Monday, January 12, 2009
Creating An Impression
The goal of this assignment is to help you acquire in class this semester the skills needed to produce an effective speech presentation. Find a clip of a presenter (celebrity, athlete, politician, etc.) on Youtube or some other video outlet available to you on the Internet, and evaluate why you feel he or she makes an impact on you through his/her speech. We will be using an assignmentd feedback form in class when we present our speeeches to evaluate your peer's presentations, but for right now share your present understanding of what is effective and ineffective in your chosen subject's delivery and message. This presenter can be making a speech, giving an interview or in a film as a character who makes an impact on you. The clip should not be more than two minutes (it is just a small part of the whole presentation). Place the url address of the link in the blog for me and your peers to look at as they review your posting. Additionally, be prepared to share why you chose this person in our class meeting on Tuesday, January 27th. (so, you must post by our next class meeting. No late posting after this date will receive homework points.) As stated, you can use Youtube, news site (CNN.com, msnbc.msn.com) live.com/video, TED Talks site or some other video sharing location on the web.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLvSnr6s50
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=88814&title=brian-williams
ReplyDeleteI think this particular clip really showcases Brian Williams’ versatility as a speaker. I chose this interview because it is Brian Williams out of his own environment. He still manages to shine because he has honed his communicative skills. First and foremost, he acknowledges and understands the type of audience watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Therefore, he uses humor to reach out and relate to the people watching and has a general ability to keep up with Jon. At the same time, he is able to make the switch from being silly to being serious as soon as the interview takes a turn that way. He is believable because he speaks in an honest and emotional way. Even when he pauses or stutters, it is useful because it draws the audience into his next thought. His passion for reporting is communicated through his hand gestures, facial expressions, and voice inflection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S8boJYYO4o
ReplyDeleteThis clip of President Barack Obama on election day shows how comfortable he is as a speaker. He knew that the entire world was watching him, and he managed to remain calm and keep everyone listening. President Obama managed to catch the attention of his audience the second he started talking with his opening, and held that attention until the very end. He spoke using the audience's frame of reference. He was talking about past experiences that some of them have went through and continued to say "yes we can" so that the audience continued to feel like they were a part of history. The audience could tell that President Obama was confident, and that is how they want their president to be. President Obama is a great speaker because of his ability to control how his speeches are viewed and his natural ease at presenting a good speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCSrpSx0ADg
ReplyDeleteI believe that Mayor Cory Booker is one of the most eloquent, educated, inspiring and true political speakers that our state has. When he speaks he commands a rooms attention and always delivers a message that anyone can relate to. He is genuinely a good human being and when he gets in front of a room he tells the truth to the audience he is addressing and makes them feel as though they are part of the experience he is speaking about. Even though he is a Stanford University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, he speaks to the average American's frame of reference. I chose this particular clip because I felt this interview really showed you the depth of his speaking ability. He is talking about President Barack Obama and this is a person he is passionate about supporting and you can hear it in his voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
ReplyDeleteThe above clip is of Dr. Randy Pausch delivering a lecture in Carnegie Melon in a series of speeches titled “The Last Lecture.” The video is actually an hour long presentation but for the sake of the assignment the first two minutes will surly suffice in showcasing why I chose this particular speaker as someone who I often envy and look up to when thinking of great public speakers. Dr. Pausch’s claim to fame lies in his extensive work within the computer science field and his contribution to the development of Walt Disney Imagineering and Electronic Art, Alice, and years as a prominent educator in the University of Virginia and Carnegie Melon University. Though Pausch’s achievements are impressive, it is his ability to draw in a large audience and deliver an hour long speech that truly captivated the nation. In his speech, Pausch displays poise, confidence, and a strong sense of humor while sharing his entire life story with a candid quality that is often absent from prominent speakers today. Besides delivering a strong message, Pausch conveys the quality of a strong public speaker as he constantly maintains eye contacts, paces himself, and develops a lasting relationship with his respective audience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEGd75awApM&feature=related
