It’s a big day for us here at ACT as Michael Gardner and I unofficially launch our brand new blog site and look forward to reaching and engaging with new audiences around the world.
Since this is a new beginning for us, it set me thinking about where it all began for me personally. Where did my passion for authentic communication and creating persuasive performances start? I think I can trace it back to a single incident many years ago when I was a spotty fourteen year old school boy at a northern grammar school in England. The English teacher has just entered the classroom to the customary clatter of chairs and desks as we shuffle to our feet and greet him with a bored rendition of “Good morning Mr. Jagger’. Today is slightly more tense than usual since we are getting our marked essays returned. Before he distributes these his custom is to select one he particularly likes and read to the class. He opens an essay book and begins….
OK I can’t remember the essay, but I do remember being very impressed by it. It grabbed my attention right away, it was dramatic, funny and left you wanting to know what happened next. I started to look around the class to see which of my swotty colleagues must have written this masterpiece. Then I realized this essay belonged to me and I also knew for certain that the essay I wrote was no masterpiece at all.
So what was happening here? Well no doubt you are ahead of me here. It was the way the teacher was “performing” my essay. He wasn’t just reading it, he was bringing it to life in a way I could never have expected - by putting meaning to unexceptional prose through a dramatic delivery.
That revelation has stayed with me ever since. The words don’t have to be monumental, but the power of performance can elevate any message to a much higher level. This has helped me in very practical ways many times in my broadcast career when presented with a dull script and no time to rewrite it!
Actors can only succeed through the power of their own authentic performances. They have to bring something of themselves to every part they play to make the performance authentically their own. Finding this authenticity is crucial for all of us who need to perform to any kind of audience and it’s an important aspect of our courses.
If you want to see an extreme example of a great actor taking these techniques to the limit, take a look at what William Shatner did to the urbane lyrics of Rocket Man written by Bernie Taupin at an awards ceremony back in 1978. The audience was evidently left bemused. I think it’s fantastic.
Before you go there though, take a look good look around our new site. Thanks for being here, we hope you’ll come back often.
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Nicely done Howard. So often we see presenters who think words are all. They forget that a powerful delivery can catapult their message from prosaic to profound. It’s a great lesson and powerful message. And the video is a hoot!
Well done Howard! Whilst presenters from the corporate world are getting more media savvy and standards have undoubtedly risen, I think your emphasis on “authentic” communication is hitting at the core of problem – whilst you may be a good presenter does your audience really believe what you are saying? You deserve a rusty sheriff’s badge!!
Glad you agree about the “authenticity” aspect of presentation techniques Marc. I look forward to buffing up my sheriff’s badge soon then.
Great point, Howard. Research shows that the majority of the message is carried in body language and verbal intonation. And I just read an interesting study that shows that audiences prefer the wrong question answered well rather than the right question answered poorly.
Interesting corey thanks for that. I will no doubt be blogging on the need to answer the question the interviewee wants to answer rather than sticking to the one that is being asked!
Well done on new sute – I hope the boring scripts you referred to are not ours – although maybe Simon Carves and Coloroll ! ! !
We are doing a 25 years blooper DVD which you feature in quite heavily (subject to contract) so you’d better get you training skiils established before it hits the street or you’ll never work again.
Good luck
Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for the warning. Your DVD will enable me to use myself as great examples of bad practice! I look forward (nervously) to its release.