There I was—minding my own sharepoint…—when it happened.

“Hey Neha, can you step in for a quick shoot? We just need a few clips for the AV.”

Famous last words.

How It Started: One Email, Zero Warnings

What I thought would be a casual cameo turned into a full-blown production. There were lights. There was a mic. There was a very enthusiastic creative director yelling “Can we do one more for safety?” after every take.

Suddenly, my biggest challenge wasn’t managing product strategy—it was remembering how to blink naturally.

How It’s Going: Career Change? Unlikely.

Posing with props, smiling on cue, nodding as if I was deeply moved by an imaginary comment… it was exhausting. I developed newfound respect for anyone who’s ever delivered a 30-second monologue without looking like they’re being held hostage.

Also, who knew your left side could look significantly more confused than your right?

What I Learned (Besides How to Fake Laugh on Cue)

• Actors deserve Oscars just for not sweating under studio lights.
• Smiling continuously for 12 minutes is a core workout.
• Every office has that one person who was clearly born for the camera. It wasn’t me.

But hey, at least now I know—my talents lie firmly behind the camera (or the keyboard), with strategic plans, not staged smiles.

Until the bloopers go viral…drops invisible mic…

Till later!