Our First Guest Post on Forbes: 5 All-Star Techniques You Can Use In Your Next Speaking Gig

Our First Guest Post on Forbes: 5 All-Star Techniques You Can Use In Your Next Speaking Gig

Big day for us…our writers at Hook-Line-Sinker are now guest posting exclusive presentation articles on Forbes. Please check out our first and not definitely last blog post on Forbes called “5 All-Star Techniques You Can Use in Your Next Speaking Gig.”

This articles shares with common audiences how star presenters like Steve Jobs, Chris Rock, Martin Luther King Jr. Tony Hsieh, and Bill Clinton work their magic in enchanting audiences.

Feel free to leave comments here, and if you’re new, please subscribe to our blog for the latest presentation updates and all things Big Fish Presentations.

Preparing Presentations: 5 Ways to Practice ’til Perfect

“Practice makes perfect.”

We’ve all heard it.  Many, many times, in fact.

Although it has been repeated many times over your lifetime, it still rings truth.  In any skill that you choose to pursue, if you practice it enough, you will be nearly perfect at it.  There’s no way to get around it.  Unless you are naturally talented at something or get extremely lucky, odds are the only way to “sharpen your sword,” so to speak , is through repetition.  Now, we’re not going to lie to you.  It takes a lot time and dedication to be a disciplined practitioner of anything.  However, if you can sit down, focus and try your best, you will see clear results.

This mindset also applies to presentations.  For most people, presentations make them nervous, which is natural.  However, you can significantly decrease your nervousness by taking certain steps, carefully preparing yourself for the event to come.  At Big Fish Presentations, we encourage our clients to practice a variety of methods that ease nerves, which makes them more successful and confident in their presentations.  So, we’ve gathered five of these tactics to share with you today.

Here are five ways in which you can practice your presentation skills.

1. Rehearse in front of a crowd

Standing in front of a group of people, giving your speech and seeing their reactions is a great way to boost your confidence in your material and delivery.  Whether it’s a small group of your friends, co-workers, family or even a random group of strangers, the action of giving your presentation allows you to see reactions and get natural human feedback.  This will calm your nerves and make you more comfortable with the entire experience.  Many times, you’ll find that your worst mistakes will surface on this first go-around, leaving you with plenty of time and feedback to correct mistakes and re-organize your thoughts.

2. Take notes

As you practice, it’s very useful to stop immediately whenever you notice a mistake or an uncomfortable moment and jot down a few notes.  In any practicing situation, don’t hesitate to analyze and re-analyze your presentation as you go.  After all, this is why you’re practicing in the first place.  You can write down things like cutting down on time on certain parts, making sure you enunciate tricky words or refining the structure of your talk.  You’d be surprised by how many issues you can find when you take the time to look at yourself closely.

3. Experiment

Don’t keep repeating the same lines over and over again if you think it sounds boring or awkward.  Let loose and find ways to make your presentation exciting for your audience.  Experiment with variations of words, include a funny story, make a joke or two.  Relax!  Remember, the two most important things in your presentation are being clear and being relevant.  Use the stage or props to your advantage.  Ask a particular audience member a question.  Keep your audience guessing.  You can have a lot of fun if you free yourself from the boring presentation structure and have a little fun out there.

4. Time yourself

Timing is crucial in presentations.  It takes practice to nail down a solid time, but the general rule of thumb is to keep it short, simple and to the point.  Since your goal is to decrease time while maintaining quality, practice trimming your message to include the most important and relevant information without the fluff.  Set up a goal of the amount of time that you think is appropriate for your audience, then refine or beef up your talk accordingly.  The more comfortable you are with your time, the more flexible you can be as you give your presentation.

5. Record yourself

By hearing and seeing yourself, you can judge the inflection, speed and enunciation of your voice.  You always want to put yourself in your audience’s position, seeing and hearing yourself as they would see you.  It’s not so much about perfecting your orating skills, although that is important, as it is about showing your personality through your words.  In order to come across original and confident, you want to show your true character and that you’re comfortable in your speech.

