COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 1:

1. Blog:
a. Register your blog, It must be ‘public’ so that your lecturer can read this.
b. Write an introduction on your blog, telling us who you are, what you are studying, and your aims for this course.

2. Discuss the importance of voice:
a. Watch/listen to the YouTube recording on Julia Gillard’s voice.
b. Now watch Gillard’s famous ‘Misogyny’ speech delivered to Parliament.
c. Reflect on these videos on your blog. As a minimum, respond to the following questions:
i. What are your views on Julia Gillard’s voice? Consider her ‘Misogyny’ speech – what is your reaction to this speech?
ii. Is your reaction influenced by the content or delivery of the speech (or both)? Explain your answer.
iii. Would your views be influenced if Gillard sounded different (like actress Cate Blanchett, for example)?

3. Record your voice:
a. Download the News Script.
b. Record your reading of the news script, and upload it to your blog. In 250 – 500 words, critique your voice. What can you improve? What are your strengths? Record your reflections on your blog.

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Task one – Completed.

Task two – 

In the introductory week of COMM12033, Speech and Script, the class has been given the task of reviewing and reflecting on a speech made by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The speech given in parliament is addressed directly at her later successor Tony Abbott, in which she confronts the then opposition leader, accusing him of being an outspoken misogynist. While the emphasis is placed on Abbott’s viewpoints and conduct, the opposition leader came under fire for his calling for the removal of parliament speaker Peter Slipper.

Gillard makes a convincing argument in the house, citing Abbott with direct quotes made both as the Liberal party leader and before his rise to power. As is the case in these parliament question time instances, the PM is given the floor for only a limited amount time, while Abbott is left only to smirk and snicker at the bold accusations.

As derogatory as Abbott’s comments may have been, I find Gillard’s voice equally as offensive. Considering her Welsh background, the density of ‘occa’ Australiana in her voice can only be rivalled by the squawking of a native galah. While I agree wholeheartedly with the former PM’s standing on this matter, the true nature of this message falls short of my ears as I find her such a pain to listen to.

Fortunately, I consider myself somewhat informed politically and was already familiar with Abbott’s personal and political views. As a result, the message inspired little reaction from myself, being already familiar with the situation and thankfully so, as I find her ear piercing voice does little to penetrate my ears.

Professional voice coach Lucy Cornell of Voicecoachglobal (2010), argues that Gillard lacks warmth and depth in her voice, further stating that the former PM needs to breathe more in her speaking to assist further resonating in her voice. While I personally think this would only be the first of many hurdles to cross, it is my feeling that Gillard’s political career would have been greatly strengthened had she any other voice with which to portray her opinions and implement policies. As uniquely Australian as the woman may be, retaining some of her Welsh heritage from a vocal stand point would have helped dramatically.

Source: ABC News

Task three – 

After having downloaded the prepared news script, I was faced with the daunting task of having to record and upload the piece for review as provided here.

After roughly seven expletive filled recordings, I finally reached one that I was somewhat satisfied with. Attempting to read the script as it stood proved difficulty partly due to how riddled I was with nerves, but mostly due to the level of punctuation (or lack thereof). The introduction was constructed in a way that read naturally and seemed fitting of the genre, however, this quickly turned into long-winded sentences that had me gasping for air before reaching their end. As I don’t know Kate Stowell personally I can only speculate, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say the lady is not huffing down cigarettes at the same rate as myself, if at all.

If I were to do this exercise over again, I would punctuate the piece so as to sound more natural and not leave myself or any other news reader breathless. Ignoring the obvious differences in the standards of our respective microphones, bringing this punctuation in would lessen the quite clear breaths you can audibly hear in my presentation. I feel that my tone and pitch were of a reasonable standard, however my annunciation was lacking and I stumbled on a few words. As gut wrenching as this task had felt at the time, I am of the belief that if I was more rehearsed in this art and in my preparation, my voice could carry itself on radio.

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References:

ABC News 2012,Gillard labels Abbott a misogynist, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihd7ofrwQX0.

Voicecoachglobal 2010, Julia Gillard’s voice, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEybGzg1Nxs.

