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The Camera Doesn’t Just Record - It Changes You.

The first few times you watch yourself back on video, something breaks in your head.

You hear a voice that doesn’t sound like you. You watch a version of yourself that moves differently.

You spot things you’ve never noticed before and you can’t unsee them.

It’s jarring. It’s disorienting. And for a lot of people, it’s enough to make them quit before they ever really begin.

But what if that “cringe” wasn’t a flaw… but a sign you’re waking up to something important?

The Frustration Of It All

You can hold a conversation with a friend, speak on a Zoom call, or lead a team meeting and feel totally natural.

Then you hit record… and everything changes. Your brain breaks.

Your tone flattens. Your eyes dart. Your hands don’t know what to do.

You start thinking about how you look instead of what you mean or what you are trying to say.

It’s like flipping a switch… and it can be hard to flip it back. You can hold a conversation with a friend, speak on a Zoom call, or lead a team meeting and feel totally natural.

Then you hit record… and everything changes. Your brain breaks.

Your tone flattens. Your eyes dart. Your hands don’t know what to do.

You start thinking about how you look instead of what you mean or what you are trying to say.

It’s like flipping a switch… and it can be hard to flip it back.

You’re no longer you — you’re some weird, distant version of yourself trying to perform authenticity instead of living it.

And what’s worse? You can feel it happening in real time… but can’t seem to stop it.

At Hot Sauce Video, we have helped literally hundreds of creators through this process and it never changes which is good news because that just means it is human nature at work.

So what the hell can we do about it?

How to Actually Capture Your Real Self on Camera

You don’t need a better camera. You don’t need a teleprompter. (Although I love using mine)​

You need to trick your brain into forgetting you’re recording. Easier said then done right? Well… hold on just a second.

Here’s are some things that when done with belief and dedication, actually work. the things that create real transformation in our clients, not just marginal improvement.

1. Use some writing software or maybe AI and come up with 5-10 questions that you know the answers to inside and out. Ask yourself the question out loud and then answer it like you are a guest on a podcast just having a conversation. Speak naturally with no script, and watch how you start to loosen up and become more comfortable. Then keep that video around for reference in the future as proof that you can be comfortable on camera.
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2. 😩 Watch Your Cringey Videos Back (🙉 Hear No Evil, 🙈 See No Evil, 🙊 Speak No Evil.) Watching yourself back in a nonjudgemental way is a super powerful way to get better quickly. I know that sounds near impossible for some of you, but if you have a tool in place to help you do it, all of a sudden it becomes much easier. In the following video I break down my Har No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil exercise for you. Watch from 5:48 to 7:00 👉 https://youtu.be/YoA3geuGr_Y?si=1azgkvJu11WSgSk-&t=348​
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3. 🚫 Quit Filming Just to “Get It Done.” When you film out of obligation and force your way through a video, your audience can 100% tell. Just like you can tell when someone wants out of a conversation based on their body language, your audience can tell when you are uncomfortable and as naturally empathetic creatures, they will then be uncomfortable themselves. Instead make sure to be as prepared and comfortable as you can be, and maybe use a tools like our ”Psychology of Camera Confidence” email mini-course to learn how the pros do it!
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4. 🎭 Perform It Bad On Purpose! This one is super fun to do and actually tricks your brain into performing better on camera by comparison. Do one take as “Awkward Monotone Robot You” and really go all in and make it as bad as possible. Then one as “Over-the-Top Influencer You.” really ham it up and go over the top. Now do a normal take without really “trying” to do anything except talk. By exaggerating the extremes at the end of the spectrum, you’ll find where the real you actually lives within the spectrum.
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5. ✂️ Shoot For The Edit Now I will admit this is a filmmaking term, but for video content creation it works like a charm. Part of shooting for the edit is allowing yourself to do multiple takes of each section of you script even if the take(s) you already did were good enough. This gets in extra reps and leaves room for happy accidents.

What to Watch Out For Now

What Changes When You Break Through?

You stop filming as a task. You start filming as a conversation.

Suddenly your voice sounds like you and even YOU begin to listen as an audience member.

Your presence feels grounded. Your energy holds steady instead of spiking and crashing.

And weirdly enough, it starts to feel… fun. You can really start to lean in once you start feeling the confidence on camera rise!

It doesn’t become easy. It will never be flawless. But it will start to feel like something you might actually want to keep doing.

That’s the shift we’re chasing. The tipping point of content creation. The AHA that will never leave you and when you feel that high for the first time, you will keep chasing it.

Because once you show up on camera without armor, without panic, without the act, without self induced pressure, your audience feels it.

And they will remember you for it.

We’re Hiring!

We’re looking for a Part-Time Operations & Marketing Assistant (Remote). Send them our way using this form: https://sauce.tools/VAForm​

📝 Note: This position is open to applicants in the U.S. and Canada, and requires a test task.

The Difference that “Hot Sauce Studio” Makes!

Sometimes the greatest humans on the planet just need a little help making sure their video calls and content reflect how awesome they are in real life!

​David Preston needed no help from us on his content or expertise, so we stuck to what we know, so he could thrive sharing what he knows best. Just look at that before and after difference. Chefs Kiss!

If you are ready to level the playing field and start looking and sounding great on camera, Book a free “Hot Sauce Studio” Strategy Call Today!

The folks who are here to help remarkable people look and sound great on camera,

🌶️ The Hot Sauce Video Team

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P.S. If you're interested to earn while sharing, you can join our Affiliate Program here: https://sauce.tools/HSSpartner. Cheers! 🎉