ReplyDeleteI chose this clip of President Barack Obama presenting his Inaugural Speech not only because he is an exceptional speaker, but also because he possesses each and every speaking skill I wish to attain. Aside from being well spoken and clear, it is evident that Barack Obama delivers his speeches with the audience's frame of reference in mind. When he presents his speech, he makes it apparent that he is a true believer in what he is saying by not having the speech memorized word for word. He does not read the speech off of a piece of paper nor does he evoke the impression that it is rehearsed. He speaks as if he is coming up with each word at that instant moment. Not sounding rehearsed is a difficult task to overcome and will be my main goal this semester. Furthermore, by elevating his tone and putting an emphasis on selected words, he inspires hope. The spread of this hope is what distinguishes Barack Obama from other remarkable public speakers. A perfect example of a statement delivered by Barack Obama that inspires hope and encourages enthusiasm is, "The challenges we face are real, they are serious, and they are many, they will not be met easily or in a short span of time, but know this America, they will be met." When voicing this statement Barack Obama puts great emphasis on the last couple of words, "know this America, they will be met." Not only does the use of his delivery skills inspire hope, but it also makes the statement sound like a promise, making President Barack Obama an impressive and distinguished public speaker.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5WgmbMW7Ek
ReplyDeleteThis clip shows a type of spoken word that I am very intrigued by...slam poetry. I believe that if a slam poet is good at what they do, they can captivate an audience and really bring out their emotions while communicating a message that is very important to them. I occasionally watch Def Poetry on HBO and I came across a poet named Shihan who recited his poem titled "This Type Love." The first time I heard it, I was fascinated. The way he spoke, the intonation and inflection in his voice, and his use of body language almost controlled the audience and had me wondering what was around the next corner and wanting more. He combines passion, humor, emotion and a small surprise at the end to create a truly heart-warming masterpiece, in my opinion. I find myself watching it over and over and I keep finding new things that I missed the previous time. Shihan is very effective at taking his thoughts and feelings and communicating them in a way where the audience can truly relate. For example, he recites "I want a love that makes me need to change my cell phone calling plan to something that allows me to talk to her longer because in all honesty, I want to avoid one of those high cell phone bill type loves." This is really something that any ordinary person can relate to and get a good laugh out of at the same time. I feel that his strengths lie in his use of body language, animation, vocal expression and comic relief to thoroughly and effectively communicate his message. Slam poets, especially Shihan, are true wordsmiths and lyricists and they really are underrated and often overlooked speakers. They are able to combine rich vocabulary, dramatic body language, facial expressions, comedy, soul and emotion to mesmerize and evoke the emotions of any audience...It is an art and an example of great, and refreshing, public speaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEf0zAtWS50
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding, an effective speaker is one who articulates words with precision and grace. An effective speaker has the ability to capture the attention of an audience, no matter the size. An effective speaker takes into consideration the frames of reference of everyone in the audience. This at times can be difficult for a speaker. With that being said, the message of an ineffective speaker does not take into consideration of the frames of reference of the audience. This can prove to be difficult for a speaker to maintain a captive audience, for an audience could lose interest quickly. An ineffective speaker does not present themselves in professional manner in regards appearance and vocabulary. Overall, an effective speaker’s message remains with the audience members. It becomes quite impressive when the audience members can actually quote some of the material that was discussed by the speaker.
The speech given by Billy Graham, a famous Christian Evangelist had a great impact on me due to the message of the speech, his passion and effective nonverbal skills. The message can be applicable to a large audience. As seen on the screen there were thousands of people who remained silent during the message. In terms of delivery, Billy Graham used his hands to demonstrate some of the things he was referring to; for example, using his index finger to point to his heart. The tone of his voice was filled with passion. Even though he was speaking to a large audience in 1977, I felt as though he were relating the message straight to my heart. Billy Graham showed great initiative to move about the podium in a way that was not distracting. Lastly, Graham used nonverbal skills to his advantage. His voice was clearly heard and his words were articulated with precision. He glanced at his notes; he did not use his notes as a crutch. The audience was able to focus on the speech because he spent less time looking at his notes and more time engaging the audience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmoRhJyFsiw&NR=1
ReplyDeleteThe speaker I admire most is Bill Clinton because he is involved in such widespread charitable work and he is very charasmatic. He never fumbles, stays on target with his audience and when he is speaking on a subject you feel his passion. He involves his audience and uses his personal experiences to connect and have the audience empathize with the topic. For instance, in this clip when he mentions a potential winner of the Noble Peace Prize.
