As if women don’t have enough career hurdles. Add video to the list.
I travelled the world for ABC TV for twenty-five years. After filming thousands of people on camera it was clear to me that *’middle aged’ women were most hesitant, reticent about being on camera.
After talking with the business world about the need to get better presenting on video it’s clear to me that ‘middle aged’ women are the most hesitant, reticent about being on camera.
This didn’t really matter up until now. Now Video is becoming an important business language. I came across a Dove soap ad from 2013. It clearly highlights a social phenomenon that would be familiar to most: women recoiling and hiding their face when they suddenly realise they are being videoed.
What we all feel is very real. I’m in no way discounting that. What I can tell you is there are some simple physics of how we look, how we sound, how we move on camera that most of us don’t understand and we are making decisions based upon these misunderstandings that could be holding you back.
I will discuss these in future posts. Right now I feel this is a discussion that needs to be had. I welcome opinions and ideas.
Speaking on video is a 21st Century career skill we are all going to need. It really is time to get video smart.
*I use middle-aged to broadly and respectfully describe an age range of women who are not coming into their first jobs out of college, and who are not counting down the days to retirement.