What I wear when filming a course

[FrankKane]

Most of my videos are just screencasts or slide narration where I don’t appear, so in reality I’m usually wearing a t-shirt and jeans! But when I do appear on camera, I do put some thought into my attire. You want students to identify with you, yet you still want to look like a respectful authority figure. For courses aimed at engineers, I’ll usually wear a collared shirt, but without a tie or jacket. But for courses aimed at executives, I break out the sport coat.

It’s also important to avoid complex patterns in your attire, as they can create odd interference patterns on camera. I have a section of my closet that consists of tailored, solid-color shirts for use on camera.

And I also think it’s important to have some sort of “signature” in your apparel. Steve Jobs had his turtlenecks; Bill Nye has his bow ties. For me, it’s a flat cap, and I’m never on camera without one. 

Do you have a "signature"? What is it?

[Muyiwa]

@FrankKane 

Oh Yes!

Not suit or blazer...

But I have my African(ese) "signature" but no cap like you

Henceforth my new courses would be mostly-- if not all -- screencast and slides narrated videos.

[rene-buhling]

Same, for my tech courses I always wear a collared shirt in charcoal color without pattern to keep my videos visually consistent. Also I use my beard style as a kind of signature.

[GregReverdiau]

I do mostly talking heads and I use the same grey short sleeve collared shirt. I don’t know that I would call it a signature per se but it does help with consistency and it is easy to white balance. 

[GrahamNicholls]

As all of my videos are me on screen I wanted to look presentable and professional so I started out with a black shirt and that has continued throughout my courses. The only difference being that I now have my logo embroided on it..... I guess, therefore, that the black shirt is my signature.

Although I did get one review with someone complaining that the black shirt made them feel dark and down so they requested a refund..... you just can't please everyone!

[FrankKane]

Wow. Come to think of it, I did get a one-star review once from a guy who didn't like "my stupid hat". Really can't do anything without upsetting somebody it seems.

[DeniseFletcher]

This made me giggle a bit @FrankKane. I love the cap - it is so you! My signature is that I am me....some will say it's the purple hair I have.

[Hypnodan]

I like to wear the same thing all the time in all videos. I think over the years I've been on Udemy I have had three different shirts I've worn in my videos, one shirt I wore in my 2014/2015 eCourses, another shirt in my 2016/2017 videos and another shirt in my 2018/2019 courses.

I tell myself that this is for consistency in the videos (which it partly is), but I like having a 'work outfit' and I like things to be unchanging. When I was working full-time in my last couple of jobs I wore the same shirt every workday from 2007-2015. My wife hated the shirt and made sure it was thrown out once I left my last job. 

[AliciaPaz]

Mine are all talking head and I wear different things every 3-5 videos and have a rack of clothes while filming I organize pre-filming to change into as I film 8-12 at a time. I joke privately I have costume changed like Beyonce.  It's business casual and low on patterns but overall brighter colors.  Partly it's because my courses are meant to be done 1-2 video per week (Udemy suggestion: courses that can be "dripped,") so in my head, different clothes signal some kind of "stop" to students who want to binge the whole course.

My signature...I would say 80% of my videos I have the same red lipstick in, a handful I have a purple color which has received some comments on in the past and I stopped wearing- but at this point, I brought it back from my newest course.  Also, I rock some funky and ornate nails and use my hands a lot (East Coast problems) so I get a lot of comments on social media about them- although all positive and sometimes for close up shots of them.  This also fits my demographic.  

My background is the same in all videos, but one which is busy on purpose as it's about distraction.

[Lizzy]

Your look works great, Alicia. My courses are partly an excuse to wear some gorgeous clothes.

[Lizzy]

Yes @FrankKane , I have a signature look planned for my courses. In fact, I may have used Udemy as an excuse for some retail therapy. I now have enough outfits for my next 20 courses and I haven't published my first one yet. Motivational strategy. Yep.

By the way, I like your cap.

[KarolyNyisztor]

My signature? I hit the gym before filming, to look pumped up like Mark Wahlberg in the Ellen show. 🙂 Besides, my voice gets deeper and calmer after exercising.
I usually wear a blue Italian shirt which looks great on camera.

[Thor]

Aloha shirt and pants optional (but most often pajama pants 😄 )
New shirt for new courses, shaka on all my course pictures too.

[Lizzy]

Awesome! @Thor 

[KylePew]

I don't have a signature item that I wear. But, it might sound corny, I always try to smile when I'm in the video. It may not be a literal smile but I try to keep it upbeat. I think this helps in keeping the students engaged and interested in the material. 

[MarcoAdda75]

@FrankKane depending on the story you wish to tell, and the target audience. Be flexible with that and adjust every time accordingly.