I couldn’t resist since today is April Fools Day! The following video by Katelyn is a humorous video of herself going through the discovery process that many of us go through as we see ourselves on video for the first time. Katelyn proves a point that I think we should all consider… That is, we don’t really see how we look, talk, and act during a presentation until we actually see ourselves on video. Standing in front of a mirror while presenting does help but you are not really being yourself because you are actively making adjustments to the way you act while looking at your reflection. The best way to capture your natural self in action is to video record your presentation and watch it. You may be surprised what by what you see.
Before you get started, here is a suggestion… Spend some time to think about what you want to say and write a rough draft or outline for your presentation. There is no need to start recording yourself as you are trying to think of something to say like Katelyn. Obviously if you do as Katelyn did, you will be fumbling around for words and look a bit silly. Be sure to turn off the cell phone, find a quiet place, and setup your camera so that you can see your entire body (or at least from the knees up). Remember your face is not the only part of your body that communicates to your audience.
Before every presentation that you give, I highly recommend that you record yourself. Go back and watch how you improve over time. Even if your teacher is recording your presentation in class when you deliver it, you should record your own video and get feedback from the community of users before you deliver it. It’s easy to do and you will have an opportunity to improve before you deliver the final presentation when it really counts.
When you finish recording yourself, send me a link to your video or send me the video file and I will post it here for others to grade and comment. christopher@grademypresentation.com
Thanks Katelyn for finding humor in yourself and sharing it with the rest of the world.
