Video Production Skills Are Public Speaking Skills

Years ago, I took part in Toastmasters in order to learn public speaking skills. Today, I still believe in the value of public speaking skills, but I know that just being able to ‘give a speech’ is not enough.

If a speaker is well known, intelligent, and eloquent, he may speak in front of 100 or 1,000 people. (50,000 if he is the president of the United States.) But, if a video of his speech is recorded, well edited, and placed on the right channels, it will easily reach 100,000 people, 1 million, or even more.

Today, public speaking rarely means standing on a stage with a group of people looking at you. Today, the most watched public speeches hardly fit the definition. They are 10-second posts on Instagram and 10-minute videos on YouTube.

Even old-fashioned public speaking events, such as keynotes at industry-specific trade-related conferences, receive more views online than at the event, when they are recorded. Graduation speeches to 300 students become YouTube videos with millions of views, even if they don’t ‘go viral’.

Toastmasters speech training is no longer enough. In Toastmasters meetings, I learned to speak to groups of 100. I really need to learn to speak to groups of 100,000.

From Ancient Greece to the present day, the core skills of communication remain the same but the tertiary techniques have changes.

Some Examples:

1. You Still Need To Push Through Feeling Awkward – But now you will feel awkward in front of a camera.

2. You Still Need A ‘Hook’ At The Beginning – But now a video intro, music, and a visual hook are as important as beginning with a personal anecdote or famous quote.

3. You Still Need To Engage The Audience Throughout – But now you must implement camera cuts, beautiful backdrops, and video filters and you need the right mics, lights, and recording gear.

4. You Still Need To Know Your Audience – But now you view YouTube and Instagram analytics, rather than asking for a show of hands.

5. You Still Need To Plan The Length Of Your Speech – But now expectations are different. 15 minutes is a short speech but it is a too-long-didn’t-watch YouTube video. (I will at least watch at 2x speed)

6. You Still Need A Call-To-Action – But now, viewers sign up for your email list, enter credit card details online, or fill out a contact form. You don’t ask that the audience ‘sign up at the back of the room’ and nobody will give you their business cards.

Video production and the related skills are no longer solely in sphere of artists, creatives, product advertisers, or election promoters.

Video production is public speaking, making it the skill of all leaders, presidents, prime ministers, CEOs, scientists, the Pope, and perhaps you.