Is honesty the best policy?
Be careful when you ask for honest feedback or honest opinions. You might just get them. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnYPqippKVw?list=SP86F4D497FD3CACCE&hl=en_GB&w=560&h=315]
When newscasters pray
Today’s dose of silly provides both hilarity and a lesson. The hilarity occurs within the first 1:30 of the video, a double dose of writhing embarassment at Romney’s awkwardness and a laugh-out-loud moment at the newscaster’s reaction. This is followed up by a good commentary about keeping true to your style and personality when speaking…
Channeling Tom Cruise
Today’s dose of Friday Fun comes courtesy of Miles Fisher and his promo for Superhero Movie. I use emulation activities with my clients as a way of recognizing other people’s signature speaking quirks and then using that knowledge to recognize and develop their own signature style. A big part of these exercises involve figuring out the emotional…
Smile, damn you, smile!
I have and will always maintain that a weapon every speaker should carry around in their arsenal is the ability to fire up a genuine beaming smile on demand. Actually, scratch that statement. Everyone, speaker or no, should learn how to smile on cue. And by smile, I mean the sort of eye-crinkling, cheek raising…
Daily Acts
Acting is part of life. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we spent a significant portion of our day in one performance or another. Life demands all of us to be a bit of an actor, and most people are remarkably adept at this. We perform in front of our spouses and friends. We act…
Dramatic genius
When getting clients to emote more effectively, I often rail at them to go completely over the top with the melodrama. Lay it on thick like spackle, wring every possible drop of emotion out of the words, free your spirit and let your inner ham out! Canadian acting legend Gordon Pinsent provides a beautiful example…