All in all, it comes down to carefully observing yourself and constructively criticizing the elements of your speech.  You’ve got to take the time to truly grade yourself before you can expect to deliver a solid presentation.  The true masters of presentations, such as TED speakers, train themselves and prepare extensively in advance for their talks.  If you want to truly engage your audience, be yourself, but most importantly be comfortable with yourself. It’s all about blending your personality with your message and finding the happy medium between your goals and the outcome.

What do you think?  Was this helpful?  Do you have any additional tips or guidelines about preparing for a presentation? Let us know what you think in the comments below, on our Facebook page or tweet us!  Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for more awesome content from the Big Fish team!

Presentation Breakdown: Rich Mulholland “Escaping Educational Legacide”

This week’s presentation breakdown features Missing Link CEO and former rock star roadie Rich Mulholland.  After operating lights for bands like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, Mulholland started South Africa’s first presentation company, Missing Link.  He is also an outstanding speaker and education activist.

In this TED talk, Mulholland speaks about his proposition of reinventing the educational system.  He believes that people should never stop learning.  The traditional model of education, one in which we attend school until our early 20s, then rely on this education to fuel our careers and minds for the remainder of our lives, is a flawed system.  Let’s take a look at the structure of this fun, engaging presentation!

0:08-0:20

Mulholland opens up the presentation by greeting the audience, but then he jumps right into a declaration of his personality.  He says that he always wanted to join the circus, but that he never wanted to actually follow them on stage.  This gives us a brief glimpse into his personality, which we will come to recognize as being light and humorous, but with a sincere glow.

0:20-0:50

Now, Mulholland jumps right into a new idea. Notice how directly he addresses the audience and how lively they become when he speaks to them.  He is very unorthodox in his approach at humor, especially for a TED talk.  Within the first minute of his talk, he has made the audience laugh, while truly engaging them in a scenario that he begins to play out.

0:50-2:30

As we dive deeper into this scenario, which is an interesting one I might add, Mulholland is amping us up with suspense about the “catch” of this “gift.”  He is clearly going somewhere with this, but until he finally reveals the punchline, we are clueless, but enjoying the ride.  He delivers the “catch,” and gets the reaction for which he was hoping.  The audience plays right into the joke.  However, it isn’t simply a joke.  We have been taught something through the joke, and we will spend the rest of the TED talk delving deeper into this idea.  He shifts into the topic of how things change.  Now, we will get to the meat of the piece.  He addresses this shift with the mention of education.

2:30-3:04

Once we have made the shift into the “real” topic of the piece, Mulholland is keen to run with it while he has our attention.  He doesn’t drag it out, waiting for us to wonder too much.  We’ve had a little of that already.  People want to get information when they want it, not when someone decides to give it to them.  By using the clothing scenario, Mulholland has opened our minds to this possibility, and now he has given us a token of wisdom concerning innovation.  He says, “Innovation isn’t about doing something new.  Innovation is almost always about stopping doing something old.”

3:04-4:06

Mulholland turns to giving us some visuals that we can use to compare and follow the points he is talking about.  He shows two graphs that differ drastically.  We see his points clearly and he conveys his message in a humorous way.  Then, he gives us some insights into his personal life as well as his father’s.  He backs up what he is saying by addressing his past.  We believe in this idea, we are on the same page because we see a an analysis of his life running parallel to his points.  He is living and working the way he says that most people are living and working.  After he has convinced us of this, and we see his point clearly, he moves on to another point by addressing the idea of Experience vs. Expertise.

4:06-5:23

Now, we’re getting into the heart of the presentation.  Mulholland digs deeper into the current problem of age and salary. While the former system meant that the older you are the more money you make because of the experience you have, the newer model suggests that expertise, not experience, is the more valuable asset for a company to have.  People are retiring earlier because they have been replaced by younger, more specifically talented and trained new employees.  After showing two more graphs that illustrate his point, Mulholland explains the bigger idea in terms of a real, current problem.  He directly tells the audience that they should be afraid of what’s to come.  By doing this, he is preparing a call-to-action and  instilling a tiny initiative into the audience in order to promote action.  We will see the development of this idea later on in the presentation.  As he makes the declaration, “I think every 30-year-old in the room should be crapping themselves,” the audience begins to laugh loudly, to which Mulholland responds with more humor.

