Do you want to learn how to talk on camera? There is an advanced manual called Communicating On Video. Now that I’m a Competent Communicator, that’s one of the two manuals I’m completing to become an Advanced Communicator Bronze.
I haven’t started but have been on camera several times. This time, I was interviewed by Toastmaster Jason Heath on the Objective Financial Hour. He’s one of the rare true fee-only financial planners. There’s more background in a “financial doctor” interviews an “insurance doctor”.
The Experience
The experience was quite pleasant. I met Jason once before and we had lunch just before the interview. That familiarity helped me feel comfortable.
Also, the studio was inviting and quiet (like a real room). The background was genuine. I’m not a fan of using a green screen to insert a fake background. How does fooling the audience build trust?
Because the program was almost an hour, we had plenty of time to talk. However, there was no editing. The recording was live.
I’m getting more comfortable with studios and interviews. As Toastmasters, we know that practice helps.
The Surprise
Jason didn't use any notes but was prepared. Perhaps his technique leads to a more conversational style than using pre-planned questions. He's very good at impromptu speaking.
I would not be comfortable without notes. I'd probably use a mind map on my iPad. Maybe that's a crutch. I see it as a form of preparation.
Overall
Overall, we both spoke clearly, with some crutch words (“ah”, “so”, “and so”). I didn’t make eye contact throughout. Sometimes my eyes darted to the left on occasion. There are a couple of times when I didn’t feel coherent. Unfortunately there was no editing. That’s a consequence of a life recording.
The Interview
Here is the full interview (no editing).
Here is the podcast. I edited with Audacity, primarily to remove some crutchwords. some duplicated words and the commercial breaks.
by Promod Sharma, CC
I was interviewed on camera for the second time. This was on Internet TV, which reduces the stress levels.
The interview was on the Qb money talk show. My previous experience was on Liquid Lunch, which uses the same studio.
The photo shows a green screen which allows a fake background to be inserted.
The Studio
The studio was surprisingly noisy. There was a constant hiss of static. Perhaps that dampens out other sounds? The filming area felt dead acoustically. Voices didn't carry far. While we were chatting at a table, it felt like we were talking from much further apart.
I couldn't tell what showed on camera, which meant I didn't know where to put my hands. I would have put them on the table but it was a little too high. I was also wired for sound. I didn't want to jar anything by moving around.
Your Review
For your critique, watch for several minutes (say in the middle). What did you like? What would you do differently? Next, leave your comments below. You can do the anonymously.
My Review
I thought the interview turned out better than it seemed at the time. Practicing impromptu speaking at Toastmasters (e.g., during Table Topics) is an effective way to practice.
I noticed that several sentences end with my pitch rising. That makes a statement sound like a question, which makes the speaker sound uncertain. That's not good if you're meant to be an expert.
I use "so" plus "and so" too often. This lead to run-on sentences. I also stretch out words like "aaannd" and "thennn". Pausing is better than filler. However, I found I had some ... unnecessary ... pauses which were not needed ... for effect. I also used duplicate words.
I rarely make these mistakes in my Toastmasters club, which is why I'm surprised that I do outside. This is another reason to always record yourself. Besides the official recording, I use an audio app on my Android phone. I had my video camera but didn't set it up. Because of the acoustics, the sound levels would probably have been low.
The overall experience is another reminder that practice is essential, especially in the real life environment which your club can't quite simulate.
Enhancements
I created a podcast from the video and made as many fixes as I could using Audacity. The background noise is nearly gone. The volume levels are levelized (sometimes the host was difficult to hear).
It was easy to delete "aaannd" because a gap usually followed. I could not easily remove "so" or "and so" because there was rarely a following pause.
I learned lots about my voice by editing the audio. The experience was worthwhile for learning.
When you're speaking at an event, you feel important, and are. (You may also feel terrified, which is where Toastmasters helps if you join early enough.)
The Master of Ceremonies (or Moderator or Chair) is also very important. I didn't think this role mattered until I attended TEDxIBYork at the Ontario Science Centre. David Newland was exceptional. He made everything look smooth.