 

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 2:

1. Define ‘Professional Voice’: Last week we listened to Julia Gillard and ideas about her voice. In 300 words, define in your own words what you think makes a ‘professional voice’; ie. What makes a voice sound professional (or otherwise)? Record your views on your blog.

 
2. What makes a great speech?: Reflect on some of the speeches to which you were referred in this week’s study guide. What made these speeches effective (or otherwise)? Were there any common elements between the speeches? Record your responses on your blog.

 
3. Record Emphasis in Professional News Reading:
a. Refer to the News Script from Week 1
b. With the News Script in hand, and a pen, now watch/listen to the recorded version of this speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-qKDbNz2YI
c. Underline the words that Kate Stowell, the newsreader, has emphasized.
d. Is there a pattern? Does the emphasis occur every four to five words, three to four words, for example? Or is it more random?
e. What are the features of this recording that are different to your own?
f. Post your reflections on your blog.

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Task one –

I feel like the easiest way to break down the term ‘professional voice’ is to separate the two words and look at them individually before analysing them together, so no prizes for guessing how I’m going to do this.

According to Online dictionary (2016), professional is; ‘a person who is expert at his or her work’. Similarly, voice is defined as; ‘the sound or sounds uttered through the mouth of living creatures, especially of human beings in speaking, shouting, singing, etc.’. Logic would then dictate that ‘professional voice’ implies a high level of communicating effectively; typically through a verbal medium.

However, what traits are typically found in such a person? You may be the best orator to ever walk the earth, but without a platform from which to deliver your message it will largely go unheard. For this reason the first trait I will be listing is that you need to be a leader or in some position of power where others are prepared to listen. The speaker should be articulate, with good annunciation and a clear speaking voice, neither at booming levels nor as quiet as a mouse. Inflections should be used to highlight key points of emphasis while reciting a well-considered and prepared speech. Messages conveyed by such a communicator should not be bogged down with heavy technical terms, neither littered with layman terms in an attempt to connect with the audience who are typically less informed than the informants themselves.

Task two –

In reviewing the referred speeches from the course notes for this week, all of the previously stated attributes of a ‘professional voice’ written above run as something of a constant. One particular point of interest noted was a poetic use of repetition in many of the speeches. D’Arcy (2000) argues that, ‘the repetition or restatement of an idea at intervals not only promotes clarity, but encourages the acceptance of an idea’. This repetition of speech emphasizes the key message within an oration and creates a hierarchy of messages, sometimes pushing the less notable messages out of the audiences head.

For example, in Martin Luther King’s iconic ‘I have a dream’ speech, King states that he has a dream a total of eight times. Similarly, in Winston Churchill’s ‘We shall fight on the beaches’ speech, he states that ‘we shall fight’ a total of seven times. Less specifically, but as of equal importance, Churchill uses the term ‘we shall’ a total of 14 times in an effort to gain support and rally his followers by placing himself on the same level as the citizens in his use of the word we.

Task three –

Source: Kate Stowell

Listening to Kate Stowell’s professional recording of the news script in comparison to my own the difference is profound. Stowell has obviously put time and effort into honing her craft that I am unable to reproduce in my limited time this term. Stowell places emphasis on all proper nouns and at the beginning and end of each sentence. This emphasising of words is done by the use of raising and lowering inflections on key words such as the names of political figures and rural towns.

Toastmasters (2011) provides this simple example to illustrate the usefulness of inflections in everyday speech:

I was born in Australia (You, on the other hand, were born somewhere else.)

I was born in Australia (How dare you imply that I wasn’t?)

I was born in Australia (I’m a native – not a newcomer.)

I was born in Australia (Not outside Australia.)

I was born in Australia (Not in New Zealand.)

By placing emphasis on each of the highlighted words, the impact it has on each sentence is evident. Using this technique Stowell is able to promote the most newsworthy elements in each of her sentences without taking away from the message itself.

I don’t feel there are any set patterns or regularity with which Stowell delivers her report, more that it just has a natural rhythm of its own, allowing the listener time to process the information rather than just blurting it all out.

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References:

D’Arcy, J 2000, The Use of Repetition in Your Speech, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.cfug-md.org/speakertips/782.html.

