Hi, my name's Paul Aisthorpe and I'm a business coach, trainer and mentor working with small and medium-sized businesses around Lancashire and the North West. Today I'd like to talk to you about my work with Stefan from SBSCreative.
I first met Stefan at a networking event probably two years ago now in the Lancaster area, and what impressed me most about Stefan was he delivered a presentation to the networking group demonstrating how he helps the person in front of the camera feel comfortable and relaxed, and to get the best out of the person on video.
Immediately after seeing Stefan demonstrate how he goes about his work, I asked about having a one-to-one with him to learn more about how he goes about his work and understanding a little more about how he might be able to help me. One of the reasons I wanted to talk to Stefan at that time was I'd been thinking about videography and using video for my business, Scale-Ability, for some time, but like most people, I worry about what I'm going to look like on camera and how I'm going to react and how it's going to come across and all those things, you know, we're not natural actors are we? And I think that was the main thing I came across with Stefan - he made me realise I don't have to act on camera, just be myself, and in his presentation, it was clearly obvious that he helps people feel comfortable and relaxed in front of a camera.
We agreed on a series of videos. The first one was an explainer video if you'd like; some videos to put on my website to talk about me and my passions and why I do what I do and the services that we offer as a business. We did that outside Williamsons' Park in Lancaster.
Stefan has experience of actually being in front of a camera as well, having a long career in not just videography and filming people but actually acting as well, so he knows that industry really well inside and out, and can actually empathise with the person on the other side of the camera. That really helps in terms of how he helps you become more comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera and to be yourself really, because that's more important than anything else, to just be genuine and who you are in front of the camera. Stefan really helps you do that.
One of the things I really picked up at the first meeting with Stefan when he demonstrated his services was that the person, he was videoing started by presenting on camera, which I think all of us do, we get a camera pointed at us and we sort of jump into "presentation mode", and what he very nicely did in a very subtle way was to help that person just become themselves and stop acting. I think this is exactly what people need to present on video - who we are as a person, not some actor or staged presentation but actually who we are. People buy people, I very much believe that, and I think my fear using videos on my website was always that I'd almost become somebody else on camera, but that's not how it needs to be, and Stefan helped me understand that. Ever since then, I've become more comfortable recording on video, telling my story, helping potential clients understand who I am and my passions for my work, and making sure that I get my message across to future clients through video.
Stefan really does make you feel at ease. He naturally makes you feel calm, when he gives you feedback it's delivered in a way that's really helpful, very non-directive but more suggestive in style. When you're working in front of the camera, you almost don't feel there's a camera there in front of you. Friendly, approachable, collaborative. I would definitely recommend Stefan's services if you want somebody to help you become comfortable in front of camera.