Can I just say kudos to The Late Late Show with James Corden for a brilliant solution to the annoying off-axis, lost eye contact that happens on video interviews!
We humans don’t know where to look; we should look in the camera, or at least not downward at a screen just staring at the other person…. But human nature intervenes.
Their answer is to properly place the guest’s camera at eye level for a more flattering and familiar shot, and his monitor of Corden off to his right. Matched with a studio angle where Mr. Corden is to the left of the guest, appearing on a giant monitor, they can do a two-shot – from Different angles (!) – that shows Eye contact, which is natural and connecting, because that’s where they are in relation to each other, despite not being in the same room.
Even better, in this interview Mr. Schumer was able to make eye contact with the audience by looking directly at the camera when it’s a single shot of him. I can’t be sure if it’s his own natural talent, or if the show was smart enough to put a tally light or monitor that helps him know when it was a good time to shift his focus.
So effortless after you set it up for success.
Thanks so much!
–David
P.S. (But if it was a lucky accident, keep it up!) You know I think this is so exciting for me not because I’ve been pondering a Zoom solution but really, because for years people have done this interview angle where they’ll show somebody talking at the camera, then cut to 10 feet away somewhere to the left, like some stalker camera. And we never seen an interviewer or a two shot, just the camera floating out there – it’s sort of a shot from the side but not really, with the person talking into space.
It’s now a very common traditional shot but always seems deliberately disconnected to me . I admit that I have used it when filming live events, but to show the performers facing the audience in a closer shot ot sometimes to show them in relation to the audience. But the technique above really sold the connection between two people.
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