All political speakers have taken note of the way Clinton used his addresses to the nation and have copied his format. He speaks directly to the issue and avoids fluff. He keeps eye contact and uses his hands to make important points along the way. His engagement is warm and inviting and you feel like your conversation is with an old buddy. He is not always serious, although his topics are, and he tries to bring humor to his presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaaPTUbaH_s
ReplyDeleteOne of the first people that came to mind as a speaker that made an impact on me was Oprah Winfrey. I picked her not only because I admire many of her qualities, but also because she is one of the most visible people in the world and therefore everyone in the class would have at least one example of her in their mind to draw from. The clip I chose is of Oprah accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1998 (you can start the clip about one minute in). In this speech, as well as any other time she opens her mouth, I am so impressed with the way she is able to entirely captivate her audience. As the camera pans around the room, you see that many members of the audience are crying just listening to her for that short time. I really respect that she does not try to hide or fake her emotions, because it makes the speech so much more genuine. In this clip in particular, I look up to her for the way she is uniquely able to be both down to earth and regal at the same time. That larger than life persona has kept people, mostly women, all over the world tuning into her show every day for more than twenty years. No matter who she is talking to or what she is talking about, Oprah can translate it into language the viewer can understand and relate to (putting it in their frame of reference). She is famous for yelling when she gets excited, talking quietly and pausing when something is very serious, and repeating phrases for emphasis. I admire her for the intelligence, sensitivity, and humor she brings to every speech. Although I’m sure she has critiqued and honed her presentation style, her speeches always come off as natural and effortless. I try to learn from her and incorporate many of these qualities into my speaking engagements. The one thing I hope to learn the most from Oprah is her ability to be concise. No matter how much she wants to say everything that comes into her head, she has to pick and choose to keep each show less than one hour. One of my weaknesses as a speaker is my tendency to ramble and over-explain an idea, so the ability to speak purposefully and concisely is definitely something I can learn from Oprah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4AItMg70kg
ReplyDeleteWhen we were told to choose a speaker we admire and an example of their public speaking ability I immediately thought of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream Speech.” MLK was one of the most influential and powerful speakers in history. The combination of strength and eloquence in his speaking captivated audiences – both black and white – and had the power to stir emotion from his listeners and incite change. What better example is there of MLK’s amazing speaking ability than his famous “I Have a Dream” speech? In his speech MLK emphasizes the importance of his message and the power behind it by projecting his voice loudly and clearly. He speaks slowly and pauses at the correct moments to allow his message to sink in and have an effect on his audience. It is evident from the calm pace in which he delivers his speech that his words are not memorized or read off a paper or teleprompter. He does not recite his words, but speaks them from his heart – an ability that resonates with the audience and creates emotion. MLK had followers and admirers from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and in his speech he creates a frame a reference that they can all relate to equally. Parents of all races can relate to MLK’s dream that one day his children will be judged by their character and not their outward appearances. MLK’s “I Have a Dream Speech” has all of the characteristics of a strong and powerful speech, which is why his words are still remembered and recited almost fifty years later. An effective public speaker makes an impression and an impact on their audience. Martin Luther King Jr. made an amazing impact on the Civil Rights Movement with the power of his words, and that is why he is known as one of the most admired and celebrated public speakers in history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_HFCYz4x6o
ReplyDeleteThe clip I chose is a scene from the movie "Remember the Titans". In this particular section, Coach Boone is giving a motivational speech to his football team during practice. I chose this clip because I find the coach's character to be a very strong speaker. His words were powerful and heart-felt, and not only impacted the rest of the team, but managed to touch viewers of the film as well. His speech was not only strong because it evoked emotions, however; the coach made clever references to the Civil War, comparing the broken team to the fighting soldiers. The eloquence and precision in his words made it easy to create a mental picture, and thus made the message more powerful. The coach began his speech turned around, but by the end was directly facing his team, giving good eye contact. The strength and passion in his voice, along with the influential metaphor, make this one of the most motivational speeches in the history of sports movies.
