0329 – What Is ‘Energy’?

2021.11.25 – 0329 – What Is ‘Energy’?

Energy (or ‘presence’)

This is slightly different from both volume and projection, but does have elements of those within it.

‘Energy’ is subtle and complex, and is a mix of various elements of your body and mind. So, an ‘energetic presentation’ might be a mix of varying degrees of:

Your Body

·        Volume – but you’re not shouting

·        Projection – but you’re not too intense

·        Pace - but not like an action-packed livestock auctioneer

·        Resonance – from your foundation in better diaphragmatic breathing which we studied in some depth previously

·        Pitch – it is difficult to be very energetic for very long with a high voice because of the strain on the vocal folds. (As we saw earlier this is not necessarily a male/female issue: a higher pitch can come about through nerves, poor breathing and so on)

·        Intonation – an energetic performance is likely to have a degree more modulation in intonation, more ‘voice variety’.

Elements of your energy will also come from how you think and feel about your presentation:

Your Mind

·        Knowledge, passion, enthusiasm and conviction – that is, speaking with focus and intention, turning off the ‘autopilot’ and being connected to your content. You can do this by imagining that this is one of the first times you have explained this story or sold this product, visualising what happened, picturing the people involved – almost experiencing what you are saying along with the audience.

·        Being ‘present’ – giving your full attention to your script or presentation, not allowing yourself to be distracted by kids or to-do lists, emails or voicemails. Focussing in and not ‘phoning it in’, reading the room rather than reading a script.

Audio recording script and show notes (c) 2021 Peter Stewart

Through these around-5-minute episodes, you can build your confidence and competence with advice on breathing and reading, inflection and projection, the roles played by better scripting and better sitting, mic techniques and voice care tips... with exercises and anecdotes from a career spent in TV and radio studios. If you're wondering about how to start a podcast, or have had one for a while - download every episode!

And as themes develop over the weeks (that is, they are not random topics day-by-day), this is a free, course to help you GET A BETTER BROADCAST, PODCAST AND VIDEO VOICE.

Look out for more details of the book during 2022.

Contacts: https://linktr.ee/Peter_Stewart

This podcast is London-based and examples are spoken in the RP (Received Pronunciation) / standard-English / BBC English pronunciation, although invariably applicable to other languages, accents and dialects.

Music credits: all Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

"Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow

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