Since then, I've appreciated how an MC makes a difference. It's easy to find lousy ones. Maybe they aren't comfortable speaking or didn't care enough to prepare.
Best Practices
A great MC
takes responsibility: this includes preparing and compensating for any problems which may arise
improvises: reading entirely from a script drains energy
exudes a personality: this helps in getting the audience ready for the speakers
Example
Last week, I gave a presentation on Building Trust With LinkedIn. The MC is Chris Paterson (LinkedIn profile), who I've known for several years. Watch what he does during the introduction and conclusion. You can skip the rest (for now!).
Introduction
Chris deviated from the bio I provided in advance. Instead, he told a story and endorsed me. This is valuable for the audience and speaker.
Conclusion
After I finished, Chris gave a summary and expanded on what I said. That helps the audience and feels good for the speaker.
Overall
Chris gave introductions and summaries for all three speakers. He also moderated the panel discussion which followed. He unified the event and made it bigger than the individual presentations.
Next time, pay more attention to the MC. You'll learn from the good and not-so-good ones. For practice, volunteer to be Chair at your Toastmasters club.
Do you need some time ... on your own? Do you need some time ... all alone? - Guns N' Roses. November Rain
Are you an introvert? That need not handicap you in public speaking. You can overcome your fears. Susan Cain did for her TED Talk based on her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking (Amazon link).
The Power Of Introverts
Let’s watch and then discuss.
If you didn't know that Susan’s an introvert, could you tell? I couldn’t.
As a Toastmaster, what changes would you suggest Susan make? I didn’t see anything major. Susan smiles. Her audience laughs. She pauses. She speaks clearly. Her talk is well structured. She looks natural and at ease. She creates mystery with her prop, a bag. Susan engages the audience and makes them comfortable. She moves around smoothly.
A minor quibble: I found her hand movements a tad repetitive on video but that was probably fine for the large, live audience.
The Reality
Susan looks like she’s in control and never really had problems speaking in public. That’s not the case.
“I’m told my talk received a standing ovation. My husband keeps asking what it felt like, after all the Sturm und Drang. The truth is I don’t know. I have no memory of the moment — I was too numb. That was someone else up there: my metamorphosed incarnation, the Public Introvert.“ --- Susan Cain, An Introvert Steps Out (New York Times, April 2012)
Does that surprise you?
In a fascinating article, Susan candidly explains how she prepared for her TED Talk. Joining Toastmasters was part of her process.
The Book
If you like the TED Talk, get Quiet. Susan’s book goes into much more detail. You’ll benefit even if you're an extrovert because we all know introverts.
I'm currently listening to the audio version. The narrator (Kathe Mazur) reminds me of Carolyn McCormick, who read a very different and less satisfying book, The Hunger Games. Maybe that’s because many books are narrated by men — even The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGongial (Amazon link).
I’m surprised that Susan didn’t narrate her own book. She certainly can since she speaks so well on stage. Maybe next time she will.
Promod Sharma is an introvert. Aren't most actuaries? He enjoys speaking but prefers writing. That’s why you’ll find 500+ blog posts and 180+ podcasts but only 14 videos.
Confession time. I don't like giving speeches. There's too much preparation and practicing. The timing needs to be right.
In Toastmasters, each speech has specific criteria which get progressively tougher. That's why I haven't done in a speech since becoming a Competent Communicator three months ago.
Real Life
In real life, do you deliver speeches? I give presentations. The length is generally 45-60 minutes, including questions. A speech isn't the right form of practice but a lesson is.
At Goodyear Toastmasters, a lesson is typically 15-20 minutes long. You can practice a full presentation in three or four sessions over a period of months. Or you can practice the core elements in one lesson.
At first, giving a lesson may look like difficult because you have more time to fill. The opposite is true.
Lessons
A lesson is much easier than a speech. You're not expected to memorize. You're more likely to use visual aids like PowerPoint. There's time for audience participation, which develops your impromptu skills. You're not rushed.
If you feel nervous in the beginning, you'll have more time to recover. You'll have more time to try different things. When you watch the video playback, you may spot unintended behaviour more easily. Perhaps your body language changes when each time you get a question.
