Looking for some tips to make a great video??? Let’s have a look!

CHOOSING YOUR IDEAL SHOOTING LOCATION

• Find a location that is well-lit with natural sunlight or plenty of indoor lighting
• Choose a quiet location with little background noise (street sounds, music, other people)
• Avoid spaces with lots of echo
• Turn off air conditioners and heaters to avoid fan noise
• Provide a seat for yourself that is stationary and quiet (no chairs with wheels/swivels, overstuffed cushions, or squeaky screws)

SETTING UP YOUR PHONE / CAMERA

• Set your laptop, phone, or camera on a tripod or steady surface (please do not hold your camera while shooting to avoid shaky footage)
• Shoot horizontally (use landscape mode and avoid portrait mode)
• Position camera at eye level (if you can, avoid angles where the camera lens is looking up or down on you)
• Choose a non-distracting background (avoid windows, showing other people, posters/signs that can be read etc)

LIGHTING

• Shoot in daylight if possible
• Position yourself so windows or your main light sources are facing you, not behind you.
• Avoid overhead lights
• When shooting indoors, consider using a ring light that clips to your computer/phone to help light your face

CAMERA PRESENCE

• Look at the camera at all times
• Keep your hand movements to a minimum
• Stand/sit up straight
• Keep your hands to your side or gently folded in front of you (no crossed arms)
• Keep your shoulders relaxed
• Smile, especially at the beginning and the end of each response

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

• When answering question prompts, please rephrase the question at the beginning of your response instead of jumping right into your answer (eg, “The events scheduled for this semester will be pushed to a later date” vs. simply “They will be pushed to a later date…”)
• Start and end your answers with a second of silence, looking straight into the camera
• Start and end your answers definitively (Avoid starting every sentence with “so’s” and “um’s” and ending with upward intonations, like you would when asking a question)
• Start your answer again if a noise interrupts your answer, such as a police siren or dog barking

DELIVERING PRESENTATIONS

• Direct your gaze to the camera
• Consider using a teleprompter app in order to minimize looking up and down from your screen.  A few to consider include: CuePrompter, PromptDog, and Promptsmart.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES TO AVOID

• Clothing with colors that blend in with your background
• Patterns (stripes, plaids, polka dots)
• Shiny fabrics or jewelry
• Visible labels, logos, text, images
• Wrinkled clothes
• All white or all black clothing
• Noisy accessories that could interfere with your audio

A FEW OTHER HELPFUL HINTS

• If you can, ask a friend/family member to assist you while you record
• Do a short recording test to make sure you can see and hear yourself clearly
• Have water handy for clearing your throat
• A bite from an apple can help take care of a dry mouth!

TECH SPECS

• Check your video camera settings to make sure you are shooting one of three formats: 1080p at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, or 1080p at 24fps. 720p and 4k is fine too.
  • On Android phones, the settings are usually in the main camera app behind the gear settings wheel
  • On iPhones, the camera settings are in the main settings icon in the photos and camera section
• If you are unsure, no worries, your camera’s default setting should generally be ok.

BEST PRACTICES FOR VIDEO CLASSES / MEETINGS

• Please see Choosing Your Ideal Location, Setting Up Your Phone/Camera, and Lighting Tips above
• Mute yourself when not speaking to eliminate contributing unnecessary noise
• Dress as you would if you were meeting in person
• Speak more slowly than you would in person
• Keep hand movements to a minimum
• Avoid eating during the call!  If you must snack, turn your camera off as no one needs to see you chewing
• Look directly into the camera lens when speaking and not at the video of yourself or classmates/colleagues

Source: Tips for Recording Yourself on Video (nyu.edu)

May 25, 2022

Advocates 4 the Earth

On and off for over 40 years, I have taught communications courses – including public speaking – for youth. No training or learning occurs in a vacuum. Karsten Schnack echoed that sentiment when he reminded those of us at an environmental education conference in Denmark nearly 20 years ago to… “Never teach like there’s nothing happening outside”.  My experience in teaching public speaking courses leads me to add… “or inside”.

Survey after survey tells us young people are concerned about the environment and worried about the future. A massive new study of 10,000 young people (16-25 years old) from 10 countries revealed deep anxiety.

The climate crisis is also a mental health crisis. Youth are more than concerned, they are frightened. More than half said, “humanity is doomed”. Their distress is directly affecting their capacity to function in the present. And youth said the problem is with their governments’ failures to take any meaningful action.

Youth marches and protests about climate change are expressions of their fear and demands for immediate changes in policies and practices. Youth are taking action and they want action in return. One positive thing young people can and are doing is improving their skills as advocates for the Earth and for their own futures.

I am currently in Viet Nam and running public speaking courses for youth, whose environmental concerns mirror those of youth around the world. As a direct result of this work here, I wrote the following piece (Dec 2021) for parents and other teachers of public speaking.

Why take a public speaking course?

A person has two reasons for doing something:  the reason they give, and the real reason.

Quotes of this nature have been ascribed, in recent history, to various people from different countries.

The message applies to our students. Our children.