5:23-6:07

Mulholland goes on to explain that everyone is plateauing earlier, including himself.  People in their 20s are so excited to learn and update their skill sets.  They eventually become less valuable to their companies due to more and more specialization by other, newer employees.  At this point in the presentation, Mulholland is once again bringing his personal struggle with this issue into play.  We are invested in the idea because we see that our speaker is also personally invested in the subject matter.

6:07-8:50

We are on the backward slope of the issue at this point.  We have come across the main topic, discussed and setup the climax and then revealed the true problem.  Now, Mulholland is explaining the effects of the problem, and how we can begin to come to terms with the issue.  He puts into perspective the central message: all of the rules have changed.  We can’t keep looking at our careers in the same, traditional way.  He is setting the audience up for a solution.  He uses passion and exciting body language to keep us interested in the subject matter, which will be crucial for him to do as he in the next few minutes.

8:50-9:57

Mulholland has reached a solution.  He has clearly stated the answer to this problem.  We have experienced the build-up of the issue, and now we are about to take action in order to solve it.  Mulholland displays a clear slide with the sentence, “We need to shorten the distance between education and execution.”  The structure thus far has been consistent.  Mulholland has given us examples of how each portion of the problem affects our lives, and now we come to see a possible resolution to the issue.  He proposes that we stop schooling earlier, begin working and then integrate education into the remainder of our lives.  We never need to stop learning.

9:57-12:34

As we wrap up the presentation, we are given a thorough, clear understanding of the necessary steps to change the system.  He gives us an original set of instructions that can be used to change the “business model” of educational institutions.  There are three main points: 1)Sell-by Date for degrees 2)Subscription model for learning 3)Relevance is Key for maintaining functional, efficient employees.  Now, we have a few concrete rules that we could follow in order to fully integrate education into our working adult lives.  Then, Mulholland seals his proposition with a quote.  This is a very good technique for concluding talks because it not only gives the audience a tangible piece of information, but a relevant quotation encompasses the essence of the overall idea.  It reminds and reinforces the goals that the speaker has laid out.  Mulholland closes the presentation in a quick, simple manner, which makes his last words easily digestible for the audience.

So, there you have it!

This piece is rather short, but informative, and most importantly, fun.  Mulholland is a lively, passionate presenter who goes in a clear direction, not stopping or lulling the audience to sleep.  He keeps the energy flowing and the thoughts brewing for his audience, and we are enchanted by his fresh approach to an engaging topic.  Overall, this presentation gives us a chance to experience and learn in a thrilling environment, and we walk away feeling refreshed and informed with a sense of joy at having been a part of it.

Now, the real question is: how do you feel about this presentation?  Are there any key points that we have missed or that you would like to discuss?  As always, subscribe to our YouTube channel, leave us some feedback below or on our Facebook page, or tweet us at @BigFishPresCo!

Download our latest white-paper – Seven Ways to Rock Your Next Presentation

Kenny here. Today, I’d like to give our loyal blog followers, a nice little present from the Big Fish Presentations team.

You can now download our newest white-paper Seven Ways to Rock Your Next Presentation by clicking on the picture above or clicking the link here. It’s our first white-paper, and I personally am rather proud of it. But that doesn’t mean you should hold back on your thoughts. Feel free to leave us any comments, thoughts and opinions, as we’ll be looking to update this whitepaper within the next couple of months.

If you’re new to our blog, feel free to subscribe in the right hand side and get dibs on the latest presentation news and offerings from our team at Big Fish.

Happy presenting!

