Always assume the camera is on you, including when you are not the one talking. A producer decides when to cut to you, and you will not get a warning. Sit as if every second is live.
This came up after a practice interview in a recent workshop. A participant who had been playing the interviewer noticed something about himself afterward: while he was thinking about the next question, his eyes wandered around the room. It did not show while he was the guest. It showed up on camera in the interviewer's chair, because when he was focused on the question, he stopped focusing on everything else.
Good thing to notice. It is also a reminder of the worst on-camera moment I have had myself.
My BBC satellite interview
A number of years ago I was interviewed by the BBC, by satellite, from New York. They told me, "Jess, you'll be on at the end of the show."
So I did what a lot of guests do. I sat in my seat slouched, looking at my phone. I figured I would be on near the end of the hour, so I was just waiting.
And I should say, I am a media guy. I was a TV producer for 13 years at ABC, NBC and Fox. I know better.
Then they moved to a story where my background as a media consultant was relevant, and they cut to me. Earlier than I expected. I looked up, calmly, and sat up as if nothing had happened. I am sure it bothered nobody as much as it bothered me.
The cut to me was not wrong or unfair. The producer needed a face for that moment, and mine was available. That is the whole lesson. On a satellite link or in a remote studio, you are visible from the second the feed is up, and the director can use you whenever it suits the show.
Why the listening shot matters
Most guests treat on-camera time as something that starts when they speak. TV does not work that way. Producers love a reaction shot, a nod, a person listening to a question. It makes the interview look like a conversation.
That means your face is part of the interview even when your mouth is closed. Slouching, checking your phone, glancing around the room, reading your notes with a frown: any of it can end up on air.
I think about the other side of it, too. When I am the one asking questions, I know my face gives the guest feedback. If they say something interesting, I want to react, and that helps them be better. Guests are stressed about a dozen other things and are watching for any sign that it is going well. A listening face helps. A blank one hurts.
What I do now
Treat the feed as live from the start
If you are connected, you are on. Do not wait for the host to say your name before sitting up. Get the posture right when you get into the chair and keep it there.
Put the phone out of reach
The phone was my mistake. If it is in your hand, you will look at it. Silence it and put it behind you or in a drawer, then leave it. The only reason to look down is a note you planned to look at.
Listen with your face
Look at the camera or the person asking, and let your face respond. A small nod and some interest in the eyes are enough. You do not need to perform. You just need to be present.
Plan for the wait
The waiting is the dangerous part, so give your mind a job. Review your two or three key lines. Do not drift.
The fix is boring, and it works
I wish I had a clever trick. I do not. The fix is a habit: you decide, before you connect, that the next hour is all on camera. Not the last ten minutes, not the part where you speak. All of it.
That sounds tiring, and it is a little at first. It gets easier once sitting up and paying attention is simply how you wait. You also get a side benefit. A person who looks engaged while listening tends to feel more engaged, and that carries into the moment they start to answer.
It is not only for TV
Video calls with a reporter, a panel on a livestream, a webinar where you are a guest: all of them put your face on screen while someone else talks. The rule is the same, and the stakes are the same. A clip of you looking bored can travel further than the point you made.
I wrote about a related mistake in the hot mic problem, where the interview feels over and it is not. And my piece on body language in a media interview covers what to do with your hands, posture and eyes while you speak.
What to do next
On your next call or interview, set a rule: from the second you connect until the feed is gone, you are on. Do a practice run with a colleague filming you while they ask questions, and watch how you look when you are listening. If you would like that practice with feedback, get a quick quote and we can book a call.