How to Look at the Camera While Reading a Script

Put the text as close to the lens as possible

The smaller the angle between the lens and the words, the less your eyes visibly move. With a webcam, place the reading window right under the camera. With a separate camera, use a beam-splitter teleprompter, which reflects the text onto glass in front of the lens — the text has to be mirrored to read correctly.

Sitting further back helps too: from two meters away, a few centimeters of eye movement is invisible.

Make the column narrow

Wide lines force your eyes to sweep left and right, which looks like reading. A narrow column of large text — five to eight words per line — lets you take in each line almost without moving your eyes.

Starting each sentence on a new line helps as well: you always know where the next thought begins.

Let the script move at your pace

A fixed scroll speed means either rushing to keep up or waiting for the text. Someone running the prompter for you solves it; so does a remote in your hand, or a prompter that listens to your voice and keeps your current line in place.

Write for speaking

Scripts written to be read sound written. Before recording:

• Read the script out loud once and change every sentence you stumble on.
• Use contractions (“it’s”, “you’ll”) and short sentences.
• Mark the words you want to stress, and where you’ll pause.

Practise once, then record

Do a full run-through on the prompter before you record. You’ll find the lines that are too long, the speed that suits you and the spots where you naturally pause — and the real take will look like a conversation, not a reading.