Two people delivering content... Person not talking is nodding... Super awkward?

Iain

Iain

Active Member
Okay, this is something that's bugged me for a while as a watcher of YouTube content.

When there are two people in a YouTube video, generally doing talking head content and one is delivering at a time, both looking to camera... The person that isn't talking is nodding along... Not even after something that is said that they agree with, just gently nodding practically constantly... And both sides do it.

It looks super-awkward, but it's as if it's some "guru tip" that they've all been "taught" to do. For me, it detracts from the content.

I'm not trying to be negative towards otherwise fantastic videos, it's just something that I've noticed for the last year, it's on the increase, and I don't think it looks good - I just find it really detracting and super awkward.

Have others noticed this?
 
It might be a learned habit. In conversation, it helps if you nod at regular invervals to confirm that you're listening to and understanding the speaker. Otherwise, I personally find it odd when the other presenter is just staring blankly into space, like they're just waiting for space you.
 
Yeah im not a big fan of commentaries with two hosts most of the time its just one really good host and his friend who is just tagging along lol
 
AceOfBats said:
It might be a learned habit. In conversation, it helps if you nod at regular invervals to confirm that you're listening to and understanding the speaker. Otherwise, I personally find it odd when the other presenter is just staring blankly into space, like they're just waiting for space you.
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Yes, this makes sense and it's what I've thought is happening too... But it seems more forced than naturally nodding occasionally in agreement to some points. It's fairly constant and it just looks, to me, quite strange.

We all nod when we're in conversation with someone and we agree with them, and I think that's why it's done and as you point out to stop one staring blankly into space... But, for me, I think it needs to be more subtle / more balanced?
 
I’ve never actually noticed this, but would love to see complication of headnodders ha!!


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I can PM some links if you want to see a few examples, @Liam O’Doyle -- but I don't want to post publicly as I'm really not trying to beat up on what are fantastic content creators... It's just something that I find really awkward and wondered if others had noticed too....
 
Its ok don’t worry! It’s just the sort of thing that when its pointed out, i’m sure its really funny - but like you say - it takes away from the content! I might get the wife to nod along in my next video.


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This annoys me when I see it on TV too. It's often a sign that the person isn't listening or really following what the other person is saying. Or they feel the camera on them and feel they have to be doing something, even if not talking. The best solution would be to have 2 cameras focused on both people and then edit out the one who isn't talking in post production. Or to have 3 cameras and the third shows both of them for the occasional group shot.

I often watch Bloomberg TV and most of the anchors/presenters are very good and knowledgeable about business and finance but there is one person in particular who is very good at asking in-depth questions to her guest, but when the guest is replying to the question, she constantly nods her head. Then when the guest finishes speaking, she asks another question on her list but never really interacts with the guest by discussing what he/she has just said. So it's obvious she's just reciting questions she has prepared in advance but doesn't really have any in-depth knowledge.
 
Interesting, @Crown - maybe that's where the idea's sprung from then?

Where I've seen it (on YouTube), both people for any given video have generally been just as knowledgeable as each other and played just as big a part in the videos... But it definitely feels like some kind of "trying to look natural whilst doing something rather than nothing, but ending up overdoing it" kind of thing?
 
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