Getting
past performance — no matter how perfect and polished —
and into a real conversation with viewers is the brass ring of
on-air performance. Many reach for it, but few grasp and make
it their own.
One key is the conversational context you create in your own mind
for each story you read or report. In other words, imagine a certain
kind of conversation with the viewer and you’re much more
likely to have it.
Try this:
Grab
a couple of pages of copy, and head into the studio with them
loaded into the prompter. First, read the copy the way you would
all the way through. Then, say these words before EACH sentence:
"As we both know...". Finally, think but don't say
the words as you read the copy.
The
"we both" is designed to connect you to the viewer that
is, in effect, the camera. The "know" is designed to
put the story into the context of shared knowledge that you're
recounting matter-of-factly, naturally, as you would in conversation
with a friend.
You'll notice that you'll have difficulty saying some of the lines
or parts of the lines when they're preceded by "as we both
know". This is because they're written differently than you
would say them, that is, the way you would generate them as in
a conversation.
When that happens, you can either ad lib your way through those
lines (a bit risky), or rewrite them as you would say them (much
better).
Speak
those words with conviction, and at the same relaxed volume level
you’d normally use in conversation, and you’ll soon
find yourself talking to viewers and instead of performing for
them.
And they’ll soon find themselves wanting to see and hear
a lot more of you!
|
