Public Speaking CoursePROJECT

By: Jon Lawson

James Cameron

James Cameron

IS A CRITCALLY ACCLAIMED WRITER, DIRECTOR AND

PRODUCER OF SOME OF HOLLYWOOD’S MOST

IMPACTING AND SCIENTIFICALLY INSIGHTFUL FILMS

In his TED speechJAMES CAMERON DISCUSSES HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD

FASCINATIONS AND THE BASE OF HIS CREATIVITY AND ESSENTIALLY, HOW IT RIPPLES INTO HIS WORK ON THE

BIG SCREEN AND BEYOND.

In his TED speechHE JUMPS RIGHT INTO HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD, GIVING A DESCRIPTIVE STORY AS IF YOU WERE

SITTING WITH HIM ONE ON ONE.

To engage the audienceHE BASES HIS ATTACHMENT FROM THE IDEA THAT THE AUDIENCE KNOWS HIM, HIS WORK

AND ARE CURIOUS TO WHERE THE IDEAS FOR HIS STORIES COME FROM. HE USES THIS

CURIOSITY TO BRING THEM ALONG ON THE STORY OF HIS CREATIVE PROCESS.

His attention gainIS VERY WEAK BECAUSE OF THIS, AS HE USES THE AUDIENCE’S CURIOUS ATTACHMENT TO WHAT HE HAS TO PRESENT. IT IS A TRADE OFF THAT WORKS FOR SOME PRESENTERS BUT UNLESS YOU ARE AS POPULAR OR THE

SUBJECT IS A MASS CURIOSITY OR DEMAND, THIS CAN BE A DOWNSIDE.

His attention gainHOWEVER, BY HAVING THE CURIOSITY

PRESENT, HE WAS ABLE TO ATTRACT THE CROWD AND USE THEIR “WANT” TO KNOW HIS STORY AS THE FUEL TO

MAINTAIN ATTENTION. THIS IS A PARALLEL IN HIS FILMS STORY TELLING TECHNIQUE;

AS HE DESCRIBES ALSO.

The TED CommandmentsJAMES CAMERON HITS EVERY FACET OF THE

COMMANDMENTS IN HIS TALK. HIS STRONG POINT IN HIS SPEECH WAS HIS EXPRESSING OF A CURIOSITY

THAT BLOOMED INTO CREATIVIT; WHILE CONTROVERSY WAS BARELY PREVALENT AT ALL.

In fact…

In fact…

HIS STRONGEST POINT AND PURPOSE OF HIS TALK IS DESCRIBING HOW HE TOOK HS CURIOSITY AND

CREATED FROM IT. BRINGING CURIOUS THOUGHTS INTO CREATIVE REALITIES.

His expression dynamics

COME FROM SHARING HIS STORY IN PERSONAL DETAIL AND BACKGROUND, HE NATURALLY EXPRESSES ENTHUSIASM AND

EXCITEMENT. SHARING IT IN A PRACTICAL METHOD THAT CARRIES INFLECTION THROUGH HIS EXPRESSION AND EVEN POINTS OF HUMOR

MAKE WAY TO THE SURFACE OCASSIONALLY.

THESE DYNAMICS ARE ACHIEVED BECAUSE HE USES REAL LIFE

ASSOCIATION WITH HIS STORY. THE AUDIENCE RELATES THEIR EMOTION WITH HIS STORY AND CAN FOLLOW

ALONG IN THE JOURNEY. OFTEN REFLECTING ON THEIR OWN

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND RELATING THOSE TO HIS STORY.

THEY BRING HIS STORY, INTO THEMSELVES AND CAN SEE HIS STORY AS IF THEY WERE LIVING IT ALSO. AS THEY HAVE

MORE THAN LIKELY HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCES AS WELL

ALTHOUGH ENGAGING AND EFFECTIVE THROUGH THIS METHOD, I FEEL THAT IT IS A METHOD ONLY SOMEONE OF HIS LIKE STATUS CAN PULL OFF.

I RATE HIS DYNAMICS OVERALL AT A ”3” AND FEEL THAT IF HE HAD USED A LITTLE

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION, THE PRESENTATION COULD BE “5”. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ASSOCIATING EMOTION WITH

THE STORY ALSO.

HAD HE ALSO USED AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION OR EVEN ASKED RETORICAL

QUESTIONS, I FEEL HE COULD HAVE BOOSTED ENGAGEMENT AND OVERALL

DYNAMICS. HIS CONSTANT FOCUS ON THE AUDIENCE AND CURTAILING HIS

EXPERIENCES TO HIS AUDIENCE’S LEVEL IS A GREAT RELATION TO DUARTE’S METHODS.

HE KEPT THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS BROKEN DOWN AND REPLACED JARGON WITH RELATIVE EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICALITY.

“WE DON’T WANT TO SHOOT OVER THE CROWD’S HEADS WITH WHAT WE

PRESENT.”.

IN COMPARISON TO SIR KEN ROBINSON, IT IS ALMOST AS IF JAMES CAMERON AND HIS STORY ARE A CONTRA-INDICATOR OF SIR ROBINSON’S POINT ON

EDUCATION.

THAT POINT BEING THAT JAMES IS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND NEVER ALLOWED HIS CREATIVITY TO BE SUPPRESSED

BY LOCATION OR ENVIRONMENT.

FROM JAMES CAMERON’S TALK, I HAVE LEARNED THAT CURIOSITY DRIVES CREATIVITY. ALLOWING THAT TO BE DETERRED BY THE

EFFECTS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT OR THE WORD “NO” CAN OFTEN

KILL OUR ASPIRATIONS.

THE WORD “NO” SHOULD BE A MOTIVATOR AND NOT A BLOCK.

ALLOW YOUR IDEAS TO MANIFEST DRIVE AND OVERCOME IT.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO ANXIETY, JAMES CAMERON SAYS IT BEST..

“FAILURE IS AN OPTION, FEAR IS NOT..” BE UNFRAID TO TRY AND FAIL, BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY.

MY TIPS DERIVED FROM THIS TED TALK ARE THATASSOCIATING WITH YOUR PRESENTATION MATERIAL

AND RELATING IT TO YOUR AUDIENCE HELPS MAKE IT AUTHENTIC AND ENGAGING.

CREDITS

Photos http://www.screamingcritics.com/hollywood/news-1/james-cameron-to-direct-the-informationist/ http://ronireports.com/2012/09/11/james-cameron-reveals-plans-for-avatar-sequels/ http://movies.inquirer.net/2979/james-cameron-and-jon-landau-on-converting-epic-‘titanic’-into-3d http://www.hdwpapers.com/walls/james_cameron_hd_wallpaper-normal.jpg http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/03/30/james-cameron-avatar-sequels-to-draw-on-master-navigators/james-cameron-mariana-trench/ 

http://avatar-wallpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/wallpapers/James-Cameron-wallpaper.jpg http://danevil.com/2009/12/22/james-cameron/ http://silverscreensaucers.blogspot.com/2012/10/ufo-movie-news-round-up-7-oct-2012.html http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00007857/side-by-side06.html http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Hometree

http://carlanderson.blogspot.com/2010/12/sir-ken-robinson-ties10-keynote-and-q.html http://www.labkultur.tv/en/blog/review-2010-politics-strategies