Geronimo Leadership Coaching

Raw & Live First Video Flip Presentation

Remember what I said at the end of my last post How a little Flip Camera Can Save Your Presentation?

I foolishly said "Next week, it's my turn".

Why? But WHY did I say that?

That's the way I learn: even when I'm scared and don't have a clue, in order to achieve something, I "kick my own ass" and challenge myself out of my comfort zone.

I've been using video for 17 years now, during my trainings and workshops. I always made sure participants, delegates or students were at ease and relaxed, but in fact, didn't give them much choice. They had to endure the video trial.

I was at the comfortable place of the expert, giving constructive feedback. Well, not so comfortable, since I was also getting feedback, at the end of each training course. But I didn't have to video myself, to watch my self and know that others will watch and see how bad I was!

Now, it's only fair I do it too!

Of course, I've also been video taped, but it was on "special occasions", formal setting, speech polished and rehearsed, during conferences at work, or for pleasure, with my theater friends, performing a joyful play.

It's another story to decide, on your own, from scratch," cold", alone in front of your camera to speak pretending to look "natural" , engaging and passionate.

Without further ado (I love this expression!) here's the Flip Video, as promised.

Untitled from Marion Chapsal on Vimeo.

There's plenty of room for improvement and it's really painful to watch oneself, believe me!

Trying not to focus on the weaknesses, on the absence of editing (couldn't figure out the software, even the most basic, yet!), on the repetition of words, on  what I could have said, instead,and on...I could just take this off and do it again.

My purpose was:

• To Walk my Talk
• To Post my First Live Flip Video on my blog
• To Thank @MariamMKobras and show her her red mug!
• To Show you that anyone can do it, it can only improve with the time!
• To make the first step, the hardest!

Now, YOUR turn! :-)

Can't leave this post without mentioning Elizabeth Potts Weinstein 's video blog.

Read her blog and you will discover The *Real* Reason Video Is Hard

Next week, I'm going to share a live recipe of "Fondants au Chocolat", Presentation Recipe à la Marion!

Mixing Cooking and Presentation, like in this tweet, received an hour ago!

"@stevecherches @MarionChapsal @LisaBraithwaite Food & presos continued. RT @BertDecker: What does gnocchi have to do with speaking? http://bit.ly/bBEuHG"

Bon Appétit!

How a little Flip Camera can Save Your Presentation

  

Who said "guys like gadgets/tools, women like shoes"? Wake up to 2010: this is not true anymore! Women would spend more on gadgets than on designer shoes, especially if the gadgets are designed for them!

Look at these models... Dr Freud and "Live Your Dreams"!

Better than a new pair of designer shoes!(which, by the way, I would NOT recommend wearing for giving presentations!)

For Christmas, I ordered the same gift as my 12 year old girl: a flip mino camera.

I'm using this device because it's affordable, reliable and plain basic to use. Plus it's small,cute and I like the name!

What I learned from my 12 year old girl

She uses her Flip Camera to create short movies of her and her brothers and her friends skate boarding and snow boarding.They play these short videos over and over again. They laugh and giggle endlessly...

Guess what also happens when she does that?

• She gets immediate 100 % honest FEEDBACK about her performance
• She clearly sees what she's good at and what needs to be improved
• She acts on this feedback and corrects by practicing again and again
• She's LEARNING incredibly fast

Then, she uploads the best ones to YOU TUBE, and promotes herself on her blog! Clever girl!

How can a flip camera save Your Presentation?

On why you need to video yourself, read my previous post!

If you have more sophisticated cameras, and know how to use them, or if you can be filmed by a pro, even better.

But you can already improve your next presentation by rehearsing with your flip camera.

You'd be tempted (as I was!) to use your build-in camera in your laptop . Very tempting because then, you just have to look at the little green light and speak, without worrying where the tripod is...

Don't do that for presentations! I did...It's awfully hard to look natural! When you're going to be presenting in front of your audience, will you be sitting behind a desk? No, the first thing speakers do when they are called is to stand up.

Unless it's an interview,you want to be standing to speak up!

Here's what you will be looking at, passionately:  a weird cyclops on 3 legs = flipcam on tripod!

If you could persuade your best friend to sit in front of you and listen to you while you rehearse and record yourself, it would be a big advantage!

Then, you will have someone to look and to speak to. Make sure they sit very next to the tripod where you install your flip.

If you are on your own at home, or in your hotel room, rehearsing before the big Day, then imagine your best friend, or your "ideal client" is watching you and imagine you look at him/her.I know, it's hard :-)

You could imagine you had a friendly audience listening carefully  ...

Believe me, after practice and a lot of imagination, it works!

Maybe this picture could help...

What will YOU learn?

• To see yourself like others see you
• To increase your self awareness
• To memorize your speech and then be able to improvise, if necessary
• To spot details you were not aware of and work on your blind spot
• To be ahead of the learning curve!

Then, just like my 12 year old daughter, you could upload your company's presentation to YOU TUBE or promote yourself on your website and on your blog!

Next week, it's my turn! Watch out this space!