Kate Stowell showreels 2010, News reading sample, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-qKDbNz2YI.

Online dictionary 2016, Dictionary, USA, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.dictionary.com.

Toastmasters 2011, your speaking voice, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/B7D5C3F93FC3439589BCBF5DBF521132.ashx.

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 3:

1. Reflect on ‘rhetoric’: Read Aristotle’s Rhetoric, available in text version at http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/rhetoric.mb.txt
What are some of the key points Aristotle makes about rhetorical speech? Summarise these on your blog. This is not an insubstantial task, and this will take up most of your week’s course hours, so don’t underestimate.
2. Consider your own use of rhetoric: Reflect on an example of argument in your own life, one in which you were successful in persuading someone else of something. Tell us about this (via an audio recording) in no more than two minutes. [This will require you to write notes, rehearse, ensure your mini-speech has an introduction, a body, and conclusion]. Post this as a link to your blog.
3. Review an argument: Watch In Defense of Rhetoric: No Longer Just for Liars at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYMUCz9bHAs&feature=youtu.be&hd=1 The video is 14 minutes. Write a short review of around 200 words (maximum) highlighting the key arguments.

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Task one –

One of his most known works, Aristotle’s Rhetoric was compiled hundreds of years before the Common Era as we know it today. Still widely in circulation and commonly referred to in political, ethical and literary circles, the collated works obviously hold much in the way of noteworthy intellectual practices. Aristotle’s Rhetoric is quite simply a collection of teachings gathered over a number of years detailing devices used in the art of persuasion. Rather than reviewing all of the devices individually and selecting those I deem to be of most importance looking forward to assessment item two, and making note of the key devices I will put into practice seems more appropriate. I did however learn that Aristotle’s Ethos relates to communication, Logos relates to messages, and Pathos relates to Audience. So that’s something…

Since the outset of my time at university, lecturers and assessment markers alike have perhaps rightly accused me of being verbose in my writing. As a result, I particularly focused on devices that would assist this habit of being quite ‘wordy’ and attempting to be poetic in my word choices. With this in mind I have compiled a short list of some of the devices that cater to this artistic flair with brief added examples as stated by Harris (2013):

Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences, commonly in conjunction with climax and with parallelism:

• To think on death it is a misery, / To think on life it is a vanity; / To think on the world verily it is, / To think that here man hath no perfect bliss.

Personification metaphorically represents an animal or inanimate object as having human attributes-attributes of form, character, feelings, behavior, and so on. Ideas and abstractions can also be personified.

• The ship began to creak and protest as it struggled against the rising sea

Hyperbaton includes several rhetorical devices involving departure from normal word order. One device, a form of inversion, might be called delayed epithet, since the adjective follows the noun. If you want to amplify the adjective, the inversion is very useful:

• From his seat on the bench he saw the girl content-content with the promise that she could ride on the train again next week.

Diacope: repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis:

• We will do it, I tell you; we will do it.

Enumeratio: detailing parts, causes, effects, or consequences to make a point more forcibly:

• I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips [etc.].

(Further devices will be used as a means of reinforcing key messages and to counter potential opposition arguments and are as follows:)

Polysyndeton is the use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause, and is thus structurally the opposite of asyndeton. The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton, however, often shares with that of asyndeton a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up.

• They read and studied and wrote and drilled. I laughed and played and talked and flunked.

Procatalepsis, by anticipating an objection and answering it, permits an argument to continue moving forward while taking into account points or reasons opposing either the train of thought or its final conclusions. Often the objections are standard ones:

• It is usually argued at this point that if the government gets out of the mail delivery business, small towns like Podunk will not have any mail service. The answer to this can be found in the history of the Pony Express.

Distinctio is an explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word, in order to remove or prevent ambiguity.

• To make methanol for twenty-five cents a gallon is impossible; by “impossible” I mean currently beyond our technological capabilities.

Amplification involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasize what might otherwise be passed over. In other words, amplification allows you to call attention to, emphasize, and expand a word or idea to make sure the reader realizes its importance or centrality in the discussion.