– Kenny Nguyen, Big Fish Presentations

Presentation Review: Jill Bolte Taylor’s “Stroke of Insight”

What would you do if you woke up to find yourself experiencing a stroke?

That’s exactly what Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor experienced on the morning of December 10, 1996.

As a neuroanatomist, Taylor studies higher brain functions, particularly diseases such as Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  When her brother was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Taylor dedicated her career and her life to studying the disease and others like it.

In this beautifully orated TED talk, Bolte gives us a very detailed account of her thoughts and emotions as her brain hemorrhages and her consciousness blurs in and out of reality.  She walks us through the entire scientific process of the event, but the most interesting information arises as she discusses the semi-transcendentalist state she fades in and out of throughout this unique encounter.

Taylor is a fantastic speaker.  She fills each sentence with emotion and passion about the topic.  Just by watching her body language, we can see how deeply not only this event affected her life and demeanor, but also how much she cares about the subject matter.  She lives and breathes for brain research because she has a soft spot in her heart for the victims of brain diseases.

As she explains the sequence of events, she packs her story full of rich, often shocking, detail to illustrate the emotions associated with her thoughts and actions.  She approaches the event as a novelist would, carefully and expertly using descriptions to transport the audience into her body as she loses touch with reality.  As her mind begins to flicker into an alternate state of being, her left-brain pulses and her right-brain examines the molecular structure of the objects around her.  The audience is right there with her, thinking and feeling her thoughts and senses as if they are experiencing it themselves.

Her strongest asset as a presenter is her honesty.  Taylor has the ability to be truly honest in her words to the point of passionately expressing herself through re-living the event.  As she describes it, we can see the power in her words, feel the emotion in her voice.  It’s shaky, yet strong, and it makes us feel extremely on edge, but comfortably curious about the  nature of the stroke. We are entranced by her strong emotional tie to the science of this almost supernatural experience.

Not only is Taylor’s delivery spot-on, she has constructed her presentation in such a way that the audience can’t help but drool over the story.  She uses expert pacing and pausing to weave her experience into a three-act structure, almost like a play.

First, she begins the presentation with a preface about her personal situation with her brother, which plays a huge role in her career and also explains a lot about her personality.  We will hear about how these skills from her profession enhance her altered state later.  We get a glimpse into what her life was like before, and the reason she chooses to explore what became her passion.

Then, Taylor works to educate the audience on the science behind basic brain functions.  This setup is designed to prepare the audience for the story that comes.  Once we understand the mechanics of the brain, we can fully appreciate the story that is coming.  While we’re learning, we don’t know that we’ll be using this information later in the story, but it serves a very important purpose in the presentation.  During this portion of the presentation, Taylor uses two more great presentation tactics: the prop and the shocker.  She brings out a real human brain.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  As she holds it in her gloved hands, we can hear the audience groaning and laughing.  This is a great, real reaction that only increases the value not only of Taylor as a presenter, but also of the entire presentation.

After that, we enter the meat of the story.  We vividly re-live Taylor’s stroke and the emotions that follow.  We are in our seats, leaning forward, absorbing her every word.  As we’ve said before, this section really plays into Taylor’s role as a passionate storyteller.

She wraps up the presentation by going into an extremely in-depth description of the altered-state experience.  She builds up her words and her passion simultaneously, coming to a climax with the words, “I am the life-force power of the universe. I am the life-force power of the 50 trillion beautiful molecular geniuses that make up my form, at one with all that is.”  She poses the question, “Who do you choose?” in reference to which side of the brain should we as humans trust and follow.  We use both seamlessly, but once we give ourselves to the feelings of our right-brain, we experience something larger than life.  We experience an open, free, calm beauty of the natural universe that is almost never felt by mankind.  To think that this “life-force” exists inside our own minds is a type of revelation that leaves the audience overwhelmed with a new sense of wonder.  And isn’t that the goal?  To change our audience, to make them leave the room feeling uplifted or in awe, to have given them an experience?

