You Tube videos: Should you look in the camera or off to the side?

I think the difference is not youtube, but the type of entertainment being presented. 

there's a difference between a film or TV production or a performance.  music videos nearly always have the artist looking at the camera and engaging the audience, but dramas, comedies, and other "acted" entertainment often are the opposite and, as you say, bold to look directly at the camera.

When "Ferris Bueler's Day Off" hit the theaters I thought it was horrible for an actor to speak to the audience.  that was stupid - the camera should be "a voyeur" as you put it.  but that's because of the type of entertainment it was.  this was a dialect and conflicts between people on the screen - what did it have to do with the audience, really, who couldn't respond in a way that would change the course of the entertainment?  (so I still think FBDO is "not my style of entertainment because of that fact)

on the other hand, music videos and other direct non-dialog interaction type entertainments such as magic acts, animal acts, dancing, basically anything you would perform directly for the audience except memorized lines and actions of a "play" are almost exclusively directed at the audience, whether filmed or not.

Beagle


I think the difference is not youtube, but the type of entertainment being presented. 

there's a difference between a film or TV production or a performance.  music videos nearly always have the artist looking at the camera and engaging the audience, but dramas, comedies, and other "acted" entertainment often are the opposite and, as you say, bold to look directly at the camera.

When "Ferris Bueler's Day Off" hit the theaters I thought it was horrible for an actor to speak to the audience.  that was stupid - the camera should be "a voyeur" as you put it.  but that's because of the type of entertainment it was.  this was a dialect and conflicts between people on the screen - what did it have to do with the audience, really, who couldn't respond in a way that would change the course of the entertainment?  (so I still think FBDO is "not my style of entertainment because of that fact)

on the other hand, music videos and other direct non-dialog interaction type entertainments such as magic acts, animal acts, dancing, basically anything you would perform directly for the audience except memorized lines and actions of a "play" are almost exclusively directed at the audience, whether filmed or not.

Nothing really to do with the OP, but Reece's post reminded me of an old show.

I don't know if anyone remembers "The Garry Shandling Show" on the then-fledgling Showtime network back in the early '80's, but his whole style was to engage the audience.  He would combine talking directly to the camera and actually involving the studio audience in his show. 

Obviously part of the schtick, but he would leave a scene, and tell the studio audience to make themselves at home (in the set of his "apartment").  Some audience members (actors) would come down tentatively at first, then get into his beer and ransack his place.  Garry would return to the scene and they would scurry off.  He would be upset that an audience member stole 75 cents from his table.  He turned his back and ask whoever did it to return the change, no questions asked.  As soon as that person returned to the stage to return it he was arrested by the "police". 

Very funny show.  A forerunner to shows like Seinfeld.

I've always used the TV technique I was taught (for me) of looking at a fixed point just above the camera for stills or video.

I don't have my picture taken much these days but I'd probably still do the same unless somebody told me differently.

The British actor Dirk Bogarde once remarked that Video/TV was far more unforgiving than even Film stock for exposing any self-conciousness in the individual as it seems to photograph into the very soul of the subject.

Daring in the context you used it in the OP is very descriptive as looking directly into the lens can as you say make one look very 'hammy' or insincere although some people work the camera very well by interacting directly down the barrel.

Certainly I'm one of those that look less self-concious by not looking directly down the lens but as you say for some it can be a very effective approach.

A good director will normally pick up straight away how you are coming across and advise accordingly but with much of YouTube being DIY it is worth experimenting to find what actually works best for you.

I am occasionally a stand in for our work as being the sound guy I don't have much to do until we near the end of the set up... I've seen the result... it ain't purty.

Yes, having a perfectly radio friendly face myself I think I understand.

Russell.Whaley

Jonbouy

I am occasionally a stand in for our work as being the sound guy I don't have much to do until we near the end of the set up... I've seen the result... it ain't purty.

Yes, having a perfectly radio friendly face myself I think I understand.

I haven't heard that phrase in years... "a perfect face for radio" was what we often said back in the day.

The same can be said for many of me & my fellow hams (amateur radio ops).

Talking to the camera is nothing new. Groucho Marx did it back in the 30's in Horsefeathers. The scene is where they're in the college widow's (Connie Bailey) apartment, Connie's boyfriend and Groucho are sitting on the couch while Chico gives Connie Bailey singing lessons as they sit at the piano. Groucho gets up and says to the camera: "We're stuck here. There's no reason you can't go out into the lobby until this whole thing blows over".

It's called breaking the fourth wall.

mike_mccue


or Mooch creeps you out.

I'm wondering what everybody else thinks about this.

Please Discuss. :-)

best,
mike

Corrected for on-axis voyeurism.

Playwrights have been writing asides for their characters to say to the audiences for centuries.