If you're using PowerPoint, you can use Presenter View to help you remember your content. When you're live, you don't want to look like you're simply reading. When you're practicing, Presenter View is very helpful.
If you're doing an important presentation (for work, say), you won't want to rush the preparation. As you do more lessons, you may be able to reuse elements such as slides.
Crutches
If you normally use visuals for lessons, try one without. I've done that several times recently
The days of tape and standard definition video are over.
Goodyear Toastmasters just purchased a brand new HD video camera, a Canon Vixia HF R200 (Amazon link). Thanks Gulzar for doing the research.
The new camera records videos on an SD Card. This changes how you get your recorded speeches from now on. Essentially, you will have two options on how to view/receive your recorded speech. These are:
YouTube (using the club’s SD card)
Bring your own SD card
YouTube
Before worrying about putting your speeches on YouTube, please read the following about YouTube's three levels of privacy settings and how these apply if you wish to view your speeches this way.
YouTube Privacy Setting level #1 – PUBLIC
This is the default level setting of YouTube videos. If you were to search out "Jonathan Holowka Speech" then my videos would come up and you could watch them.
YouTube Privacy Setting level #2 – UNLISTED
In this setting, if you try to search out the video it will not be found. However, it is online and can be watched but only if you are provided with the direct link.
Here is an example. Our recent club video of the Executive Role Descriptions was set to unlisted. The only people that are able to see this video are club members. If you type the video title "ELECTION PANEL 2012" into the YouTube search bar, this video will not show up. Go ahead and try.
YouTube Privacy Setting level #3 – PRIVATE
This final level is the same as Unlisted, however even if you are provided with the link you will not be able to view it without being given explicit permission by the club officer who manages our YouTube channel.
Here is an example of a private video on my own YouTube channel: http://youtu.be/98y6xGbVtjM. Click it and see what happens.
If you wish to have your speeches recorded and put on YouTube, please let us know which privacy setting you wish for your video.
Why Put Video Online?
There are also 3 distinct advantages to having your video put online:
Convenience: there is no work from your end
Cost: you do not have to buy or maintain an SD card
Portability: you can watch from any computer that has Internet access and you will not be able to lose the video
Option #2 - Bring Your Own SD Card
I am not going to go into detail on this, However this option is very simple. Simply go out and purchase your own Class 10 SD card and bring it when you are doing a speech. We will use it in the club camera and you can take your SD Card home and do with it as you wish.
You can purchase a Class 10 SD Card from any store that sells camera supplies. A Class 10 SD Card usually costs between $10 - $20. You’ll want a minimum size of 4 GB. Larger is better.
What does "Class 10" mean? This is simply the recording speed of the card. If you use anything less than Class 10 (eg. class 9, class 8, class 7, etc.) it will not record properly. You can tell what class an SD card is by looking at the number circled on the front of the card.
You practiced your presentation in your club but you made many mistakes in your delivery outside. You know because you recorded yourself. How could you get worse? Let's explore what goes wrong.
Cocoon
Your club is a warm, friendly environment (if not, look for another club). You know the members and they know you. You're familiar with the layout of the room and the equipment.
Outside
Outside is different. You may not know anyone where you're speaking. Traffic may have frazzled your nerves en route to the event. Construction, accidents and traffic jams occur at the most awkward times.
You may never have seen the venue before. The room layout may have obstructions. The audience may be closer or further away than you'd like. The microphone may be fixed to the podium rather than wearable. The sound system may be weak or cause distortion.
You may not have time to setup because another speaker is preceding you and you prefer to use your own equipment.
Example
Here's an example of a recent presentation. I was setup but an organizer did a brief presentation first. There wasn't enough time to put both presentations on the same computer. I could only setup again after getting introduced and there was a slight glitch (which I removed from the video). This made the introduction more stressful and less impactful.
The camera angle is awkward but I needed a spot that didn't obstruct the audience's view or pick up sound from the projector's fan.
I used more crutchwords than usual. I'm glad there's no royalty for "so". Some sentences should have been been split up. After all, periods are free. I lost my train of thought on occasion. I have better answers to questions now than at the time.