Martin Luther King, Jr. truly was a powerful and gifted speaker. Through his powerful and moving speeches, he was literally able to change the course of history. His
ReplyDelete“I Have a Dream Speech” is probably his most influential and definitely was very moving for me to listen to. In the speech, you can here his passion, but also his hope; his belief in the strength of his people. That hope and belief are very evident throughout his speech and help to make his speech as powerful as it is. Throughout his “I Have a Dream Speech,” Dr. King connects with his audience by communicating to them that he truly feels and understands their fear, anger and impatience. He goes on to list their grievances and demand from America that they be resolved. This bonds his audience even closer to him and gives them a sense of purpose and togetherness that was so necessary and effective in their fight for equality. He then finishes by inspiring hope in his audience and encouraging them to keep fighting for their freedom.
Dr. King’s speech is also so affective because he is able to so skillfully connect to his audience, feeling their emotions and in turn, allowing them to feel his. He is able to do this by his tone of voice, pattern of speaking (pauses, repetition, ect.) and the beautiful, poetical metaphors he uses throughout his speech. These metaphors really draw his audience into his speech and help convey his message in a very understandable and memorable way. I think that the way he crafted his speech is the most impressive thing about it and definitely something I would like to learn to do, even to the smallest extent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgI0YGrKGMY
ReplyDeleteWhen asked the question, “Who is one outstanding person that has made a significant impact on your life, either through their communication skills or a speech given”, I would say Dr. Maya Angelou without any hesitation. Dr. Angelou is one of the most influential African-Americans in history. She is now 81 years old and has lived an amazing life thus far. Professor, Author, Poet, Activist, and Screenplay writing, Dr. Maya Angelou, is widely celebrated by varying audiences. Angelou has a long roster of recognitions that include numerous and very prestigious high honoring awards. She was the second poet to ever speak at a Presidential Inauguration in history, speaking at President Clinton’s Inauguration. With all of her knowledge and wise words of encouragement, she is constantly interviewed to talk about various topics across a wide range of topics.
I chose this particular speech because it really captured me like any other work of hers. But this one was relatively current. Dr. Maya Angelou is introducing Michelle Obama for the Women for Obama Rally. Her voice was so powerful and really drew me in. She was speaking from the heart and I felt it. Her choice of words was excellent and this speech had a special message for everyone in it.
Something that Dr. Angelou constantly says in interviews is that, “Words mean more than what it says down on paper. It takes human voice to infuse them with meaning”. And this is so true. When she had a special point that she wanted to make, her voice changed and made me feel a special connection with her. Her speech was strong and she demanded attention from start to finish. She stayed in the audience frame of reference, displayed poise, and a good sense of humor. Simply Outstanding!
I picked this speech ( the first one) by Martin Luther King(MLK) because I feel it is an excellent example of a public speech. With this speech, this could be the most influential public speech of all time. There are several reasons why the speech was so effective. MLK established his credibility long before his speech, so people valued his intentions. He spoke with so much emotion, and energy, while maintaining good eye contact with the audience;he connected with the audience. This connection was displayed through the clouds approval and applause. As he read his speech he used espressive language and metaphors to spin a positive vibe throughout the speech. He also used poweful words and ultimate terms- words that the audience generally does not question.
ReplyDelete(continued) The arrangement of MLK's "I have a dream" speech was designed to work up the crowd, and established a perfect delivery. Today, people mention MLK and his "I have a dream speech", and this is because of his profound impact of this speech; everyone remembered it. To show how much of an effect this speech made on society, an artist ( Jay-Z) wrote "Rosa Parks sat so that MLK can dream, MLK dreamt so that Obama can run, Obama ran so that we can fly".
