Build your celebrity status – make a video

Probably the first thing you’ll notice about this post is that there isn’t a video embedded in it.

However, it is a post about my first video presentation.

Now, the video isn’t up on the web yet, so I won’t say too much about that side of things.  What I’m writing about today is the important starting point for your video: your script.

Creating your video script

I was asked to speak for somewhere between ninety seconds and two and a half minutes.

When I began to plan, the first thing I did was to think about what I could cover in a short space of time and remain interesting to my audience of small businesses.

I decided to offer my top three tips to help independent professionals, (coaches, consultants, counsellors, therapists and other expert professionals) to build their fame online.

• I chose a “top tips” approach because there’s an obvious structure to that sort of film script.
• I chose that approach so that people watching would obtain advice they could use immediately.
• I chose the tips approach because it’s a memorable type of structure.   There is a defined number of things to remember.

Then, of course, I had to think about producing something that would last for the right amount of time.

As an ex-teacher and lecturer and a professional speaker, I know it’s important always to work to the time limits you’ve been given.  I’ve run conferences and training programmes in the past where the first presentation has over-run by half an hour or more, and I’ve then spent the rest of the day trying to catch back time.

Therefore, it’s really important to think about how long your script will take to deliver.

It’s a good idea to use some of the statistics about speaking to help you to plan.

Now, when you speak in conversation, you can deliver around one hundred and forty words per minute.  If you’re thinking about speaking to an audience, then you’ll probaby deliver about one hundred and twenty words a minute – maybe a bit less.  That will tell you how long your script should be.

I created my script to be two minutes in length.

Practising your delivery

That’s the next stage.  Practise delivering your script.

Practising delivery means making sure that the script lasts for the right amount of time.  It also means thinking about the structure of your delivery.

• Is what you have to say broken up in a meaningful way?
• Can you deliver the script in an interesting way?

Well, my top tips approach helped with both of these requirements.

I practised the script and reworked it until it sounded right and the words really felt natural to deliver.  That’s the real advantage you gain, if you write your own script or have a sympathetic speechwriter.

Developing a professional approach to being filmed

Some filming takes place in studios.  Some filming takes place elsewhere.

In the case of my video I was filmed in a hotel where the staff were busy clearing up after a morning meeting and setting the room up for lunch.

It wasn’t quiet.

It wasn’t ideal.

However, we did get the job done.  The professional videographer I was working with did a lot to make things run smoothly and his approach was helpful and positive.

I was as well prepared as I could be and that was what was important.

Margaret Adams’ Three Top Tips To Help Small Businesses To Build Their Fame Online

So where are the tips?

I’ll post the script for the filming session next time along with some tips to help you to write an interesting and engaging script for your own film or video debut.

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