Media Production - Tips for On-camera Talent

Directory Profile Head Shots

To populate our faculty and staff Directories, headshots are preferred.

Due to limited resources, headshots are utilized for the purposes of populating our directory and are not “photo shoots” per se. These photos are taken with a white background. If they are a department chair, physicians are requested to wear suit and tie.

We are no longer doing open directory photo sessions. To schedule a photo shoot, please submit a service request.

Tips for Your Photo Shoot:

• Directory Profile pictures are 122 pixels wide by 177 pixels high at 72 dpi (sample below).
• Keep clothing simple.

  

• Pastels and earth tone colors work best.
• Your headshot will primarily focus on the face and upper body, try to pick something that falls well on your shoulders and flatters your neckline.
• Avoid polo shirts or clothing with logos on them.
• Avoid busy patterns, stripes, or shiny fabric.
• Avoid showing too much skin.
• Avoid Blacks and Whites – they do not show up well on camera.
• Accessories: Choose simple jewelry with jewel tones or rich autumn
     colors that enhance your skin tone and look great on camera. Don’t over accessorize!
• Avoid turtle necks or cowl neck shirts.
• One re-take permitted per year.

Video Shoots

Clothing and Accessories:

• Please wear clothing with a neutral or soft color, or with a soft pattern. Earth tones work well with video.
• Try to wear something that has a lapel, an open collar, or buttons up the front so a clip-on microphone can be easily attached. For men, your shirt, tie or the lapel of your sport coat will work fine. For women, a blouse with buttons or a jacket with lapels works nicely. Avoid wearing a turtleneck or crew neck sweater since these force the microphone to be placed almost directly underneath your chin, which does not provide the best sound pick-up. A v-neck or button-down sweater works much better. Avoid shirts or blouses with large graphics or images on the front.
• A shirt or a tie with thin vertical stripes will give off a distracting wavy pattern with even the slightest movement.
• Accessories: Choose simple jewelry with jewel tones or rich autumn colors that enhance your skin tone and look great on camera. Don’t over accessorize!
• If you are not sure if the outfit you plan on wearing will work well on television, bring an extra outfit with you.

Tips for Your Video Shoot:

• Be prepared to be seen in your entirety.
• Time references generally have no meaning in a video. Saying something like, "This coming Tuesday, we are going to unveil our new program" would be confusing to a viewer. An alternative might be "With the unveiling of our new program ..." Speak in the present tense as much as possible, or use full dates.
• If you are doing an interview, you should talk to the person who is asking the questions.
• During the video shoot, plant your feet (or bottom, if you're sitting down) in one place as if you were nailed down. Try not to move, shift your weight, or shuffle your feet.
• Make a list of all the points you want to cover in the videotape. The more you prepare for what you want to say and how you want to say it, the smoother the taping will go, the less editing will be required and the better the final videotape will be.
• No matter how much time is scheduled for the taping, you will find that the time goes by fast. In order for us to be able to do a sound check, as well as be able to go over last minute items, we would like you to be there 15 minutes prior to taping.
• And, most importantly RELAX and have FUN.