Real Speakers Speak to the Need to Need Speaker Reels
I recently learned from my friend, mentor, and famous person that I know (and admire) Kassy LaBorie, that if you want to speak at conferences and be a keynote speaker you need a “speaker reel”. So, I very professionally, (And quickly), Googled up what the #MATH a speaker reel was and saw some things.
A Smartphone Works
A Speaker Reel is short shots of you speaking from multiple angles and backgrounds. Ideally you should be presenting something that is on brand for your overall message…
Behold, I made a speaker reel within 1 hour of hearing about it for the first time. I am a Real Speaker, I speak.
I attached my iPhone12 Mini to a standard camera tripod using an attachment I purchased on Amazon for ~$15 USD. I placed the camera pointing at the scene, started video record, and then walked into place. I edited out all of this extra footage in post production using TechSmith Camtasia, but iMovie or a version of Windows Movie Maker could have just as easily been used.
You don’t need to pay a million dollars for a speaker reel, just make it with your phone. Using a real microphone would be preferable to achieve a more favorable result. I did not do this here because I made this in a fit of passion to make a point.
Conclusion
This project had several iterations but overall it was created in about a day. I posted it on YouTube and linked it to Instagram and LinkedIn. There were about 30 views initially and it helped me land a speaking slot at the local ATD Learning conference in St. Louis, MO.
So, I would argue that this experiment worked. This supports the hypothesis that it is the idea that matters. It is the concept that is important, not the production quality or resolution. Having a high production value is important but that is second to having substance or a message. A mediocre idea can be propped up with high production values, but a stellar idea will shine on its own.
My First Speak
If you will be near St. Louis, MO come check out my SPEAK on Not Blocking the Learner Journey titled “Get Out of The Way!”
https://atdstl.org/event-5405435
#improvmentdave
Special Thanks to Mark Borreggine for copy editing on this post. You are a great support and a fantastic friend.
#ImprovementDave
Improvement Dave 
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