• In my hunger after ten days of rigorous dieting I saw visions of ice cream–mountains of creamy, luscious ice cream, dripping with gooey syrup and calories.

Hyperbole, the counterpart of understatement, deliberately exaggerates conditions for emphasis or effect. In formal writing the hyperbole must be clearly intended as an exaggeration, and should be carefully restricted. That is, do not exaggerate everything, but treat hyperbole like an exclamation point, to be used only once a year. Then it will be quite effective as a table-thumping attention getter, introductory to your essay or some section thereof:

• There are a thousand reasons why more research is needed on solar energy.

Task two –

(rhEGGtoric)

Let it be known that I like to debate. It’s not that I like to argue, it’s just I like to swing others to having the same viewpoint as my own because clearly I’m right and everyone else is wrong.

So let me paint you a picture of a time I once used rhetoric to win an argument in my own life.

Task three –

Source: Clemsonenglish

I’m not entirely sure I understand the task at hand here, as I’m not so much seeing an argument as I am seeing an informative video. Is the argument that we all use rhetoric every day? Kate didn’t make an epistemic decision, poor Kate. Overall, the video was quite messy and amateur in appearance. The narrator did however teach me a new term in ‘global village’. The global village refers to global consciousness, according to Reese (2010), this implies a ‘homogeneity of world views, or at least a diverse dialog of cultures’. I’m convinced I’ll use both of those terms at a later date.

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References:

Aristotle. (350 B.C.E.) Rhetoric. Rhys Roberts, W. (Trans), viewed 15 May 2016, http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/rhetoric.mb.txt.

Clemsonenglish 2011, In defense of rhetoric video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYMUCz9bHAs&feature=youtu.be&hd=1.

Harris, R 2013, A handbook of rhetorical devices, viewed 15 May 2016, http://virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm.

Reese, S 2010, Journalism and Globalization, viewed 15 May 2016, https://journalism.utexas.edu/sites/journalism.utexas.edu/files/attachments/reese/journalism-globalization.pdf.

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 4:

1. Re-record your news script: At this stage you have recorded your news script and reflected upon your own recording, listened to it in its professional form, and highlighted the points of emphasis made by the news reader. Now, having read about performance and heard the professional version of the script, I would like you to re-record the script. In doing this, you will need to ‘perform’ as a news reader, and make an effort to sound ‘professional’. Post the link to your blog.
2. Reflect upon your new recording: Is there a difference from the original, and if so how? Write a short reflection on your blog, making specific references to performative techniques you used.
3. Watch In a World (2013). Write a review of this movie with the future voice-over artist in mind. In particular, consider the importance of performance and technique as experienced by some of the movie’s characters. What are some of the techniques used to alter the sound of a voice-over, and what impact does this have (technically, and more broadly)? Record your response on your blog. (Yes, we know it’s fiction, but it’s very close to the bone in terms of how it reflects the reality of an industry).

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Task one –

Task two –

The difference between the two recordings is most notably evident in the re-working of punctuation throughout the piece. Allowing myself to breath made for a more natural sounding recording and allowed more time to see the words coming on the page before I was forced to stumble them out of my mouth. Unfortunately, I am sick so breathing wasn’t the piece of cake I had hoped for.

Task three –

The film’s trailer is available to view here.

In a world is a left of Hollywood comedy film hit that has unsurprisingly garnered rave reviews since its release. While on the surface the film’s behind the scenes look at the world of movie and television voiceovers is its general premise, a harder look reveals the films questioning of society’s view on gender stereotyping and voice. Lake Bell stars as the film’s protagonist ‘Carol’, in a role she both wrote for the screen and directed. With the passing of the late, great, voiceover artist Don Fontaine, Carol’s father Sam Sotto (Fred Melamed), is the most senior and well respected talent available. Sam feels it is time to step out of the limelight, and with the next big Hollywood ‘quadrilogy’ coming up Sam pushes the younger Gustav (Ken Marino), to go for the role. While Carol has aspirations of becoming a great voice over artist herself, she is offered few commercials and typically uses her skills as a voice coach and is a distant overthought for the part.