What do you think about this presentation?  Let us know what you think of our analysis, whether on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below.  Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Presentation Review: Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity

This week we decided to try something new. Instead of breaking down a presentation in segments, we thought we’d review a popular TED talk and discuss it in a different form. This week’s presentation features the author of the mega-bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love,” Elizabeth Gilbert. Gilbert, a former magazine writer turned novelist, delves into the concepts behind the roots and realities of the creative process. Throughout this talk, Gilbert reflects on her own success as well as that of others in order to convey her message.

Gilbert’s presentation is a very rapid and fluid one with a unique structure. Instead of hitting large, general points and pulling them together, she weaves them seamlessly and conversationally, like a close friend explaining her beliefs and theories to you in a coffee shop. She keeps it very intimate and personal. For instance, she is very honest when she speaks of her recent “freakish success” resulting from “Eat, Pray, Love.” She shows her humility in such an open and frank manner that the audience can’t help but enjoy her personality.

As she opens the presentation, Gilbert not only explains who she is and her past, but she also skims the surface of her central message, albeit in a very subtle way. She simultaneously identifies with her audience and addresses the topic. When she talks about people’s reactions to her success, she says, “Aren’t you afraid you’re going to keep writing your whole life and you’re never again going to create a book that anybody in the world cares about at all…ever…again?” Gilbert is connecting her story with her audience through a humorous, slightly uncomfortable situation, which everyone has had and with which they can identify.

Gilbert references many interesting historical examples to convey her message. She provides an extensive amount of credibility in her reasoning, which, when combined with her experiences, allows her to establish herself as an expert in the field of creativity. Gaining the audience’s trust is the first step, followed by gaining credibility. As Gilbert continues to delve into the more psychological constructs behind creativity and society’s perception of “genius,” we see a slight change in structure. Gilbert slows it down and examines the historical progression of creative perception in Greek and Roman societies. She promises that her brief background explanation will come full circle to her central message.

As she explains the history of the term “genius,” she leads into The Renaissance, which was a turning point in the concept’s history. She provides commentary about the belief system changing to a more empowered, humanistic form of creativity and inspiration, saying she thinks it was “a huge error.” Gilbert has come full circle and connected the historical context with the overarching message. This is a clever tactic, and is rarely used so seamlessly. We can barely tell that we have just received a history lesson because Gilbert’s tone and direction are so smooth and rehearsed.

After Gilbert’s explanation and commentary about the past, we enter a new stage of the presentation. Gilbert gives us the big idea. She proposes that the reason for the deaths of artists/writers over the past 500 years is due to the burden mankind has placed on supposed “geniuses.” We gave them labels and now we are asking how to change it. Gilbert seeks to go back to the old way of thinking. She asks, “Why not?” This is a crucial moment in the presentation because it signifies that we have received enough information about the topic to answer this question. We are on the verge of receiving an answer, which Gilbert provides soon enough.

The answer comes in the form of two stories about different artists dealing with the “genius” concept. Gilbert explains her rationale through commentary about these anecdotes. She gives the audience the full-size answer and creates a subtle call-to-action in the process. By explaining the concept in such detail and providing examples and commentary, Gilbert has given the audience enough information to think for themselves. Once they have that knowledge and insight, she provides accounts of notable people who believe in this idea in order to provoke action from the audience.

Gilbert provides a solid, seamless argument for the nurturing of creativity by looking outside our perceived notions of “genius.” Her approach to the presentation involves three major tactics. Firstly, she uses humility to connect with her audience. Secondly, she provides historical context, which establishes credibility. Lastly, she uses a subtle call-to-action approach and anecdotes to get the audience thinking for themselves.

We give this talk a huge thumbs up. This is a great case study about the importance of careful, subtle, and even pleasant delivery of the message by incorporating anecdotes, history and a purpose-driven core into the fiber of the presentation.

Well, we hope you’ve enjoyed our discussion!  Please give us some feedback!  What do you think about this review?  Any thoughts about creativity?  Tweet us or comment below or on Facebook, and as always, subscribe to our YouTube page!