Some students come with their reasons, and they know them – a competition, a good mark in exams, better performance in schools. For some students, the reasons for undertaking a public speaking course go far beyond achieving results or learning skills and techniques.  Important as they are, these skills are not the driving force, the motivator, the deep-down reason for taking the course. Others may not be conscious of their own ‘real reason’ when they start the course: that reason emerges as they learn to speak up.

In the course, speech topics are mostly chosen by the students themselves. Usually, they have a combination of personal and broader interest:  the challenges of online learning, the importance of science, or life in Viet Nam.

For a few young people, the topics come from a place deep within: LGBTQ, body shaming, bullying, the pressures of generation gaps and gender roles on a young woman in Viet Nam…

These young people give the speech that has been patiently waiting to be given voice. A speech they want others to hear. Close friends and family. The wider community and the whole world. In those few minutes, their screams are raw but structured, their passions demand and are given voice, their pain surfaces in detached anger, and their appeals become well-shaped, clearly-structured clarion calls to all.

If you listen not just to the structure and delivery – skills they learn in the course – but also to the content, you see a beautiful, powerful person calling for change, calling for help, calling for a better world. 

Whether they are talking about care and respect for self and others or making pleas to stop the damage being done to the planet, these young people are desperate to be heard. With courage, they step up and speak up: they want others to sit up and listen up… and to re-think, re-feel, re-do.

Yes, learning techniques and strategies matter. But the skills are not an end in themselves. They are the beginning.

The courses provide and create a safe space for these life-changing, life-beginning speeches. If the students did not participate, if they did not join the classes week after week, if they did not become a part of a community of public speaking learners, they would not have a forum in which to present and test their views, passions, needs, appeals…

The public speaking courses provide a platform, a safe space, an audience that might otherwise never exist. The pain and joy of giving voice to those inner feelings and thoughts might never happen.

For some students, the final speech is the one they have been waiting all their lives to make.

For others, their speech is powerful and moving and cathartic. For all, the final speech is a moment of change – a moment when the students stepped up and spoke up as a part of the next phase of their learning and growth.

Source: Ideas, Inspirations and Incites – with Phil Smith – New Bush Telegraph

To be a better writer, you need to know how to be direct and clear, while also putting your own
stamp on your writing. Here are some tips on how you can improve your writing.

1. Be direct in your writing. Good writing is clear and concise. Filler words, like unnecessary
adverbs and prepositional phrases, take up space and weigh a sentence down. Say exactly
what you mean in the most direct way.

2. Choose your words wisely. There are many ways to write a sentence, and there are
different words you can choose to convey the same idea. Always choose the simpler of
two words. Use familiar vocabulary instead of lofty words. Simple words are more direct
and easier for all readers to understand. Use a thesaurus if you need a little help finding
a replacement or an easier way to say something.

3. Short sentences are more powerful than long sentences. A story loses energy with
wordiness. Short sentences are easier to comprehend – something that readers
appreciate. Avoid trying to pack too much into a line. Every sentence should contain one
thought or idea.

4. Write short paragraphs. Keep your paragraphs short and manageable. Each one should
consist of sentences that support the same idea. Short paragraphs are easier to digest.
They also create a more visually appealing layout on the page.

5. Always use the active voice. Use the active voice and adhere to subject-verb-object
sentence structure. It’s the most direct path to making your point. (With the active voice,
the subject is doing something, which is more exciting than the passive voice in which
something is being done to the subject.)

6. Review and edit your work. Proofreading your first draft should be the first step in your
editing process. Edit for these four elements:
• Accuracy in spelling, grammar, sentence structure
• Clarity of meaning in sentences and paragraphs
• Structure and flow of the writing
• Coherence of the overall piece.
Tighten your writing, check your word choice and sentence structure, and hone your voice to
improve your style.
The art of writing is in the re-writing. Bob Walshe, author, historian, environmentalist.

7. Use a natural, conversational tone. Your writing style relies on your own, unique voice.
Communicate in your comfort zone. In other words, write like you converse. Shape ideas
with your original thoughts and voice and do your best to avoid clichés. Your writing style
should reflect your personality.

8. Read famous authors of fiction and non-fiction. Notice not just what they say but how
they say it. Notice their style – try to feel their personality coming through the text. Look
at the overall structure and flow. Reflect on your own writing.

9. Practice. Keep writing. We learn to write by writing.

10. Read about how to improve your writing. There’s a wealth of information out there!

Content and delivery matter. Purpose matters – a lot. Evidence and expression matter. Argument and performance matter. Good public speakers are convincing with the power of their material and the manner in which they present it.

This competition encourages you to research your material thoroughly. If you have good ideas relevant to the topic, research them – see what you can find. High quality content matters. And when you have put the words together, practice them. Ask others to listen to you. Get feedback on the written and spoken words. Refine what you say and how you say it.  

Please remember that reading a speech aloud is not giving a speech. You may want to use cue cards. If you do, treat them only as prompts – don’t have the whole speech written on them!

