Video Speeches

“Is It Live or Is It Memorex?”: Tips for Speaking in an Online Environment

Submitted by Kathleen Beauchene, Community College of Rhode Island

Goal: 1. To have students reflect upon the similarities/differences between speaking face-to-face and speaking on camera, and 2. To have students adapt their presentation and delivery based on what they have learned.

Rationale: Back in the day (aka 1980s), the slogan “Is It Live or Is It Memorex?” for a VHS cassette tape ad suggested parity between what is live and what appears on video. Thirty-five years later, given the influx of video on the web, the concern for communication educators, particularly for those who teach public speaking, is whether or not we are preparing out students to meet the increasing demand to present in an online environment that may consist of vodcasts, webinars, and YouTube videos. Simply put, will instructional strategies and activities of the past, geared to live presentations, work in today’s video world?

While we can draw from the film, broadcast, and theatre disciplines, our discipline has a unique set of challenges. Speakers are not actors, speakers do not have scripts, banter in sound bites, or have the advantage of experienced camera crews and elaborate sets. However, as students and soon-to-be employees, they will likely use video as an online presentation tool. We need to embrace this opportunity to provide them with guidance and concrete yet flexible skills.

Foremost, we need to reflect on fundamental differences/similarities between speaking to a live audience and speaking to an audience via video, share this information with our students, and foster skill development by providing them with public speaking opportunities in the video arena.

This activity is geared to do just that. Midway through the semester, I explore differences and similarities between speaking to a live audience and speaking to an “invisible” audience by having students deliver the same portion of a speech but deliver it in both video form and live in front of a group of their peers.

Directions:

Divide class into groups of four.
Give each group the same task. Each group member is to take a two-minute portion of a past informative speech, record it, and upload it to Media Share. (Media Share, which is a Pearson site for uploading, sharing, evaluating student speeches. Other such publisher sites or YouTube can also work.) I do not require students to have a live audience (as most informative videos do not), and I remain intentionally vague as to how I want them to record their speech (that is, webcam, smartphone, camcorder). We discuss their choice and the impact of it during the discussion portion.
The student is instructed that he/she will present that same two-minute speech portion to his/her group during the next class.

Presentation during next class period: 1 or 1.5 class meetings for a 50-minute class

Necessities include one laptop or tablet per group to show videos. If the classroom is small, groups can disperse to other pre-determined settings and then return to the classroom after a designated time.

One note taker is assigned for each speaker. (Brief organizer appears below but may be adjusted.)
The first student shows the video speech and then delivers the live version of the speech
The second student presents the live version and then shows the video. (I reverse the order so we can later discuss if the order of presentation factors into evaluation.)
Continue until all students are finished.

Discussion within Groups:

Each observer discusses his or her findings, that is, the similarities and differences between the video and the live speech. The speaker who is observed is also allowed to comment on any aspects, for example, the degree of anxiety.

When finished, each group analyzes its findings and reports them to the class who then brainstorms to determine whether the means of delivery affects the presentation’s overall impact. The class discusses how to adapt public speaking principles, generally geared to a live audience of varying numbers, to a video presentation for an online audience of significantly larger numbers. Included in this discussion are presentation aids (screenshots, photos, animations) and delivery style. Eye contact usually becomes a key discussion point, especially as students are asked to consider the statement that using tools like Twitter or an email address for feedback is akin to using “eye contact in a face-to-face speech or presentation” (O’Hair, Stewart, & Rubenstein, 2015, p. 424).

Homework Follow-up Activity: (Note: I do this activity in class, but videos can be uploaded to a group area in a Learning Management System or to a publisher video sharing site.)

Each group is assigned a topic, such as smartphones, and then determines a focused topic, such as the difference between an android and an iPhone. Each student finds a topic-related video that illustrates effective public speaking principles.

-Speaker must be on camera for at least 75% of the speech

-No audience is present. In other words, a TED talk recorded in front of a live audience would not be appropriate for this activity.

Each student plays his/her video to the group and analyzes it, explaining why the video is overall an effective example. The group votes on one exemplary (or mostly exemplary) video.
Each group shows its video to the class and the class votes on one video that I upload to Blackboard, our Learning Management System, for future reference. Accompanying that video is a synthesis of the class discussion on the best ways to deliver a message on camera as well as other considerations (lighting, sound) that might impact the message.