Rory Sutherland: Perspective is Everything

This week’s presentation breakdown features brand specialist Rory Sutherland.  “Rory Sutherland stands at the center of an advertising revolution in brand identities, designing cutting-edge, interactive campaigns that blur the line between ad and entertainment.” (TED.com) We take a look at his newest TED talk as he delves into the realm of perspective, applying psychological solutions to economical and technological problems.  Take a gander, and let us know what you think in the comments below or via Twitter or Facebook as well!  Enjoy!

Rory Sutherland

Perspective is Everything

 

0:00-1:25 – Begins presentation with a personal insight about smoking

• Sutherland’s insights on smoking bans in bars give the audience an immediate sense of where he stands as well as the tone of his perspective.  By giving the audience a solid tone, which includes humor, we are more readily primed for receiving his insights to come.

1:25-1:49 – Transitions from the joke into a broad message

• He has the audience laughing, which is a great way to get them listening.  Once he has them listening, he introduces his first real concept: “The power of re-framing things cannot be overstated.” Now, after having heard a humorous example of the concept and then a brief summary of the concept, we are ready to dive into the subject at hand.

1:49-2:56 – Delves further into the concept by giving an example

• Moving on, Sutherland continues to address the concept, but instead of speaking in generalities, he gives an example, in this case it is about the framing of unemployment in England.  As we all know, using an example is a useful tool in explaining a concept, but it is also an effective Segway from summary to breakdown.

2:56-3:12 –Breaks down his previously mentioned concept with a basic informational slide

• Here is the breakdown we were expecting.  The unique thing about this breakdown is that Sutherland keeps it very brief and  doesn’t overburden his audience with an in-depth look just yet.  We can take a guess and assume that he will refer back to this slide once he sprinkles in a few more examples.

3:12-3:54 – Gives another example of his concept by explaining an experiment

• We are returning to an example.  This time, Sutherland explains a brief, clear experiment that proves his point.  We are given a scenario that reinforces an ideal.  This further solidifies our understanding of Sutherland’s concept, which keeps us interested and curious for more.

 

3:54-5:05 – Addresses another principle, then follows-up with an insight that relates to the principle

• “The circumstances of our lives may actually matter less to our happiness than the sense of control we feel over our lives.” This is a new principle, but it does relate to the previous one in a sense.  Humans perceive happiness based on the amount control they have over their circumstances.  We’re back to the idea of perspective.  After giving a brief, real-world application, we can begin to see how Sutherland is blending multiple angles in order to shed light on a bigger issue.  A great presenter slowly and carefully builds up his case with examples and smaller concepts in order to fully enrich and entertain an audience.

5:05-6:23 – Enters a deeper discussion concerning psychology as it relates to economics and technology

• As Sutherland continues to unfold his ideas, he makes the shift into a deeper discussion about perspective in the realm of psychology.  As an audience, we begin to gain a greater understanding of the big picture, so to speak. 

6:23-7:20 – Gives yet another example of the previously stated concept (psychological solutions to technical and economical problems)

• Sutherland continues to create an easily understandable path for the audience by weaving examples and numerical values with his broader concepts.  Sutherland’s idea of merging Psychology with traditional practical solutions is showcased through the Eurostar example in an engaging, slightly humorous way that informs and entertains the audience.

7:20-8:02 – Segways from the example into yet another concept

• Sutherland has given us a grasp of what psychology can do for practical solutions. Now, he is shifting into what this idea means in terms of the psychological and creative practitioner’s role in the traditional forms of problem solving.  He proposes the notion that creative people have been labeled inferior to the logic-based ideas of technologically-minded and economically-minded people.  There is asymmetry.  This shift of concept is key in terms of explaining Sutherland’s overarching idea.

8:02-9:22 – Reinforces the previously stated concept with two examples

• Sutherland is the king of examples.  As he explains the concept of psychological solutions, he addresses case studies that support his claim, explaining why they work and how they relate to perspective/psychology. 

