Look Me In The Eye When You Say That

The videos above were produced for the GOP.

I think the idea was to make the GOP more attractive to ‘young voters’.

I don’t know if they work or not, but I can tell the GOP one thing that does not work
and that is the idea that the speaker makes no eye contact with the viewer.

This is a very old (you can guess what kind of person they hired to produce these –
NOT young and hip) idea in conventional TV:  “Don’t look at the camera”.

This makes no sense whatsoever.

If you want to make a point with someone, you look directly at them.

Care to try a little experiment at home?
Say something really important to your wife or husband or kids, but stare off about 30 degrees to the left.
Refuse to make eye contac with them at all.
Watch what happens.

They will either walk away or be completely annoyed that you refuse to even look at them.

I would guess that the GOP’s ‘target audience’ will respone in the same way.

So where did this ‘rule’ come from that you are ‘not supposed to look at the camera’?

It’s a remnant of 1965 television making, when cameras were these very big and heavy things, carried around on
the shoulders of ‘cameramen’.

The ‘reporter’ didn’t want you paying attention to the camerman. He (or she, but rarely), wanted you paying attention
to him… or her.

Ridiculous.

You end up looking at the person’s ear while they talk to you.

Bad television.
Bad ads.
The GOP can call me any time they like
seriously.

I can help!

Copyright Michael Rosenblum 2014

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 35 years, Michael Rosenblum has been on the cutting edge of the digital video journalism revolution. During this time, he has lead a drive for video literacy, and the complete rethinking of how television is made and controlled. His work has included: The complete transitioning of The BBC's national network (UK) to a VJ-driven model, starting in 2002. The complete conversion of The Voice of America, the United State's Government's broadcasting agency, (and the largest broadcaster in the world), from short wave radio to television broadcasting and webcasting using the VJ paradigm (1998-present). The construction of NYT Television, a New York Times Company, and the largest producer of non-fiction television in the US. Rosenblum was both the founder and President of NYT TV, (all based on this paradigm (1996-1998). The President and Founder of Video News International, a global VJ-driven newsgathering company, with more than 100 journalists around the world. (1993-1996). Other clients include Spectrum News, Verizon and CBS News.

1 Comment
  • Rudy Diaz March 20, 2014

    “If you want to make a point with someone, you look directly at them” Exactly, I watch the first 4 videos lost interest by the second video.

    The subject and the message are so disconnected. Not engaging at all.

    Technically, I think they had the subject look away from the camera because they are reading the text from a huge cardboard. thanks for this post.