In opening the Armidale Speaking 4 the Planet event in 2016, Dr Ian Tiley, the Administrator of the newly amalgamated councils, said, ‘Good speeches are succinct and original, and they contain viewpoints substantiated with evidence.’ He also observed that good speakers are prepared even though they might be nervous.  It’s good to be nervous because nerves can keep you focused.

My final thought about public speaking:  slow down, slow down, slow down! Don’t rush your speech.

Here are some more hints on improving your public speaking. Students entering the Prepared and Impromptu Speech sections of the competition will benefit from reading these carefully.

10 Tips for Improving Public Speaking

1. Nervousness Is Normal. Practice and Prepare!

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice—a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head—in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humour, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audio-visual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/professional-development/blog/10-tips-improving-your-public-speaking-skills

And here are some more links to great ideas and advice on public speaking.

Direct Speech

http://directspeech.com.au/Tips/ 

Youth Central

http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/government-info-assistance/do-it-yourself-democracy/telling-the-story/speak-in-public 

Toastmasters

https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Public-Speaking-Tips

Art has the capacity to uplift and provoke. Art is an expression of passion. We live and breathe inside art, whether it’s an item of clothing, a dance, the design of an old steam engine, or a well-composed photograph. Art is a frontier of free expression – about what’s happening in our world and what needs to happen. Art crosses linguistic and cultural boundaries because it can speak to the soul and inspire change.

Artists question everything. They help us visit places unknown. Artists rather than politicians lead some of the most important discussions about the state of the world. As an example, cartoonists poke fun and simultaneously point in new directions. Artists challenge us to re-evaluate and reinterpret social, historical and political events. They invite us to reshape society.

Here’s what a few artists have said about the role of art in society.

The artist records history for future generations, art reaches out & touches people around the world, it can lift people when they are down or create controversy, art is a very important part of society.

Pearl Rogers, Australia

Artists see things in a totally different way; they challenge the boundaries of rules, society and imagination yet also keep us in touch with the past.

Linda Hoey, UK

Art takes us out of ourselves. It allows us to address the big questions in life. It makes us think of ourselves and mortality.

Alice Helwig, Canada

Art has always embodied the relationship between humans and the natural environment. Artists address concerns about the way we interact with nature. In the 21st century – as in other times – art can and must play a role in focusing humanity on social and environmental issues and on dealing with the sustainability problems of our time. It can and must encourage discussion about community concerns, how we relate with the planet and each other, and possible solutions to sustainability problems.

Art is a compulsory subject in Australian schools. It plays an important role in deepening students’ engagement with learning. Through engaging in productive art lessons children develop high order skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation as well as critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. Art also enhances literacy and numeracy skills in children. Art allows children to grasp and appreciate not only their culture but other cultures and traditions. It exposes children to different societies and beliefs. Children learn to respect and appreciate diversity and become more tolerant of different cultures, all through art.

Phil Smith

Check out these clips for more information on the role of art in society.

Perhaps this applies to our students.

For some students, the reasons for undertaking a public speaking course go far beyond learning skills and techniques. Important as they are, these skills are not the driving force, the motivator, the deep-down reason for taking the course. Some students come with their reasons and they know them – a competition, a good mark in exams, better performance in schools. But others may not even be conscious of their own ‘real reason’ when they start the course: that reason emerges as they learn to speak up.

The final speeches in the course are on topics chosen by the students themselves. Most topics have a combination of personal and broader interest: the challenges of online learning, the importance of science, (more examples….)

But for a few young people…their topics come from a place deep within, and these youth give the speech they have been waiting all their lives to give. A speech they want others to hear. Close friends and family. The wider community and the whole world. In those few minutes, their screams are raw but structured, their passions demand and are given voice, their pain surfaces in detached anger, and their appeals become well-shaped, clearly- structured clarion calls to all.

If you listen not just to the structure and delivery – skills they learn in the course – but also to the content, you see a beautiful, powerful person calling for change, calling for help, calling for a better world. Whether they are talking about care and respect for self and others, or making pleas to stop the damage being done to the planet, these young people are desperate to the heard. With courage they step up and speak up: they want others to sit up and listen up…and to re-think, re-feel, re-do.

Yes, for these students, learning the techniques and strategies matters. But the skills are not an end in themselves. They are the beginning.

LGBTQ, body shaming, the pressures of generation gaps and gender roles on a young woman in Viet Nam….

The courses do one more thing: they provide and create a safe space for these life-changing, life-beginning speeches. If the students did not participate, if they did not join the classes week after week, if they did not become a part of a community of public speaking learners, they would not have a forum in which to present and test their views, passions,
needs, appeals… The public speaking courses provide a platform, a safe space, an audience that might NEVER exist if they do not take the course. The pain and joy of giving voice to those inner feelings and thoughts may never happen…..

And so…

For some, it seems like it is the speech they have been waiting all their lives to make.

For some, their final speeches are cathartic. They are powerful and moving.

For some, the final speech is a moment of change – a moment when the students stepped up and spoke up as a part of the next phase of their learning and growth

Phil Smith
December 2021

Read more here: Speaking 4 the Planet, changing the world – one presentation at a time