Chapter 68 TECHNIQUE 60 SOUND GESTURES

I have a friend Tina who designs costumes for a non-mainstream theater company.The troupe's play was such a hit last year that it was so popular that it attracted a sponsor who brought them to Broadway.As a result, the troupe's performance on Broadway was a complete failure. Hearing the bad news, I hurriedly called Tina. “Tina, why did that play get such a bad review on Broadway?” Tina told me sadly that the director had failed to insist that the actors change their performances to suit the new venue.Some of the actors' movements and expressions can be clearly seen by the audience in a small theater, causing people to cry and laugh, but on the big stage of Broadway, they are completely useless.Viewers simply don't see their delicate postures and pungent facial expressions.Tina said the performers overlooked one thing: not changing the way they move their hands and feet, so that they cannot adapt to large performance venues.

Tina This advice is not only useful for performers.When talking to people, you have to consider what the medium is. If you put your face on a large movie screen, blink your eyes and raise your eyebrows, the audience will understand what you mean.Facial expressions mean nothing if the message is sent over a radio station. Your body language and facial expressions are responsible for revealing over 50% of your personality.People can get completely wrong impressions if they can't see you, like I did with Renee.In order for your character to come off the mic as well, you have to translate emotion into sound.In fact, you have to exaggerate the expression of your voice, because studies have shown that the vitality in the voice is reduced by 30% when people are talking on the phone.

Suppose you have an important client meeting tomorrow, and when you meet her you shake her hand and face her.They made eye contact, with a sincere smile on their face.When she speaks, you nod intently in agreement.This client likes you very much. But how do you make a good impression when both you and the important person are blindfolded and have your hands tied behind your back?That's the barrier to making a phone call. If the other person cannot see you, you must verbally tell her that you are listening and that you agree with her.You have to put your smile into words, call her name more often than make eye contact.The technique you use here is what I call vocal gestures.

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Every time I pick up the microphone, I imagine myself as an announcer of a radio drama.If you want the other person to know the real you, you have to turn smiles, nods, and gestures into audible sounds. You have to replace gestures with voices.Then remember to exaggerate the voice expression by 30%.