Long story short (spoiler alert), the audience is privy to their gender misconceptions, Carol gets the part, her troubled with her relationship with her father is mended, and Gustav is kind of an asshole. For the purpose of education in speech and script however, an array of vocal warmups and eloquent voice performances are displayed throughout. Some of the techniques shown in the film for vocal preparation include:

• Mouth stretching.
• Rolling of the tongue.
• Drinking hot water with lemon.
• Being well rested.
• Repetition of vowel sounds.
• Exercises involving both extremes of the vocal range from start to finish.
• Slow and clear annunciation of words.
• Loosening the diaphragm.

In discussing these and other similar vocal exercises, Toastmasters (2011) states, ‘the purpose of these exercises is to improve your voice quality by bringing your voice “out of the throat” and focusing it forward where it belongs’.

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References:

In a world…, 2013, [DVD] Lake Bell, USA, Roadside Attractions.

Toastmasters 2011, your speaking voice, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/B7D5C3F93FC3439589BCBF5DBF521132.ashx.

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 5:

1. Notice talk: The first task this week is to notice your own talk. How do you greet people (in detail – what exactly do you say)? How do you sign off or say goodbye (again, in detail)? How do you deal with uncomfortable moments (silence, for example)? Do you use humour to transition to a close? Record your response on your blog (in writing).

 
2. Consider institutional talk in detail: Compare a news interview with an entertainment-oriented interview (you may need to record this or find these online). Consider the following:
a. How was the interviewee introduced?
b. What types of questions were asked?
c. How was the potential for conflict managed (if any)?
d. Was humour evident, and how?
e. How did the interview conclude?
f. What were the differences, if any, between the types of interview?
Record your response on your blog (in writing).

 
3. Read the Course Resource Online: Chapter 18: Interaction en Masse: Audiences and Speeches in Heritage, J and Clayman, S 2010 Talk in Action: Interactions, Identities, and Institutions, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, pp. 263-287.
Reflect on this by identifying the key points that emerge from this research that you could incorporate in your speech writing to increase the potential for its effectiveness. Record this on your blog (in writing).

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Task one –

As I am a man of many hats that runs in a number of different social circles, I have no set routines when it comes to social etiquette. Adding further confusion to this task is the fact that I tend to get bored of the same old and tired exchanges, so often I’ll mix things up a bit to keep things interesting and push social norms. My introductions vastly differ depending on my mood, audience, relationship and previous dealings. Greetings often vary from simple nods, whistles, simple nicknames, gibberish and gratuitous language, to the more socially conventional hello and how are you? The main factor in deciding what eventually leaves my mouth (if anything) is what the recipient deems appropriate.

Curious how signing off fares in farewell situations? You shouldn’t be, because it is no different and your guess is as good as mine. I would describe myself as a pretty calculated person, but in the moment anything could get thrown out there. The single difference in these instances being that the conversation leading up to the departure may have been regarding a serious or emotional issue, and sometimes feelings are considered. Yes, sometimes!

‘Uncomfortable moments’ are much the same again. Typically these are silences to which I have become accustomed, given I’m by no means the world’s greatest conversationalist, as you may have guessed. In these moments my action/reaction could range from asking a completely ridiculous and unrelated question, to making odd noises, or simply enjoying the moment and attempting to make the other person feel as awkward as I myself do.

The underlying theme in all of this is I like to keep things as casual as possible and do away with the formalities. Even in formal and professional settings, I am of the belief that it exposes more of the recipient’s personality and assists in building repertoires with others.

Task two –

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teZC1PA72AM]

Source: Real Atheism

In the news interview I have selected for analysis, you could argue that it is not in fact news. The excerpt is from an interview conducted by Sean Hannity, of Fox News’ Hannity programme. Given the lengthy history of bias and pandering to Conservatives shown by the Murdoch run network, if you had said it wasn’t news I’d have been on your side. It none the less is an interesting interview and taking into account the hold the 24 hour news channel has over americans, ‘with 1.7 million viewers each evening, the channel still drew a bigger audience than CNN, MSNBC and HLN combined’ (Pew Research Center 2014). You can see how it may well be considered news.

