You can rebuild a deck in a weekend. But point a phone at your own face and say "Hi, I'm Dave," and suddenly you want to crawl under that deck. If that is you, you are in good company. Most people who are good with their hands would rather do the job twice than talk about it once.
Here is what most locals do not know: the video that gets you hired does not need your face. It needs your hands doing the work, and ideally your voice saying a little about it.
Why it is worth doing anyway
A homeowner deciding who to let into their home is looking for one thing: a feeling for who you are and how you work. A short clip of you on a real job gives them that before you ever knock. Stars and a bio cannot.
On GigNGo, homeowners reach out to locals who have a video more often than to locals who do not. Most locals never post one, so the ones who do stand out.
Five ways to film without your face
- Hands and voice. Hold the phone at chest height, or clip it to your shirt pocket, and film what your hands are doing. Say what you are doing as you do it. "Cutting this back to the joint so it heals clean." This is the easiest video there is, and it counts as filmed work.
- The propped-up phone. Lean your phone on a bucket, a step or the truck and let it roll while you work. Film from behind or the side, so it shows you working without staring into the lens. Talk later if you want, or not at all.
- Before, during, after. Three short shots from the same spot: the mess, you working in it, the finished job. The middle shot matters. A tour of the finished lawn shows the lawn. A few seconds of you mowing it shows the person a neighbor would be hiring.
- The walkaround with a voice. Walk the finished job with the phone and explain it like you would to the homeowner. "New flashing here, so water runs off instead of in." Include a few seconds of your hands pointing at the work.
- Catch the thank-you. If the homeowner is happy and says yes to being filmed, their "this looks amazing" says more about you than you ever could. Ask first, every time.
Put a few of these together and you have a small story. Here is how to film a job video in four parts.
What to say, if you say anything
Talking is optional, but even a few words make neighbors feel like they have met you. Three things are plenty:
- Your first name and your town. "I'm Dave, I do decks around Frisco."
- What you are doing. "Replacing two rotted boards before they get worse."
- One thing you care about. "I always seal the ends, because that is where water gets in."
Talk like you are explaining it to the neighbor leaning on the fence. Not a crowd, not a camera. One person.
Getting through the first one
- Film while you work. You are not performing. You are doing your job and the phone happens to be on.
- The first take is fine. Nobody is grading you. An "um" or a laugh makes you sound like a real person, which is the whole point.
- Keep it short. Under 30 seconds. Neighbors decide in the first few seconds, so open with the finished job if you have it.
- Put the light in front of you. Face the window or the sun, so the work is bright and easy to see.
- Watch it once, then post it. Not five times. You will always see something to fix. Neighbors will see someone who does good work.
What to leave out of the frame
Ask before filming inside someone's home, and before putting the homeowner on camera. Keep house numbers, street signs, license plates and mail out of the shot. And never make fun of the mess. The "before" is a problem you solved, not a joke about the person who had it.
When you are ready for your face
There is no rush. Many locals start with hands and voice and add a short hello once they have a few clips up and feel easier about it. When you get there, here is what to say in a hello that tells your story.
On GigNGo
Locals who film their real work are listed ahead of locals who have not, after locals who are closest to the job. Hands and voice count as filmed work, and a face is never required. A tour of the finished job on its own does not count, so get a few seconds of you working in it.
Our film tips page puts it in one line: "Neighbors close by see you first. Film your real work, talk about it, and catch the thank-you, and more neighbors see you." A video will not guarantee you jobs. It does let neighbors see how you work before they ever reach out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to show my face in videos for my business?
No. Neighbors want to see the work being done and get a feel for how you do it. Your hands doing the job and your voice explaining it are enough. On GigNGo, hands and voice count as filmed work, and a face is never required.
What should I film if I am camera shy?
Film your hands doing a real job with the phone at chest height, or prop the phone up and let it roll while you work. Before, during and after shots from the same spot work well. Make sure a few seconds show you working, not just the finished result.
What should I say in a work video?
Your first name and town, what you are doing, and one thing you care about, like sealing the ends so water stays out. Talk like you are explaining it to one neighbor. Under 30 seconds is plenty.
How do I get less nervous filming myself?
Film while you work, so you are not performing. Keep the first take, even with an "um" in it, and watch it once before posting. Starting with hands and voice is a good way to get comfortable before you add a hello with your face.