Michael Caine's On Camera Appearance Tips

Where should you focus your eyes while being interviewed on camera by a television reporter?

Your instinct is to look into the interviewer’s eyes. That, after all, is how we communicate with people every day.  But that’s not the most effective appearance for television.

When recording a television interview, the cameraperson is pointing the camera at you from next to or over the reporter's shoulder.  So let’s say you are standing opposite a reporter and the camera is peering over the reporter’s left shoulder.  You should shift your eyes so your left eye is looking into the reporter’s left eye.  It is a very subtle movement, but the effect is magnified when doing a close-up interview.

You can watch a demonstration by actor Michael Caine in his “Acting in Film” video, which someone posted on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfz7_YjRww). I can’t imagine it remaining on You Tube much longer, so view it as soon as you can before it is taken down. The demonstration appears 3 minutes into the video and lasts about 2 minutes.

Caine also demonstrates how not blinking on camera makes you appear stronger. If you have any suggestions on how to prevent yourself from blinking, please forward them to me. I’ve practiced this, but trying not to blink only makes me want to blink more.

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