The interviewee is President of the American Atheists, David Silverman, and is introduced as such. From this point until the interviews conclusion all other niceties are spared and Hannity goes on the attack. Ames (2016) states that, ‘News interviewers ask particular types of questions to elicit particular types of answers (those that will make the news)’.

Well the ‘questions’ asked in this case are less questions, and more Hannity throwing accusations around, saying you’re wrong, and I’ll allow you a short time to respond before interrupting, so you can’t mount any form of argument. The show is also less about conflict management, and more about conflict provocation, in an effort to portray the network’s views. However, cooler heads prevailed in a rather amusing finale when Hannity quite purposely ended the interview wishing the Atheist a ‘merry Christmas’, to which Silverman responded ‘happy holidays Sean’.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0akXKxbflM]

Source: Jerkylfish

The selection provided as an entertainment-orientated interview is an old excerpt from the Late Night with David Letterman show. The guest of the show that evening was Harvey Pekar, creator of the American Splendour comic book series. The two figures have had history before on late night television, and prior to his introduction a recap was shown to display the type of character Pekar is to the unknowing. Following this cut-away Letterman greeted Pekar with a warm handshake, met his eyes with his own, allowed him to be seated first, and proceeded to thank and compliment the man. According to Poynter (2002), typically, ‘most professional interviewers know the answer to the question before they ask it.’ But Harvey Pekar is no ordinary man, and no amount of preparation would have prepared Letterman for this interview, prior history or not. Pekar was quite hostile and generally uninterested in anything Letterman had to say. To overcome this Letterman spoke of Pekar’s local baseball team and merely encouraged the guest to talk, while keeping the atmosphere light with subtle humour. Unlike the previously mentioned interview, and despite the potential for conflict, the two can be seen shaking hands at they walk off stage to end the show.

The differences between the two selections are night and day. Hannity is a professional interviewer, acting as a professional debater, while Letterman is a professional comedian, acting as a professional interviewer. However, of the two Letterman conducts himself much more astutely and in a far more difficult situation.

Task three–

Reflect on this by identifying the key points that emerge from this research that you could incorporate in your speech writing to increase the potential for its effectiveness. Record this on your blog (in writing).

This week I have written extensively on the previous activities so I’ll keep this brief. The main points I took from this research and will put into practice are as follows. Most notably as Heritage and Clayman (2010) explain is, ‘in the context of speeches, the audience has always had a make or break role’. This argument should come as no surprise considering how little gets done without a majority approval and support. Heritage and Clayman (2010) go on to explain that, ‘the contrast is the most common and diverse weapon in the speaker’s armoury’. The contrast spoken of here is used to emphasise points of weakness and strength in arguments of speakers. What I found most intriguing and potentially most useful also however was, the discussion of puzzle-solution format. ‘In this format, the speaker arouses the interest of the audience by first establishing a problem or puzzle’, Heritage and Clayman (2010).

In this format the speaker not only places emphasis, but may also be able to swing voters, opposition and neutral parties by presenting a better way of doing things.

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References:

Ames, K 2016, Lesson 5: Institutional talk, course notes, COMM12033 Speech and script, CQUniversity e-courses, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au

Heritage, J., and Clayman, S. 2010, Talk in Action: Interactions, Identities, and Institutions, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex.

Jerkylfish 2009, Harvey Pekar on Letterman, 7/31/87, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0akXKxbflM.

Pew Research Center 2014, 5 facts about Fox News, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/14/five-facts-about-fox-news/.

Poynter 2002, The Art of the Interview, viewed 15 May 2016, http://www.poynter.org/2002/the-art-of-the-interview/3344/#questions. 

Real Atheism 2013, Fox News Hannity Bitchslapped by Atheist, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teZC1PA72AM. 

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 6:

1. Turn your attention to your final assignment: Consider the requirements for Assessment Item 2. Map the project out using PAIBOC, as discussed in this week’s Study Guide Lesson. For example, what is the purpose of the speech? What is the purpose of the news release/story? Who is the audience for the speech? Who is the audience for the news release/story? What information needs to be in the speech to engage the audience? What information needs to be in the news release/story?…and so on. Record your response on your blog (in writing), but also post it to the Week 6 forum if you wish for some immediate feedback from staff and peers. Again, you will be able to draw on this for your justification for Ass 2.
2. What would be the main differences and similarities between a formal speech and an impromptu speech, in your own words? Record your response as a more formal speech on your blog (lasting one to two minutes). Focus on your delivery and timing in this recording.

