Trust and the Sacred Space I’ve spoken before about the importance of “the sacred space:” a safe environment where you and your video director can sort out your message together and work closely to impart your humanity and authenticity on camera. That preparation time spent together is how I gauge my approach as a director. […]
In 1939, a nervous 44-year-old monarch sat behind a microphone. Millions of people were waiting at their radios to hear what he had to say. The subject was the survival of civilization. The man was George VI, the king of the British Empire. He was about to prepare his subjects across the globe to go […]
There’s so much more to communication than the words we speak. Context, body language, and our tone of voice all work together to convey our message’s true meaning. Non-Verbal Signals Impact How Your Audience Receives Your Message It’s easy to get so caught up in what you’ll say on camera that you forget to consider […]
In a perfect world, the leaders I make films for would all be trained on-camera professionals with a flexible schedule and lots of time for shooting. Of course, this is rarely the reality. But as one of the longest running corporate production agencies in America, we’ve found workarounds to overcome tight shoots and nervous talent. […]
Teleprompters can be great when newscasters need to nail facts during a live broadcast. But they are trained media professionals who learn how to sound natural while reading a script. The executives at your company, on the other hand, might not benefit from a teleprompter in the same way. They might come across as stiff […]
Every week, I work out with my trainer Joe Farese. Joe is an exercise coach, who also happens to be an award-winning amateur body builder. While I’m not looking to bulk up myself, his experience as a body builder has taught him many important lessons about the human body that he passes on to me. […]
When clients take our advice and put time into practicing and preparing for the camera, something magical happens. Because they have learned and absorbed all the key points they want to make on camera, they can redirect their energy toward delivering that information from the heart. Your delivery makes most of the impact Once you […]
Amateurs borrow, experts steal. To get great results from your video performances, steal the techniques actors use to come alive on screen. Executives shouldn’t become actors First, let’s establish that performance is not the same as acting. Acting involves taking on the characteristics of a different person. Rather, performing is not embodying someone else, but […]
I’ve met hundreds of CEOs and leaders in my career, and most of them are dynamic type-A people. They have no problem standing in front of a crowd and delivering a captivating speech. But that inspiring persona somehow evaporates the minute you put a camera lens near them. Why? You’re relying on the wrong strategy […]
Charisma is not some mysterious force that you’re either born with or not. Charisma is a skill you can learn without becoming an extrovert or changing your personality. After reading The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane, I’ve come to realize that the three behaviors that display charisma are the same three principals of making […]