We have to get our founder video done for an accelerator application and i’m the face of our startup, thing is I have a facial disfigurement and i’m not comfortable with my apprearance on camera, I know it’s noticeable and I think I convey my discomfort, i’d rather keep my sunglasses on when i pitch but it just looks ridiculous.
Questions
Are direct-to-camera shots essential in founder videos?
6 answers from the community
A· Jul 21, 2014
I don't see why you can't keep your sunglasses on or have a spokesperson do the pitch for you. There are also plenty of videos I've seen that just have a voiceover.
A· Jul 22, 2014
Could you so something more along the lines of a voiceover and then do some panning shots of you engaged with the team or the product? Maybe interview style where you're talking to the interviewer and you only see a portion of your face.
I'd like to think that the viewers wouldn't put much thought to it if you did show whatever it is but this seems like it's more about the way you feel about it.
Also on the topic of sunglasses there might be a way to get some head on shots outside which would make more sense for the sunglasses. It depends on what your startup is doing, the type of glasses you might be wearing (i.e. mr cool guy) and if it fits the style of the video.
A· Jul 22, 2014
Thanks, really needed a fresh perspective on this, will give the <em>Mariah Carey approach</em> a go ;)
A· Jul 25, 2014
good luck, you'll be fine. Don't let it bother you.
A· Jul 30, 2014
do a voiceover with your hands and pieces of paper, writing a on a whiteboard, something like that. introduce yourself at the start but don't show your face if you don't want to
A· Aug 13, 2014
Your situation isn't the norm when they wrote any application criteria, so I woudn't be afraid to change the rules at all.
It's a very personal decision, but I'd ask yourself how much you want to "own" it.
For example, if you tend to keep a light-hearted and confident attitude to your condition, you could even open with something tongue-in-cheek like "This is Sally. She's going to be demoing our product today because frankly, she's a lot prettier to look at than me! Ha ha. No seriously..."
As a british person I'd find this charming and funny, but I know US humour tends to have a different flavour.
If you'd prefer to be more reserved about your condition, you could simply add a very quick text explanation at the beginning of the video.
1) Logo
2) "The following video is a voice over from our founder for personal reasons, which are explained in more detail in the application"
3) Video begins...
Remember, it's illegal to discriminate against someone due to a medical condition in nearly all situations. It's also a dick move. So don't worry about it, they're investing in your ability to grow a company, not win a beauty contest