9:22-10:53 – Refers to a diagram that explains the “Sweet Spot” between Psychology, Technology and Economics, then provides two examples

• Sutherland uses a visual to enhance the audience’s understanding of the concept of the “Sweet Spot.”  It’s important to remember the power of visuals in your presentation.  If Sutherland had merely stated his concept, it would become muddled with the rest of his words.  However, by using visuals he has given his audience a reference point and a distinct symbol that will make more of an impression in their memories.  Also, Sutherland’s concept of the “Sweet Spot” becomes further developed, and therefore understood more clearly, by his use of examples (Google and television sets).   

10:53-11:19 – Proposes a psychological solution to a medical problem

• Even though Sutherland has given examples of possible solutions to an array of problems, in this solution, Sutherland has addressed another realm of problems: the medical field.  By giving a diverse range of problems and solutions, Sutherland has built credibility for his proposed idea.  Throughout the presentation, we have seen Sutherland’s knack for introducing, explaining and reinforcing concepts.  Keep in mind that a consistent and thorough discussion of any topic establishes and reinforces your credibility as a speaker and a source of information.

11:19-13:12 – Discusses the psychological forces behind economic choices

• Sutherland explains that money isn’t just money.  People’s payments are influenced by where the money goes.  Sutherland is slightly shifting the direction of his presentation by speaking increasingly of real-world changes.  This is the first step to calling the audience to action, which is a crucial factor in a great presentation.  He proposes that this mode of thinking could radically alter the current approaches of economics, medicine, technology, etc.

13:12-18:25 – Concludes the presentation by funneling the broad concept of perspective into an analogy, then explains the analogy in terms of the “big picture”

• Sutherland has touched on many, many things throughout the course of this presentation.  Now, in the last five minutes, he is condensing his previous mass of concepts, theories, explanations, examples, studies and exercises into a single analogy made by Dr. Ludwig von Mises.  The analogy is very effective, especially at this point in the presentation because it makes use of everything Sutherland has addressed thus far.  We have seen how psychological solutions to a variety of everyday problems can impact certain situations.  We have seen how perception is vital to the condition of society.  Now, we are seeing all of these elements come together in this specific analogy.  Sutherland is using his previously established credibility to launch us into further thought.  He ends this talk by opening our eyes to the larger concept at work, here.  We can actively participate in this analogy because he has given us the tools to do so.  Having learned and participated, we can now take action, whether literally or mentally, and that was Sutherland’s main objective.

Society has established rules and ideologies based on pure logic and straightforward strategies.  If we applied the principles of Psychology to Economics and Technology, we could radically alter the way we perceive situations and ultimately solve problems more effectively.  Perception can be applied to a variety of social, economical and technological issues in order to increase their efficiency, accuracy and structure.

Rory Sutherland uses a plethora of smaller concepts, explanations and examples to establish a foundation for his overarching discussion of perception.  By building upon easily digestable blocks of information, the audience is able to gather and understand more readily the concepts presented.

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Presentation Breakdown: How Great Leaders Inspire Action

So we’ve got numerous requests to do more of these TED presentation breakdowns, so we’ve thought to ourselves, “Why not feature the latest and coolest presentations?”

And that’s what we’re doing.

Today we’re featuring Simon Sinek’s “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” presentation:

Please see below our breakdown on how Sinek enchants his audience.

_____________________________________________________________

Simon Sinek

“How Great Leaders Inspire Action”

 0:00-0:28 – Begins the presentation with a series of questions to the audience

• Right off the bat, Sinek has engaged the audience with a deep question, one that actually stimulates thought and creates a tiny wisp of suspense.  There is no doubt about where the presentation is going.  Sinek is using the question to make a statement.  This is a very easy and effective way of stating a point.

 

0:30-1:18 – Continues to ask questions of the audience, but refers to 3 specific examples from modern times moving backward to the turn of the century.