Typical Results: Students explore a variety of questions: Is a live presentation more powerful than a recorded one? Does a video pack more punch than a speech? And what students learn is that whether a presentation is live or “memorexed,” each can be effective if the speaker adapts to the parameters of the speaking environment. While most of this activity focuses on delivery, other aspects of the public speaking process are also altered or shaped by the online environment.

Reference:

O’Hair, D., Stewart, R., & Rubenstein, H. (2015). A speaker’s guidebook: Text and reference. New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martins.

Link to video shown at NCA GIFTS session:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xqearb22mr2jevr/NCA_presentation_Nov_2015.mp4?dl=0

Tip sheet compiled from student comments:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xp1s5beosgp4v3t/NCA_Video%20Tips.docx?dl=0

Helpful Products for use with Smartphone (iPhone)
General Recording Tips
	Ultimate Guide (Some links don’t work)
	iPhone Video Recording – 10 tips for more professional videos
	iPhone Video Tips
	How to Make Videos with your Phone
	How To Shoot Professional Video with a Cell Phone, iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 7, Samsung, HTC, Moto
Sound
	Record better sound with your smartphone
	How to Improve Your Sound When Shooting Video with an iPad or iPhone
	RODE smartLav+ Quick Review: Record Audio to your Smart Phone RODE Mic Information
	Amazon products Note For PC: Choosing Best Microphone for PC and Amazon’s Best Selling Microphones for Computers
Tripods
	Amazon Tripods
	Make tripod mount with binder clips
Mount/Adapter
	Amazon Products – Mounts/Adapters

Helpful Tips when Recording
Presenting on Camera
	Consider: “Talking to a camera is not a natural act.”“Look through the lens not at it.” Talking into a computer, especially without any audience, makes it difficult to have enthusiasm, to be natural, and to have appropriate eye contact. Before recording, consider: · Compensate for lack of audience feedback · Your knowledge of technical requirements
Background
	· Declutter background or consider a folding background, such as a screen · Large, long room is best · Step away from the wall so as not to create a “mug shot” look or distracting shadows · Noise-free is best
Lighting
	· Unflattering lights o Fluorescent (green hue) o Overhead lights o Don’t shoot towards window o Film opposite light source · Better options o Track lights o Table lamp o Clamp on light o LED task light (for webcam or smartphone)
Camera Placement
	· If sitting at a desk and using a webcam, don’t sit too close or too far away. · Raise computer screen so camera is at eye level. Doing so will avoid too much ceiling in the shot and prevent camera from looking up your noise. · If using a smartphone: o Hold phone horizontally with “button” on the right o Use a tripod with a camera mount o Touch screen for important frame
Delivery
	Premise: Camera captures everything! Face· Look at camera as if it is your audience· Don’t look away from camera, such as looking at your notes, for too long · Minimize facial expressions · Strong lights may encourage blinking so become comfortable with lighting Body · Restricted by environment · Maintain strong posture · Angle body with a T-stance to create dimension and to avoid swaying side to side · Don’t lead with chin up · Walk with purpose. Be sure that the camera can follow you. · Use a stationary rather than a swivel chair · Handle props carefully (be sure you don’t hold them up and block your face) · Hand movements o Be sure movements are purposeful o Keep elbows tucked and close to body. Don’t let hands fly all over the place. Vocal · Use a natural speaking rate o Go slower with complicated material · Test volume and use external microphone if internal camera mic is not sufficient · Avoid vocal fillers and repetitive phrasing
Clothes
	Keep clothing simple. · Consider your background when selecting colors so as not to fade into background · Blue shirt works well · Avoid white · Avoid bold colors or patterns (Patterned shirt is okay with a jacket.) · Avoid logos · Simple jewelry (no dangling earrings, clunky bracelets, or shiny jewelry) · If wearing glasses, consider anti-reflection lenses
General Tips
	Practice is critical. Engage viewers with natural, energetic delivery. Make presentation interactive, if possible. If you need to cover a large amount of material, break into smaller video segments.