RE: [Harp-L] video jitters

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

Duane-
Very interesting topic. I used to, and still do to some extent have one of the most common phobias known: speaking in front of a group. I have no problem playing/performing, even fronting a band but public speaking, making presentations or being recorded by a camera is a different thing.
 
I had to speak, solo, in front of a camera recently and it hit me, too. It was a thing for church. No playing, just talking. I admitted to the guy that I was nervous and we had to start over a couple of times. It was like getting that "stage fright" thing all over again.
 
I have a phobia workbook here at home that I bought when I was informed that I was to start giving presentations (I almost had a panic attack when they told me this). And to hostile UAW folks that thought we were going to take some of their jobs. I had been playing professionally for a number of years and thought I no longer suffered from stage fright. To this day, I am more comfortable performing in front of 1,000 people than in front of 10 people. Performing for a small group or for a camera is like being under a microscope. What you are experiencing is sounds similar to some of what I had to deal with.
 
The name of the book is "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund J. Bourne, Ph. D. It covers a wide range of phobias.
 
The best thing that worked for me was desensitization. In other words the more you do it and the most you visualize yourself doing it the less you get the jitters. There are many things that contribute to one's phobias (or jitters which is anxiety) and I am no doctor so that is all I am going to write/suggest except for one more thing: You can always take a glass or two of wine. That always helps one to relax a bit and take the edge off.
 
If your plans include making a lot of these videos, the book would be well worth the money and is enlightening in a multitude of ways that will come in handy for other situations.
 
Best regards,
Buck
 

> From: dcarter@xxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 10:36:09 -0400
> CC: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] video jitters
> 
> Hello Harp-l'ers! Anybody got suggestions for overcoming nervousness
> when making video. I turn the camera on and all my practice just goes out
> the window. It's getting frustrating. I've been in positions in the past
> of speaking or playing for others, never got so nervous as to loose focus
> and ability to perform the task at hand. I just want to get a good
> representation of my playing to share with distant friends & family on
> video. Duane