Yoiks! Geoff is doing everything wrong here. He's staring at the camera/teleprompter and clearly reading. Plus he's lost his natural speaking cadence. It's a little overly dramatized, but you get the point.
How to avoid that “deer-in-the-headlights” look
There are essentially two successful video formats for executives and spokespeople: eyes on the camera and an interview format.
The eyes-on-the-camera approach can be quite powerful if done properly, primarily because the executive is talking directly to the viewer just as he or she would in a normal conversation. It is the rare executive, however, who can speak extemporaneously while looking directly into the lens, and unfortunately many opt to talk with their eyes slightly off the camera, a sure sign they are reading from a cue card. The result is a major drop-off in credibility and sincerity. The most common solution is to read from a teleprompter, which is positioned directly in front of the lens. But even this approach is difficult to master.
Several steps can be taken to create a more credible teleprompter interview:
If the executive writes the script, be sure the language is conversational and representative of the way he or she would normally speak. If another writer is involved the writer should capture that same style and cadence in the copy.
When the copy appears on the screen, it should be in upper and lower case with word breaks keyed to the executive’s conversational style. Key words can also be highlighted for emphasis.
Test runs are essential. Playbacks will improve results.
If the executive is unfamiliar with reading from a teleprompter, have him or her watch the evening news with Brian Williams. There are certain mannerisms that help disguise the fact that he is reading. These include frequent blinking, timed pauses, looking away from the camera slightly during pauses and keeping the head in motion. If you look closely at his eyes however, you can see them moving back and forth as a result of reading the teleprompter. All of these techniques are meant to avoid the deer-in-the-headlights appearance.
Keep eyes locked on the audience at the end to allow for editing space.
Teleprompter copy can be written and configured with key words and pauses emphasized, as shown below.
