Want to be a better speaker?
When you give a speech, you can share a story OR you can invite the audience IN to the story.
I don’t mean having them help tell the story with audience participation or communicating with them directly.
It is more about “setting the stage” to invite the audience into the story so they are feeling and experiencing it at as you share. Much like a movie.
A simple way to start is to utilize something called “focal points”. Focal points are where you look when you’re speaking.
As an actor, you are never to look directly into the eyes of an audience member unless it something stylized. If you look an audience member in the eyes, that person may feel put on the spot. Some people LOVE this. I experience that performing in comedy clubs. However, most people don’t. I’m one who not only doesn’t like it – but is terrified of it. You’ll never see me in the front row of a comedy club for that exact reason.
Rather than staring at your audiences’ random eyes, you look out and juuuuust above the audience’s heads. This helps them feel like you are looking at them and involving them but without being put on the spot to participate with you via eye contact if they don’t want to.
With storytelling, if you are sharing a story where you are having a conversation with another character in the story – do NOT place the imaginary person on the stage next to you. It visually closes you off from the audience because you’ll be turned staring at someone. More importantly – it’s just weird. It’s obvious you’re talking to no one.
Instead place the character out and above the audiences’ heads. As you talk to the other character – the audience is in the literal middle of the story.
If you are sharing a story where you both are talking, place the other character on one side of the backwall of the audience, and you looking at them on the other. You can move your eyes back and forth to whomever is speaking so the audience knows who is saying what lines.
Confused??? Me, too just trying to write this rather than show you in physical form.
Example: I am talking to someone who just came in:
I have my eyes start stage left above and to the back of the audience ,and move my eyes slowly as I “watch” the imaginary person walk in. I let the character end up standing stage right above and to the back.
Me: Where have you been? (Looking above and to the back to the right.)
Character: I told you I was going to be late. (My eyes looking to the left as I say the line.)
Me: No, you didn’t. (Looking back at the imaginary character on the right.)
Think of a tennis match -which I’ve never watched but I’ve seen clips of people’s heads moving back and forth. That’s you on stage being yourself having a conversation with another character WITHOUT having to say “he” or “she” or “they” said, then I said, then blank said…. It eliminates all the verbal and visual clutter.
Using a focal point center above and behind the audiences’ heads works well if it’s just you talking with someone.
I often use exit signs as my focal points in a theatre style seating. The reason is they are always lit, they are usually equal spaces apart from the stage, and often not on extreme sides of the venue.
It is always better to HAVE the conversation in a story, rather than to TALK about the conversation in the story.
An example of “telling the conversation” rather than having the conversation.
Me: My teacher looked at me and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was frustrated and confused and she said of course I would be. Because I thought differently than others. That that was a gift and I needed to embrace it.
Example of HAVING the Conversation:
Me: I remember the exact moment my teacher said something that changed my life. I was sitting in class, and I threw my pencil at the wall.
Teacher (Looking to one focal point): Stacy, what are you doing?
Me (looking to the other focal point. I won’t keep writing this part. You get the gist. It’s a back-and-forth eye conversation thing.): I can’t do it. None of this makes any sense.
Teacher: Of course it doesn’t.
Me: What do you mean? Then why are you making me do it?!
Teacher: Stacy, you think different. That’s why it’s confusing for you.
Me: I think different?
Teacher: Yes. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a gift. That’s why you’re writing is different. I know you don’t understand grammar, but don’t let that stop you. Keep writing.
Me (focal point to the audience): And so I did.
THIS changes the game for the audience. It is SO much more interesting to be encapsuled in the middle of the conversation and the story, rather than you just sharing what people said.
I know this is crazy confusing by trying to understand by reading rather than seeing, but I swear it can be a game changer.
This is a skill we work hard on in my live intimate workshops where everyone gets stage time. If interested in learning about the next live workshop to enhance your speaking with personal one on one direction, contact me at stacy@stacypederson.com and I’ll get you the info.
