How to Captivate Your Audience as A Performer or Presenter

No matter what your expertise is or where your passion lies, if you find yourself standing before a crowd, you need to know how to grab their attention. And then, once you’ve got them, you need to know how to keep them connected to you. It’s easy to jump on a stage, but to keep people engaged with you, you’ve got to master some presentation and performing skills. At the New York Acting School for Film and Television, we are here to equip you with the skills and tools you need, whether you are an actor, presenter or comedian, to wow and keep your crowd.

Helpful tips for any performer looking to wow their crowd:

First of all, it’s good to be prepared, but important not to start by writing your presentation out like an essay. Caroline Goyder, a former acting coach at the Central School of Speech and Drama who helps business leaders to communicate effectively says, "Writing it down tempts you to just read it out, which gives a dead, impersonal delivery."

Next, if you’re a presenter, make sure you have visuals to back up your key points. Be original though and try not to stick to only Powerpoint with words and graphs. Do something memorable. Be crazy. Get out of your shell. Ed Brodow once beat up a rubber chicken as part of a presentation. It's crazy and odd, but people remembered it.

Rehearse. Know your outcome, your points and the emotion behind it all. Practice it often into an audio or video recorder so you get used to what you sound and look like to an audience.

Slow down. You’re not in a hurry. Even if you only have a little bit of time, be slow. People with authority know how to speak slow and include pauses. Pausing also helps you remember to slow down.

Of course that’s just the beginning. There’s always so much more to learn and we want to teach you. If you’re ready to be fully equipped for success, contact us and see which classes or coaches are best for you.

The New York Acting School for Film and Television loves to see you confidently set up for success. Whatever your need, from better presenting to on camera comfort, we are here to support you with classes and coaching. Call us today!