Developing Your

TV Eyesit Lead

Larissa PaschynIMAT External Affairs Officer

Always Remember!

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Treat your host and the audience as you would friends.

Be friendly, spontaneous, and responsive, but professional.

Know the length of your interview before you go on.

Know when you are “On Air”!

Display Speaking Prompts Type up short and simple sentences that you can display.

Use your IPad or a note-taking app that lets you display the notes in large font.

Place your prompt just outside the view of the TV camera.

If using a Ipad, Make sure to turn off any battery-saving screen savers you may have enabled, so that you can leave the screen displaying your notes within arms reach.

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Display Speaking Prompts Type up short and simple sentences that you can display.

Use your IPad or a note-taking app that lets you display the notes in large font.

Place your prompt just outside the view of the TV camera.

If using a Ipad, Make sure to turn off any battery-saving screen savers you may have enabled, so that you can leave the screen displaying your notes within arms reach.

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Don’t Look at the Camera and Repeat the Questions• During a TV interview, keep your eyes on the reporter, not the camera. 

• The camera man will typically be positioned so that if you do so, your gaze will be direct into the camera. 

• Be careful not to stare off to the side and up into the air, since both will indicate to the audience that you are not trustworthy. 

• And please, if you are asked a dumb question, don't roll your eyes!  

• Maintaining eye contact gives you credibility and implies you believe what you are saying.

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Hand Gestures and Body Language• During a TV interview, keep your eyes on the reporter, not the camera. 

• The camera man will typically be positioned so that if you do so, your gaze will be direct into the camera. 

• Be careful not to stare off to the side and up into the air, since both will indicate to the audience that you are not trustworthy. 

• And please, if you are asked a dumb question, don't roll your eyes!  

• Maintaining eye contact gives you credibility and implies you believe what you are saying.

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Active Listening• Maintain eye contact as you listen to the questions your interviewer asks.

• If you look away, it may appear as though you are inattentive or uninterested.

This is a very quick way to turn your interviewer against you!

• Match your attentive eye contact with an appropriate facial expression. Convey interested attention with an open, positive expression.

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Staring, Lighthousing, and Emphasizing! Maintain eye contact in a natural and friendly manner, which means that there are brief

breaks and reconnections.

If interviewed by more than one person use the: “Lighthouse” technique -- spreading your attention and eye contact slowly from one end of the

interviewing board to the other, looking at each person in turn through your answer.

Think of appearing sincere and passionate for key points you want to drive home.

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Video Tools• http://www.mrmediatraining.com/2012/07/24/eye-contact-for-media-interviews-where-should-i-look/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkIZAVKosrU

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QUESTIONS???