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEL8PYu4RR4
ReplyDeleteThe clip that I chose is from the movie "We Are Marshall". Matthew McConnaughey's inspirational speech to his team is, in my opinion, a very powerful one. I believe that an effective public speaker demonstrates confidence and self assurance while delivering clear and direct points. In this speech McConnaughey draws his audience in with a firm voice and emotional word usage. He speaks articulately and changes the tone and volume of his voice in order to keep the audience interested. In order to make the speech more personal and influential, he does not use note cards or papers as a reference. Instead, he has memorized the key points he wishes to make and therefore when he delivers the speech it makes it easier for him to use eye contact to make a connection to his team. There are many elements of speech delivery that I struggle with but the one I admire most in this example is Matthew McConnaughey’s confidence. When I deliver a speech I lack the confidence that he shows. He does not act scared, weak or nervous and he presents his speech with pride and directness. I think that confidence is a very important part of speech delivery and I hope to strengthen this skill throughout this course.
My apologies, the quote that I ended with should be "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk.
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run.
Barack Obama ran so all our children could fly
So Im a spread my wings, you could meet me in the sky".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
ReplyDeleteoops... here's the link
George W. Bush will probably not get a great reputation based on his speeches because of the mistakes in which he was know for. The reason that I have picked him however is because of the amount of confidence he had when he was speaking to the people. Even though he did make mistakes he was not afraid to. Most people see this as a flaw, but this truly showed the confidence he had in himself with his ability to get the point across to the people even with these mistakes. in this specific speech he makes here at ground zero he comes across as a man in that is just as much a part of everyday life in America as is anyone else. He is speaking to the workers at ground zero and he identifies with them in every way that he is able to. In this speech he is really able to get across to the people and show them that he really does care about the people who lost in this time. He is able to identify with the people and can get the point that he wants across to the people. His ability to have such great confidence and his ability to identify with his audience is something that i would like to be able to better. To not be afraid to make mistakes would be the one thing that i admire about President Bush.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiSwqaQ4VbA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZoPdBh8KUs
ReplyDeleteThe speaker I chose is Steve Jobs from Apple. The speech I looked at was given in 2007 when he introduced the iphone. He was speaking in front of a big diverse crowd. I think it is hard to impress an audience that is made up of so many different people and he seems to manage that very well. Steve Jobs manages to understand their frame of reference and to create a presentation that is both informing and entertaining.
The three characteristics I can find in his speech style and that I would like to work on myself are:
1.) The ability to fascinate people and to make them laugh
2.) Having a sense of humor while managing to appear competent in what you say
3.) Controlling nervousness and having a clear, calm voice while speaking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76lMUEX0fo
ReplyDeleteThe speech I chose is the halftime speech by Coach Gary Gaines (played by Billy Bob Thorton) in the movie Friday Night Lights. Although the way the speech is shot, you cannot always see the speaker, I think the message the speech gets across is clear. In my opinion, one of the keys to being an effective presenter is connecting with your audience. In the case of this halftime speech, I feel as though Coach Gaines is able to really motivate his players by relating his speech to their lives on a personal level. Also, his delivery of the speech, the way he takes time to articulate his words, make it seem like the speech is truly heartfelt. The confidence he has in his team is apparent in the confident manner the speech is delivered and he includes the team members in his speech. He makes eye contact with every member of his audience, and although this is halftime of their biggest game, he is able to control any nerves and remain confident for the benefit of his audience. I believe all of these factors are essential in delivering an effective speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ATlB1XYYEE
ReplyDeleteDane Cook is one comedian that knows how to get an audience going. People expect a lot from a comedian's delivery. A comedian's material may be good, but if it is not executed properly it can become a complete disaster. When Dane Cook hits the stage you really cannot keep your eye off him. As he works the stage, he utilizes his body and projects his voice in a way that captures the audience. He knows how to use his body in order to keep the audience's eyes on him. After watching most of Dane Cook's material you begin to notice that he has his own personal style. Something that every speaker should have. Whether you add a bit of comedy to your speech or develop a captivating voice; the style works to your advantage. Dane Cook's body language and projection of voice is what ultimately keeps the audience thirsting for more.