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Rehearsing: Content Mapping

Lesson 15 from: FAST CLASS: Heroic Public Speaking

Michael Port, Amy Port

Rehearsing: Content Mapping

Lesson 15 from: FAST CLASS: Heroic Public Speaking

Michael Port, Amy Port

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Lesson Info

15. Rehearsing: Content Mapping

Lesson Info

Rehearsing: Content Mapping

we're gonna work on rehearsal. So the first thing we do when we get a script, as we start, first of all we read it and then we start to do what we call content mapping. Now, you guys need to write your scripts as we've said. Some of you will actually write them out and memorize them. Others will structure it, bullet point out the key points, the key stories and then deliver it. So you may not be doing content mapping if you're delivering a presentation that way. However, if there are certain stories that you want to tell, certain blocks of content that you need to deliver in a certain way, then you might want to write those out and do this kind of content mapping. So content mapping allows us to discover what about our script. It allows us to discover the poetry in the script. That's part of it. You may not even be aware as you're writing, but the words that you choose have impact. And we were talking about that some in our speech section, So you're going to find as you do your content...

mapping where the pauses need to be for most impact so that you can then replicate that every time. And that's just part of being a professional. There will always be uh some things that change from performance from performance to performance, but there are things that you will find work. So what we're looking for are things called beats, B E A T S, beats. We're looking for operative words, operative words, the most important words in the sentence to communicate the meaning. So for example, I just said the most important words in the sentence to communicate the meaning. Could you hear how there were certain words in that phrase that I emphasized in certain words that I threw away. It would be much, I would be much less understandable if I said the words in your sentence that communicates the meaning right, and that may seem obvious, that may seem obvious, and you might say, well of course I don't speak like that, but sometimes we have speech patterns and things in the cadence, the rhythm of our voice that we may not even be aware of. So this is a way to bring clarity to that and make sure we're hitting the operative words. So I'm going to go through the list of what we're looking for and then we'll talk a little bit more about each one. So beats operative words lists, parenthetical als parentheses around phrases, parenthetical repetition and rhythm. One more contrast. I was going to leave that one that I thought that was intentional, but it's different here. Contrast is different here as you work with your content mapping. So let me do a repeat. do it beats operative words lists, parenthetical ALs repetition, rhythm and what you're going to find contrast through identification of beats and operative words lists, parenthetical etcetera. You're looking for as much contrast as you possibly can. So we're going to start to actually do some content mapping on this sheet and in the studio audience, you'll see it up on the monitor and at home you'll actually see us do this. There's gonna be a camera right over our shoulder. I'm sure the camera will be here momentarily. We'll be right over our shoulder and you're gonna see us with pen on paper actually marking this. So what we're looking for our beats. So I'm going to read this paragraph and then we're gonna try to find the beats. Now I'm going to read it the way that I do it. So you'll probably find the beats a lot easier than if I just read it for wrote with no emphasis whatsoever. So joseph Campbell once said that the privilege, the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. Well, this is who I am, what I just told you, what you see in front of you, what's in my books. It's all just parts of me. I have believed in this presentation for a long time. I have believed in thinking big for a long, long, long time, long before I was able to do it, because I, Michael Port stand for thinking bigger about who you are and about what you offer the world. Okay, so that's that paragraph. So let's look for the beats. Where do you think there were some beats? And the beat is a transition. It's a place for a breath. It's a pause. It's a place that we want the audience to absorb where what we just said. So if you have a microphone raise your hand please. Yes. So in between the repetition of privilege, that was a big B. You found a beat in between the repetition of privilege? Yes. Now you don't have to put a beat. Their the way that I wrote this, I could do it as if it's a quick stop and I say the word again. So I might say the privilege, the privilege of a lifetime. So how the beat is actually after the second one, That's how I actually do it. So the beat is actually here and the way that you indicate right away that you signify that this is a beat is just with a line, put a little line through it. Okay, so now let's look at your favorite operative words. The operative word is the important word that you want to emphasize. So what were some of the operative words? Yes a privilege and believed? So which privilege? Um The second one is correct, correct. And by the way there isn't necessarily a right way to choose your operative words meaning somebody else might decide they're going to put the emphasis on the first privilege. It could be done. Obviously the example Amy gave Yes. It's pretty clear if you don't choose those words as the operative words it doesn't make sense. But there are there is language there are you know places where you might emphasize one word a little bit more and I might emphasize one word more in a sentence in one show versus another show. You know when I watch a video of it sometimes I'll see it. It's a little bit different and that's good. But you have to be able to make it work. Doesn't make sense. That's the point of it. Good. Any other operative words that you saw here, if you have a mic in the back, you can certainly stand up and speak. I thought it was long when you were saying, I have believed in the thinking Big was an operative word in my mind and a long, long, long time. So the long, long, long time is an example of repetition, which was another one that we were going to be looking at in terms of delivery. When you have repetition, create contrast, create variety. Like the way Michael did it here as he said, I have believed in thinking big for a long, long, long time. I'm exaggerating a little bit, but he actually uses the sounds of the words and you have that sound at the end to lengthen out the word to actually make it longer. So in this paragraph there isn't a list necessarily, however, which is one of our one of the things we're looking for when we do our content mapping. And of course when you're writing, you are often going to write lists in because they can be very compelling. But if the list all sounds the same when you say it, it doesn't sound compelling. So here, what is slightly list, like even though it's in a sentence forum, is where did it go, what I just told you What you see in front of you to what's in my books 3? They're all just parts of me. So I'm obviously emphasizing those words right now a little bit more than I might to make the point. But do you see how there's rhythm change as well? Where's what, what I just told you what you see in front of you? What's in my books? It's all just parts of me see the rhythmic change. You're trying to find that kind of rhythm and parenthetical? Do we have one on here? That's parenthetical? No, we don't have a parenthetical. But the idea behind a parenthetical is you need to separate that part out from the other part of the phrase. So very often using pitch, can help with that. Like, I might say, I work with Michael Port best selling new york times author and we worked together in heroic public speaking, Let me try that again. We'll call that a rehearsal. I'm glad you liked it because I was drawing a blank. I was like, I don't know what to tell him. Right, then she did it so that the parenthetical in that sentence is best selling author. Let's keep it simple, best selling author, right? But if I just keep it all around the same pitch, I work with Michael Port, bestselling author in our business heroic public speaking, you understand what I'm saying, but it's not as clear as if I say I work with Michael Port best selling author in our business, heroic speaking to hear how I popped the parenthetical out pitch wise. And then I came back up at the at the end parentheses, I'll do parentheses with my hands. I came back to the pitch that I left before the parentheses. Is this making sense? Say yes, if it isn't. So what you do is go get some quotes, long quotes by famous people because when they're long they generally have lots of parenthetical is in them. And then you read the quote out loud and you try to change your pitch when you are at the parenthetical in that quote.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Developing Your Big Idea - A Self Guided Worksheet
Guide to Making World Saving Speeches - 25 more tips
Syllabus
Practice Script 1
Practice Script 2

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