Self-Tape Eyeline

Where to place your eyeline for a self-tape, why it usually sits just beside the lens, and when looking down the barrel is the wrong choice.

Your eyeline is where the other character lives. For almost every scripted self-tape it sits just to one side of the lens and close to it, so casting sees both of your eyes rather than a profile. Keep it consistent for the whole scene — drifting eyelines read as uncertainty — and only look directly into the lens when the material is direct address, such as a commercial spokesperson read or a piece to camera.

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How to Self-Tape: the complete 17-chapter guide