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Task one –

What is PAIBOC?

Well as explained by Ames (2016), PAIBOC is as follows:

• Purpose: what is the purpose of your speech/talk?
• Audience: who is your audience?
• Information: what information is required that is in alignment with the purpose and audience?
• Benefits: how can you write/speak in such a way that the audience hears ‘what’s in it for them’ or gets something out of it.
• Objections: what objections might you expect your listeners to have? This will influence what is emphasized/de-emphasised, or addressed, in your speech/talk.
• Context: what is the context in which you are giving your speech/talk? Issues such as staff morale, economic climate, social climate, will have an influence on how you are received.

Speech

P – To introduce new policy, removing lockout laws in Queensland and place greater emphasis on the more systemic issue of drinking and violence.

A – Politicians of all parties.

I – Will be fact based, appealing to the House of Representatives credibility and logic.

B – Will be to the members and their constituents.

O – Something needs to be done about the problem at hand/where does it end?

C – Domestic violence, small and large business, misogyny.

AV script

P – To inform the masses that are not present and will be effected by the changes.

A – The state public.

I – Will be key messages of the address and proposed changes/a better solution.

B – Community issues and concerns will be addressed.

O – Will the solution work?

C – Safer communities with lower unemployment.

The information detailed above has been carefully considered in an effort to appease all individuals of the state, both in the political arena and the wider community.

Task two –

This question posed in effect answers itself, however I will attempt to clarify further.

While a ‘formal speech is speech that is prepared and delivered, deliberately, to an audience for a particular purpose’, Ames (2016), ‘an impromptu speech is one that is that we are unprepared for’.

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References:

Ames, K 2016, Lesson 6: Genres of speech – corporate, course notes, COMM12033 Speech and script, CQUniversity e-courses, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au.

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 7:

1. Features of a genre: Record 5 minutes, or find a section online, of a chat-based program (Today, Sunrise, Hamish and Andy etc). Tolson argued that chat-based programming is oriented toward the personal, it features wit and humour, and the risk of transgression underlies talk (1991). Are these features evident in your recording, and if so, how? What does this tell you about what you would need to know or do if you wanted to be a host in this context? Record your responses in writing on your blog.

 
2. Piece to Camera practice: Using a smartphone, or a video camera, ask someone to record you doing a piece to camera where all you are doing is describing the scene behind you. For example, “We are here at [place]. There are people [describe what people are doing]. On my left is [describe what’s on your left], and on my right is [describe what’s on your right]. This exercise will help you gain confidence in talking ‘naturally’ to the camera. Put some effort into it so it’s to a standard you would be happy publishing via a medium such as YouTube. Record your reflections on this activity on your blog. [Tip: This is going to be harder than you think]

 
3. Review: Review the Clayman reading on reporting speech in news interviews (From talk to text: newspaper accounts of reporter-source interactions) and summarise the key points of the article. Consider how this might relate to the way in which your speech (Ass 2) might be reported. Record your response in writing on your blog.

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Task one –

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HbYScltf1c]

Source: Team Coco

The clip I have chosen to present in regard to this activity is of comedian, Louis C.K., on the Conan show, with Conan O’Brien. While the quote by Tolson, taken from this week’s research analyses chat-based programming with far more depth than I had happily watching such shows, significant points are raised. Louis C.K. uses an observational form of humour that focuses on issues of morality, and as any comedian does while a guest on a talk show, uses this medium as yet another stage for performance. So for these reasons I believe the provided excerpt perfectly embodies all of these traits.

Professional hosts are masters in the art of transitioning. Transition in this context relates to, ‘hosts working as facilitators, bridging between stories, personalities, advertisements, in-studio guests and audience interaction’ Ames (2016).

