Corporate Pieces to Camera
Eye-line tricks and teleprompter tips for natural delivery
Corporate video lives or dies on credibility. Viewers forgive a modest set and simple graphics, but they instantly spot shifty eyes, wooden delivery, or the unmistakable “I’m reading” look. The good news? Most of these problems are easy to fix with a few practical techniques.
This guide is written for business owners, educators, and presenters filming pieces to camera—whether that’s a LinkedIn update, a website explainer, or a formal corporate message.
1. Why eye-line matters more than you think
Eye-line is where your gaze sits relative to the camera lens. Get it wrong, and the viewer subconsciously feels ignored, mistrusted, or distracted.
The golden rule
👉 The lens is a person.
If your eyes drift above, below, or to the side of the lens, the connection breaks. Even a few centimetres off can make the delivery feel hesitant or evasive.
Common mistakes
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Reading notes placed beside the camera
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Watching the interviewer rather than the lens
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Fixating on a light or microphone
Quick fix
Stick a small bright dot or smiley face just above the lens. Your eyes naturally lock onto it, and the audience feels seen.
2. Teleprompters: friend, not foe
Teleprompters often get a bad reputation—not because they’re bad, but because they’re used badly.
A well-set prompter lets you:
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Maintain perfect eye-line
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Deliver precise wording (vital for legal or technical content)
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Stay calm under pressure
The biggest teleprompter mistake
❌ Writing for the page, not the voice.
Teleprompter scripts must be:
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Spoken English (not written prose)
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Broken into logical thought units
Bad prompter script
“Our organisation endeavours to provide comprehensive solutions across multiple sectors…”
Good prompter script
“What do we do?
We solve problems.
Quickly.
And clearly.”
3. Speed: slower than you think
People read faster than they speak—and much faster than they sound natural.
Set your prompter speed slower than feels comfortable.
If you think it’s slow enough, slow it down again.
Signs your prompter is too fast:
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You rush breaths
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Your head starts bobbing
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You lose emphasis and rhythm
A calm pace instantly reads as:
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Authoritative
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Trustworthy
4. Eye movement: the subtle giveaway
Viewers are incredibly sensitive to unnatural eye movement.
Watch for:
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Eyes dropping at the end of every sentence
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Blinking spikes (a stress response)
Fix it
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Increase line spacing on the prompter
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Keep lines short (6–10 words)
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Insert deliberate pause markers
Example:
“This matters.
Pause
Because it affects everyone.”
5. Don’t memorise—rehearse
There’s a crucial difference.
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Memorising leads to panic when you forget a word
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Rehearsing builds familiarity and flow
Best practice:
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Read once silently
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Read once aloud
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Film a rough take
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Then record for real
That first take often removes 80% of stiffness.
6. Body language still counts
Even in a tight head-and-shoulders frame, your body speaks.
Do
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Sit or stand tall
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Relax shoulders
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Use small, contained gestures
Avoid
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Locked elbows
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Clenched hands
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Rocking or swaying
A relaxed body gives a relaxed voice—and the camera loves that.
7. A simple professional setup (no studio required)
You don’t need a TV studio to look credible.
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Camera at eye level
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Teleprompter aligned directly with the lens
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Soft light at 45° (window light works brilliantly)
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Neutral background with depth (not a flat wall)
Consistency and confidence beat expensive kit every time.
Final thought: authenticity beats perfection
A tiny stumble feels human.
A robotic delivery feels false.
Aim for:
✔ Clear
✔ Calm
✔ Conversational
If it sounds like you talking to a real person—
you’ve got it right.
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