On-screen Interviewing: Simplicity

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Aimy Kersey. I want to talk to you today about some general screen tips. What to do when you find yourself in front of the camera? Simplicity. We touched on this subject a little earlier. I want to go a bit into detail. Make short, simple, and specific statements. All S's. Short, simple, specific statements. Explain your most important point first. Don't stray from the topic. Summarize and then elaborate. And sometimes you can just choose the most important parts to elaborate on. Example, Our theater is unique and its involvement with youth. Let me explain what I mean. When you are answering questions. The interviewer would appreciate you pausing between the questions and answers sequences. I'm not talking about a big pause here. Just mean a slight pause. These breaks help tremendously during the editing process for radio and TV. When you think you've answered a question. Don't keep talking simply because the interviewer has a microphone up to you mouth. If you're okay with your statement, sit in silence. Rambling on would lead you to say the wrong thing. Or it undermines your message. Do not say the reporter's name in the middle of the sentence. Do not use the phrase, "As I stated previously". It is important to think before you speak. Avoid feeling comments such as "Uh" "Um" "Well" "Yeah" And the current plague of "like". Once again, they reduce your apparent credibility and lower your perceived intelligence. Respond to negative questions with positive responses. If you're not sure how to do this, watch a politician. They are great in doing that. Always, always tell the truth. Your credibility is crucial. Avoid off the record. If you say something to a reporter, expect that it will end up in print. If you don't want it on TV, don't state it. Also avoid no comment answers. It's sounds as if you have something to hide. Simplicity is really important. You don't need to going into too much detail just get to the key message. Can you give us an example Lori of where you're not doing, that in an interview situation? Okay, so, how about this. So I went to a hotel and I saw my favorite movie star. He was standing right by this grand staircase that was so amazing and the staircase has like gold leaf, I think. I think heard they actually put gold leaf on the staircase. Okay, thank you Lori. It was amazing. Okay. Obviously that was a great example. You know, the viewers don't want to hear about the staircase. They just want to know who the celebrity was. Let's do that again and let's really get to the, to the key message that you're trying to tell. Okay. I was just in a hotel in Las Vegas and I saw my favorite movie star Jack Nicholson. It was so amazing. Thank you."