From my own experience guest hosting and interviewing on a local radio station I have discovered the difficulties of this firsthand. Being thrown into the deep end with no prior experience hosting radio it was a difficult task having to juggle timing of fading out musical tracks and transitioning to announcements. Had I of been alone in the booth I would have surely sank, not knowing when to plug sponsors and credit songs.

Task two –

After reviewing this activity I can’t quite decipher if the actual video is to be submitted or not. Alternatively I have decided to merely upload my script and reflection. This is probably for the best as I am quite sick at the moment and my cameraman was giggling like a schoolgirl.

Script:

“Thank you Sharon.

Yes, I’m here on the scene where the escaped zoo animal was last spotted.

Local residents of the Herston community were disturbed early this morning, as the beast made its way through this field, disappearing into the building behind me.

Mysterious goings on, at Ballymore Stadium indeed.

As Queensland Reds coach, Richard Graham, is about to make a formal statement on a new signing, it’s back to you Sharon.”

Reflection:

(I know it’s silly, but Ballymore is right outside my house and it was a little freestyled.) The type of piece to camera I have chosen to do in this exercise is what Ames (2016) describes as, a ‘transitional PTC’. This form of piece to camera creates a link between a more prominent news event and the scene of the activity. In reading the script you can see that the piece takes place after the story has been introduced, but is yet to be concluded. Presumably that will take place back in the studio or live from the aforementioned press conference, I’m not sure, I made it up.

Task three –

I’m just going to come out and say it, research articles such as these bore me to no end. I could play the role of the fastidious student and toil over these long winded sentences that go nowhere, but that simply isn’t me. Instead, and as per usual, I have opted to use only what is easily deciphered and of practical use in the assessment itself. While I have rather serious doubts as to how well this research stands up in the modern era of online news, the guy has obviously done his research, so here goes. One of the sole points I took from Clayman’s introduction was that by using a series of quotations in sequence rather than describing the events taking place in vernacular terms, the journalist maintains an objective stance more easily (Clayman 1990).

Some of the examples provided illustrate how damaging a reporter can be to a statement, as the reader cannot hear the tone of voice, or see the suggestive facial features being made by the speaker, they are reliant on the descriptions written in the publication to provide that context. Clayman’s research also showed, that leading papers of the time in the United States received 70 percent of their source information in front page news stories through oral channels (Clayman 1990).

This research clearly indicates the importance of correct quotation by the journalist and reinforces the necessity of a well-considered speech.

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References:

Ames, K 2016, Lesson 7: Genres of speech – media, course notes, COMM12033 Speech and script, CQUniversity e-courses, http://moodle.cqu.edu.au.

Clayman, S 1990, From talk to text: newspaper accounts of reporter source interactions, Media Culture & Society, vol. 12, pp.79-103.

Team Coco 2013, Louis C.K. Hates Cell Phones, online video, viewed 15 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEybGzg1Nxs.

 

COMM12033: SPEECH AND SCRIPT

Week 8:

1. Oral Presentation: Consider your final assignment. For this activity, you are to develop a presentation and associated script for your speech or release/story. This will help you map out one of your final assessment pieces, a bit like writing the structure of an essay before you write the essay. For example, you could envisage presenting your speech and use the slides to help organize the structure. Alternatively, you could map out your media release or news story scripts (which is a good idea because it will help you work out what vision you might use for each bit of narration). On your slides, you may have a visual, or a description of what you might use to support your script.

 

2. We suggest you use PowerPoint (you could even try one of the styles we covered in the Study Guide lesson), but you may also use word/PDF or any other type of presentation software with which you are familiar. You should pay some attention to presentation of your slides (eg. type format and layout).

 
3. You will submit the file (including script) on your blog, or if PowerPoint, you can upload it to Slideshare (slideshare.com) and include the link with your blog.

 
4. Reflect on this activity. Was it useful to your learning this week? If so, how? Record your responses in writing on your blog.

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Task one –

http://www.slideshare.net/dudeman5/slideshelf

Task four –

In all honesty, I found this task tedious, almost like a show and tell for the final assessment item without learning any content. Attempting to be optimistic, I did however learn a new slide sharing website that I was previously unfamiliar with. In using Slideshare I can now display a lot of information in a small refined package, which I have no doubt I will use in future projects.