Everyone’s familiar with the static “deer in the headlights”
look commonly seen in family photos. Nothing squelches the spontaneity of a
family gathering like someone pulling out a camera. Suddenly everyone stops
moving. Facial animation freezes. The irony is that photographic subjects
haven’t had to stand still to make a good picture since the 1920s.
Assess what happens to you when you step in front of a
camera whether it’s in an audition or on a shoot. If you suddenly feel
isolated, then you know something is up. The isolation is likely caused by an
unexpected self-awareness.
The camera looking at you literally makes you become self-conscious. In
response you limit your expressive range so as not to look “wrong” to the
camera. All this really does is to make you look less than human, which believe
me, is not going to make you look good on camera.
None of the above is the camera’s fault. After all, the
camera is just a machine. However, the presence of the camera can trick you
into breaking contact with people in the audition room or on a set. That’s
where the feeling of isolation comes from.
The fix is simple. To reestablish contact mentally invite
your audience to “look at me.” The self-consciousness will evaporate as you
reconnect with your viewers and they in turn will feel that they have access to
you. This all adds up to you looking like a believable, spontaneous personality
in your on camera takes.
Next… Keeping your monologues “alive”.