Meet The Zuckerhands…
First off, I should mention that I didn’t screen these videos to critique them. In truth, I am ‘target audience’ for this stuff and who could be better to explain the ‘Metaverse’ than Mark Zuckerberg?
The video opens with the Facebook founder speaking to camera – in a manner that completely distracted me…
As he speaks, Zuckerberg’s hands are flapping about like a New York traffic cop!
Cadence & Body Language …
I’ve worked with a lot corporate executives who’ve been tasked with appearing on-camera. Many are charismatic human beings, great at telling jokes, making speeches and holding their own in the boardroom.
Most are fine with on-camera interviews, but can be as stiff as a board when reading from a teleprompter.
With a bit of warm-up and support from a good director, the executive’s performance can be taken up a notch. Hire more than one camera and a good editor and the finished product can be much, much better.
But if you really want to improve an executive’s on-camera performance, a bit of forward-thinking and hard-nosed practice can be a real game changer.
Outside of having a bit of natural talent, there are two things that professional spokespeople constantly work on: Voice Cadence and Body Language.
While you may never be able to get an executive to perform as well as a Professional Spokesperson, learning a few of the tools of the trade can’t hurt.
Body language and voice cadence can tell us more about the character of an individual than just words. Professional Poker players rely on this stuff to win hands, and when someone appears on video with the wrong balance of body language, a litany of wrong messages can be communicated to the audience.
In everyday conversation, you don’t have to think about body language. It comes naturally. Performing on-camera can be different, and understanding what gestures compliment dialogue is worth knowing.
A bit of forward-thinkingand hard-nosed practicecan be a real game changer..
Try this:
Touch your right hand, palm down, to the left side of your chest and chop horizontally to the right. This gesture can mean an abrupt, “NO!”
Repeat the same movement, this time with your palm up. You are now gesturing, “Here we are…”
Subtle changes in body language can mean very different things. In Mark Zuckerberg’s videos, his gestures are far too many and completely overdone. Nothing is natural and everything is out of balance. Aside from distracting from the message, he looks like a wired marionette, not an engaging, charismatic CEO.
On video, body language can draw you in, or make you hit the escape button. Get the balance right and engagement will skyrocket. Get the balance wrong and the lights go out.
