording an on camera technique essentials course in San Diego, CA

Developing Your Technical Skills with On-Camera Coaching Sessions

Understanding Camera Dynamics

Knowing the different camera angles, framing and lighting that affect on-screen presence is vital. I teach these aspects to my clients so they can enhance their appearance and overall performance on camera. It’s also important to understand how your movements—or lack of them—can create an awkward delivery. Being conscious of where the camera is and how you move in relation to it can elevate your presentation.

Teleprompter and Script-Reading Mastery

I also work with clients on teleprompter techniques to ensure they sound natural and conversational. Many people struggle with pacing and maintaining inflection while reading from a teleprompter, but these can be improved with the right exercises. My goal is to help clients sound like they are simply speaking and not reading a script. This takes a bit of practice but is entirely possible and doable. The natural flow will automatically connect better with viewers.

Voice Control and Diction

Vocal warm-ups are essential for improving clarity, tone and energy. You’d be surprised how many people struggle with monotone speech. A good on-camera coach can help you add variation to your vocal delivery, which significantly enhances audience engagement.

Kennedy speaking to San Diego Memoir Writers Association at Liberty Station in San Diego, CA, about marketing work through social media

Enhancing Professional Presence for Virtual and Digital Media

For Corporate Professionals and Entrepreneurs

Virtual presence has become crucial in today’s remote work environment. On-camera training helps you perform well in Zoom calls, webinars, and video marketing campaigns. Additionally, I emphasize the importance of wardrobe, lighting and body language to maintain professional credibility in a digital space. 

For Content Creators and Influencers

Video content is one of the most engaging and effective formats on social media. By improving your on-camera presence, you build brand trust and retain a more loyal audience. On-camera training also covers technical skills needed for live-streaming, YouTube videos and online courses.

For example, one of my clients, a LinkedIn thought leader, dramatically increased engagement with his video content after utilizing on-camera training to improve his delivery and authenticity. His first videos were approachable but also soft-spoken to the point that he sounded unsure of himself. We worked on bringing passion and volume to the delivery, and his content immediately began to garner more views and positive comments.

For People Interviewing for Jobs

Whether it be an interview through Zoom or in-person, I have coached countless young people at the universities in San Francisco and San Diego where I’ve taught, how to be present and prepared for a job interview. From what to wear, to how to answer tough questions, I share everything I have learned about how performance applies to landing the perfect job with my students at the University of San Diego. The most important thing we work on in these sessions is how to appropriately bring personality, professionalism and respect into the interview.

Michelle Kennedy shooting on-camera stand-ups with San Francisco State University class at a San Francisco Giants game at Oracle Park in San Francisco

Expanding Career Opportunities with Strong On-Camera Skills

Business Professionals and Executives

On-camera skills contribute to a strong personal brand. Executives who can communicate with confidence on camera are better positioned for media appearances, investor pitches and company-wide addresses. The skills I teach on camera expand out to so many life experiences. On-camera presence and technique essentials help people with asking for raises and even dating. The confidence that grows through working on camera really does affect our lives in so many ways.

TV Hosts, Journalists and Podcasters

On-camera coaching sessions refine delivery, tone and credibility in professional broadcasting. TV hosts and journalists can master live interviews, panel discussions and scripted hosting with the right coaching.

On the flip side, on-camera coaching can help business owners to appear confident and professional when interviewed by the media. 

For example, one of my marketing executive clients was able to land a media interview opportunity after improving his on-camera presence. Following our work together, he aced a television interview where a reporter interviewed him about his photography business.

Personalized Feedback: The Key to Faster Improvement

Why Self-Assessment Isn’t Enough

While self-assessment is helpful, it often leaves many blind spots. People struggle to pinpoint mistakes, such as posture, vocal inflection or engagement tactics. An on-camera coach can offer immediate feedback on these subtle details. I can see what my clients can’t, and I offer immediate fixes that can be applied and implemented quickly, to improve on-camera performance. These improvements, along with my on camera technique essentials course can and have increased sales and the success of the people I’ve worked with. 

How On-Camera Coaching Sessions Help

A good coach provides one-on-one critiques that highlight both strengths and areas for improvement. Additionally, recorded playback analysis allows clients to review their facial expressions, energy levels and articulation—enabling them to refine their skills more quickly. I help clients in these sessions to see areas that need improvement, that they simply can’t identify without my expertise and help. 

I once worked with a nervous CEO who transformed into a compelling public speaker after receiving detailed feedback on his presentation delivery. He started out more reserved and unsure of himself, and with my help, his ability to engage and captivate an audience significantly improved after just a few coaching sessions.

Why On-Camera Training is a Must-Have Skill in 2025

The Benefits Apply to Everyone

Whether you're a business professional, content creator, actor or presenter, strong on-camera skills improve your confidence, communication and career prospects.

Training Bridges the Gap Between Fear and Comfort On Camera

Anyone can become comfortable, engaging and effective on camera with the right training and consistent practice. On-camera training not only helps you overcome anxiety but empowers you to perform in any situation with ease. From business presentations to media interviews, gaining and honing poise on camera will help you shine.

Want to Improve your On-Camera Skills?

• Book a FREE 15-minute consultation with me to discuss on-camera coaching today.
• Explore my on camera technique essentials course tailored for business owners, executives and influencers.
• Sign up for my newsletter for on-camera video presentation tips!

Michelle Kennedy is an on-camera performance coach, award-winning marketing director at the University of San Diego, published author, actress, and consultant recently featured for her on-camera expertise in Backstage.com and Success.com.