Before rerecording the script, I highlighted words to emphasise in the script and rehearsed it aloud a few times. I hoped that this preparation would build my confidence and therefore keep my nerves in check. When speaking on nerves and the impact this can have on your performance, Johnson (2020) says that being concerned with the affect you may have on an audience is the first step towards being a successful public speaker.
So, some degree of nerves can be advantageous as they show that you care how the performance is received and that can motivate you to improve. However, it is important to manage them. Nerves can manifest in the body physically through high pitched speech or shortness of breath and this will have a negative impact on your speech performance. Johnson (2020) suggests marking pause points in your speech notes and using these moments to take a good deep breath. This can assist with calming your body. I used these suggestions in my second recording.
Reflecting on both script recordings, there is noticeable improvements in the second attempt. I was more confident in my voice flow as I was familiar with the script and was able to emphasis key words that made the script come to life. I still won’t be making to a News Anchor any time soon, however being aware of the areas I can focus on and understanding how I can improve them, definitely aided my performance.
This week we’ve been asked to write a film review on the The King’s Speech. Specifically considering the importance of performance and technique in effective public speaking.
I had watched this film once before but revisited it again in order to complete this task. The movie tells the story of King George VI (played by Geoffrey Rush), his struggle with stammering and how his commitment to correcting it aided by a devoted and able coach, helped him overcome his physical and psychological disabilities.
The speech therapist Lionel Logue (played by Colin Firth) used a variety of techniques that anyone of us can use today. Many obstacles that inhibit our speech and delivery can be overcome with commitment and practice. As Johnson (2020) suggests, just because you want to be a good speaker doesn’t mean you can – you have to practice.
When we feel nervous it manifests in our bodies physiologically. We can start to speak quickly or in a higher pitch and we can also become short of breath. Using the breath to control nerves can help relax our bodies and this will in turn allow sound to flow freely. Logue marked pauses throughout the King’s speech notes to allow him time to take good deep breaths.
Warming up our vocal apparatus before speaking can assist delivery. It takes about 100 muscles to speak (Verbling 2020), so just as an athlete warms up their muscles before performing, warming up vocal muscles before a speech performance is just as vital. Logue had the King performing tongue twisters before a speech: ‘I’m a thistle sifter. I have a sieve of sifted thistles and a sieve of unsifted thistles because I’m a thistle sifter’.
Confidence is key. Be familiar with the material, practice aloud again and again and even memorise the first few lines. To add inflection and feeling to words, practice by singing them to a tune. Logue had the King singing his lines to his favourite waltz. If you start well your confidence will grow and this will help keep the nerves at bay.
Speaking to a large group of strangers can be nerve racking even for experienced speakers. Logue recommended visualising speaking to just one person that you care about. This will help ease the nerves and give your words warmth. ‘Forget everything else. Say it to me, as a friend’, Logue advised.
Understanding the link between the psychological and physiological condition can help us be conscious of controlling our thoughts so we can gain more control over our bodies. By taking deep breaths, preparing to pause, warming up our vocal muscles in advance, rehearsing the script and imagining we are talking to someone we care about, we can be more confident going into our speech and this will assist our performance.
References:
Johnson, A 2020, Week 4: Performance, COMM12033 Speech & Script, CQUniversity e-courses, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/
Verbling (2017), 100 muscles for pronunciation, Retrieved from https://www.verbling.com/articles/post/100-muscles-for-pronunciation-5781d9e65c69247b005203ed
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