Ok… this has probably been around for a while, but I’ve never seen it before. The folks at VFGadgets, a Canadian outfit that always has cool toys, sent me a press release stating they are now offering the “EyeDirect 16×9” from Eyeliner Texas. The concept is to use a two-way mirror in front of the camera lens to put a reflection of your face directly in the line of the lens. That way you get more natural eye contact straight into the lens.
Granted, the majority of what I do in tv news involves trying to keep my subjects from looking directly into the lens, but for productions, this is brilliant. Check out this video clip to see what I mean.
Priced at over $1000, it is a little expensive, but for specific projects, it could be the only thing that works.
I like subjects in the camera having direct eye contat with my viewers I feel it gives an expression of honisty to the speaker…
I kn ow this gets a lot of flack but… why? expain.
Even if my canera is on a tripod i get my face down alng the axis of the lens so the subject faces in….
Will I spend a grand for this gizmo …. i dunno… but it is a great idea.
I think eyedirect is pretty absurb. I think its too unatural for a subject to look directly into the lens. If they are looking into the lens…what is the purpose of the the “4th wall,” there isn’t any. There becomes no kind of surpirse for the viewer. If you’re talent it’s fine they are my main character. I guess with the eyedirect you lose the “fly on the wall” aspect, might as well loose it for the big screen as well. Guess we’re no longer story tellers just you tube posters.