Look at Me When I’m Talking to You!

At DMG we often hear: “some people are just naturals on camera.” While it’s true that some people have a greater aptitude for it than others, everyone who excels on camera has been trained. That training may have come through a journalism degree, years of trial and error, or by hiring DMG to help them sharpen their skills.

But the reality is that much of what makes someone effective on camera isn’t immediately obvious — for example, eye contact.

It’s not uncommon to watch an interview and notice that the person is looking in the wrong direction. As small and superficial as it may seem, eye contact matters.

On camera, your face is often tightly framed, which means your eyes occupy a significant portion of the screen. Your eyes tell a story, and you want that story to reinforce your message.

When your eye contact is off, viewers may assume you’re confused, searching for an answer, or even being dishonest.

So, where should you look?

Look at the Person Asking the Question
If the reporter or host is physically present with you, look at them—not the camera.

Candidates often make the mistake of being asked a question by a reporter and then turning to the camera to answer. But the audience understands that they didn’t ask the question—the reporter did. Looking directly into the camera in that situation can feel unnatural and awkward.

If the Person Isn’t in Front of You, Look at the Camera
Remote interviews have become increasingly common, especially with the rise of Zoom and other virtual platforms. When the person you’re speaking to is not physically in the room, the camera becomes a proxy for that person.

If you happen to be in a studio (and not at home or in your office) for a remote interview, do not look at the monitors positioned beside the camera that display your image or the live feed. Instead, look directly into the camera lens. Doing so allows for the most direct eye contact between you and the audience.

Don’t Search Your Brain Files
When people are thinking, it’s natural to glance upward or off to the side. We call this “searching your brain files.”

Don’t do it.

Train yourself to maintain eye contact even when you’re formulating a response. Why? Because studies have shown that people often interpret looking away—especially up and to the side—as a sign of dishonesty.

Eye contact matters, and maintaining it can significantly influence how people perceive your confidence, credibility, and competence.