Whatever
Despite the shortcomings, the audience was satisfied. We tend to be more critical of ourselves then they are. They didn't know that I forgot to deliver my summary after the question period. They do know that, my microphone transmitter fell to the floor with a thump. That's embarrassing but not a show-stopper. A show-pauser perhaps?
If you don't record yourself, your memory will distort the events. You may think you're better or worse than you were. Either way, you lose an opportunity to improve.
Keep practicing in your club. You may never be as comfortable outside but you will get better.
by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012
You can't see or hear yourself the way your audience does.
You can't catch all your crutchwords like "ah" and "so". That means you can't spot ways to improve. For instance, you may use more crutchwords in some circumstances.
You can't see yourself or your gestures. Do your facial expressions look natural? Do you talk more to one side of the room?
Surprises
When you're speaking, you know what you intended to say and do. You notice the gaps while you’re speaking. If only practiced more! If only you hadn’t messed up that quotation!
Audiences are forgiving. They only know what they see and perceive. You're probably better than you think. How would you know?
Testing 1-2-3
Always record yourself. You can then review your performance and make changes. You can also see how you're improving speech by speech.
You can record audio, video or both.
Audio is easiest. You can use your smartphone or a separate recorder. You can leave your recorder at your seat if you want to record from the audience's vantage point. The quality may suffer. Another way is to bring your recorder to the front of the room with you. Place it on or near the podium.
Video is more effective but requires a video camera and setup. Your Toastmasters club may record speeches for you. That's effortless for you but you may still want to use your own equipment. If you prefer audio, you can probably record that alone with your video camera.
You can record both audio and video. That gives you backups but you may get overwhelmed worrying about all the equipment. Simpler is often better because less can go wrong.
Start
Even if you don't want to review your recordings right now, there's no harm in getting used to recording yourself and getting familiar with the equipment. It's easy to delete later but you can't re-create.
When you’re presenting live, you may face hurdles. With practice, you’ll learn to overcome them. This session is an example.
The Hurdles
The main hurdle was getting ready. The previous speakers left no time for setup. As a result, the opening words weren’t delivered with the intended impact. Also, the camera could have been moved closer.
The room was wide and attendees were scattered from stage left to stage right. It wasn’t possible to look at everyone at once. I would have preferred to stand to the left of the screen, but that would have obstructed the view and put me further from the bulk of the audience.
Initially, the projector was showing a blank screen. The solution was to change the resolution on the computer from 1600x900 to 1280x800. Normally this adjustment occurs automatically. Presenters can’t rely on normal.
The Risk
About 75% of the session was unscripted participation with the audience. That’s risky but also rewarding for everyone. This audience was warm and participated actively. That was a relief. There are strategies to deal with tough audiences but they weren’t needed here. Let’s save them for another blog post.
The Video
What do you think? What would you have done differently?
The Editing
This video is the second time I’ve overlaid still images of the slides. The first time was a week earlier with Building Trust With Blogging. I made a mistake just before publishing. I moved the title slide. This caused the images to show several seconds earlier than planned.
If I could go back in time, I’d boost the audio volume. While editing, I was using high powered speakers and didn’t notice the levels were low. I was hoping that YouTube would have a setting to boost volume but I couldn’t find one.
Overall, video editing is easier easier. I got valuable tips at Podcamp Toronto from Craig Moore of Halifax-based Spider Video (spidervideo.tv and @spidervideo).
You can draft a speech in many ways. Have you tried a mind map? This is a fancy version of bullet points or point form but enhanced to look like a diagram. You can also add visuals or use different colours for different branches.
Here is a primer.
Paper?
You can mind map on paper but I much prefer using iThoughtsHD on my iPad (iTunes). Navigating with your fingers is much more convenient than using a mouse or stylus. Pinch/zoom is a very easy and powerful way to see what you want to see at the moment. You have unlimited space. You can rearrange points and branches. You can add images. Everything is legible since you're typing.
Process
I start with a simple, universal structure that shows
beginning / introduction / hook
middle
end / action / takeaway
Every speech has those elements.
I then add branches. When the ideas flow, the basic structure takes 15-30 minutes to create. The editing takes hours since there is usually too much content for a 5-7 minute speech. I also practice what I’ll say at the same time.
Next
What's next? You can turn your speech into text. Sometimes, I speak directly from the mind map. Since the key points are there, you're unlikely to miss anything important. Since you're not reading from a script, you have flexibility. You'll also sound natural, as we do when speaking impromptu.
I may speak directly from the mind map. I'll record myself since I'd like to create a transcript which can be turned into a blog post.
I’d prefer to use PowerPoint. The slides then become the script. Unfortunately, my main computer broke down and won't be repaired until Tuesday. That doesn't leave much time to prepare the visuals and practice for Thursday.
To be safe, I may create a one page handout with blanks that the audience can fill in during the presentation. Regardless of option, mind mapping guided the preparation. Maybe that technique can help you too.
Promod Sharma discovered mind mapping in early 2010. Now he's hooked. For more than you'd care to know about him, visit promodsharma.com.
If you’re having trouble deciding what to write about, recycle. Take a look at what’s popular with your audience. If you blog, that’s easy because your analytics will tell you.
Here’s an example of recycling the six basic fears that Napoleon Hill identified in 1937. I wrote a blog post in 2008 that’s still read daily. That shows ongoing appeal. I decided create a new speech based on the content.
Too Much
How do you squeeze six fears into a 5-7 minute speech? If you go into detail, you’ll run out of time. If you’re too high level, what will the audience benefit? You could spend more time on selected fears and skim the rest.
Since our fears vary, I didn’t want to bore the audience with my interpretations. I wanted them to think about their own fears and then take preventative steps. I also wanted to use very few words to allow them time to think.
Since Speech 8 requires the use of visual aids, I found a solution: photos. The right images speak for themselves and leave a lasting impact. I spent hours to find free stock photos that would not violate copyright or require credits. I replaced several that weren’t simple enough or powerful enough.
To engage the audience, I asked them to jot down the fears they thought would make the list. I showed the fears in reverse order from #6 to #1 and paused before #1 to give the audience a chance to revise their guesses. To make fear #1 stick, I added a story.
Studio Recording
Since preparing a speech takes time, why discard your work right when you’re most practiced? I made this studio recording.
There have been 74 views already. That’s larger than the live audience — another reason to record.
More Recycling
You can recycle your recycling. I inserted the video back into the original blog post. Visitors can now watch or read or both.
What do you think about the content, delivery or approach?
Toastmasters International District 60 holds two conferences each year. Getting selected to speak is an achievement. Promod Sharma and Jonathan Holowka collaborated on an interactive session on social media. You’ll find the live recording below along with a description of the session. The content is also well-suited to other nonprofit clubs.
A healthy club engages members, attracts guests and nurtures the community. Social media enables all that and more. What works? What’s right for your club? How do you decide what to do, get started and keep going? Find out from the real-life experiments at Goodyear Toastmasters.
Meetup, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and a blog help your club thrive in ways your website can never match. You’ll learn how to harness social media in this fully interactive session.
Why Bother?
The magic that happens in club meetings vanishes forever. Where is the record of past speeches, lessons and Table Topics? We deprive members and guests — past, present and future. Thanks to social media, we can easily share text, audio and video. For free.
When used well, social media:
makes your club easier to find online
strengthens the initial impression
leaves a lasting impact
You can even help those unable to attend.
You have many options to explore and limited time. There’s Meetup, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and blogging. What about Facebook and Google+? Mistakes are easy to make and difficult to erase. Yet hiding from social media is even worse.
Goodyear Toastmasters, a community club, has been experimenting to see what works. Use their findings to get better results faster and with less effort.
As Toastmasters, we know that feedback helps us grow. Social media gives you analytics to show trends and what’s working now.
As a side benefit, you’ll create a living legacy for your club.
Engaged members are retained members
Attracted guests are attractive guests
A nurtured community is a stronger community
Video
Here is a live recording of the session which took place on November 12, 2011. Jonathan wrote about a related blog post: How to get started with social media. It’s worth reading first.
by Promod Sharma, CC
by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012