• Sinek continues to ask questions of his audience, but has narrowed the focus of his questions.  He has referenced 3 major ideas of success: a company (Apple), a man (MLK) and scientific breakthrough (Wright Bros.).  By questioning very notable examples of success, Sinek has given us reason to doubt why these successes were successful.  This, in turn, has the audience craving the explanation.  Sinek has earned considerable attention.

1:18-1:35 – Shifts his questions into statements.

• He sets up the central concept of the presentation by telling us how it affected him.  We, as the audience, are now more invested in the concept that we are about to understand simply because he told us how important it was to him when he discovered it.

1:38-1:55 – Makes a very strong, clear statement that leads into explanation.

• Sinek has now given us a small taste of the central concept, of the meat, if you will.  He hasn’t yet told us the exact method by which success is achieved, but he has told us that it is the opposite of everyone else.  This is very clear and easily digestible, but it is not fully understood yet.  Sinek is still lingering on the precipice of the central concept.

1:55-2:20 – Introduces the idea of the “Golden Circle”

• We are one step further in terms of understanding the centralized concept.  Sinek has now given us something to hold on to: an image.  He has piqued our curiosity even more, and we are ready to learn.

 

2:21-3:17 – Defines the terms of the “Golden Circle” and explains its meaning as applied to inspirational leaders and groups

• Sinek has defined what he referred to earlier when he said that the great ones acted completely opposite from everyone else.  He has given meaning to his image of the “Golden Circle.”  Finally, he has explained how this concept applies to the previously mentioned subjects.  We are now primed for a thorough explanation from Sinek, which he has expertly constructed and is now prepared to deliver an example.

3:18-5:51 – Delivers a full explanation and example of how the “Golden Circle” concept works.

• Sinek dives into the central concept.  He explains how and why Apple is successful in inspiring their customers to buy the product.  This example and its subsequent explanation give meaning to all of the preparation that Sinek has built up to this point.  He even compares and contrasts companies (Apple vs. Dell) and discusses how the “Golden Circle” concept applies to both.  We are now clearly and tangibly aware of the concept that Sinek is trying to illustrate. 

5:52-7:33 – Discusses the science behind the “Golden Circle” concept

• Now that we have a decent understanding of the concept, Sinek reinforces the significance of this idea by backing it up with fact.  He has gotten our attention with the story and practices of the “Golden Circle,” but now he is justifying his claims with science, which only makes him sound more credible.  We believe in this stuff now, and Sinek is going to keep pulling us deeper into the inner workings of inspirational leadership and the passion that comes with it.

 

7:34-8:14 – Applies the scientific principle of “feeling” to “behavior” in the workplace

• Once the element of scientific foundation has been laid, Sinek shifts briefly to discuss how the “Golden Circle” principle applies to who you hire in your movement, group, company, etc.  He stresses how important it is to know why you do what you do before you actually do it.  Now Sinek is speaking directly to the audience.  He says the word “you” repeatedly, which connects with the audience as he gives them some practical tidbits of advice.

 

8:15-10:57 – Tells the story of the Wright Bros. vs. Samuel Pierpont Langley

• Sinek shifts into a story that deals with the central concept: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”  He explains how the two attempts at manned flight differed based upon their reasoning.  Once again, Sinek excels at presenting a clear image of contrasting ideals.  Just as in his comparison of Apple vs. Dell, Sinek is highlighting the successes of people who believe in what they do.  At this point in the presentation, we have seen two of the three aforementioned examples being applied to Sinek’s main point.  This story, like the one before  it and the one following it, helps to illustrate and demonstrate the main idea of the presentation.

 

10:58-13:31 – Introduces a new concept: The Law of the Diffusion of Innovation

• Sinek is shifting into another principle and applying it to another practical example.  He draws the diagram, once again giving the audience something to hold on to and use as framework for the information to come.  Sinek is keeping the audience on their toes by introducing a new concept and proposing a new idea. 

 

13:31-15:15 – Applies the Law of the Diffusion of Innovation to a failed attempt: TiVo

• Once more, Sinek is giving us an example of how one of his concepts plays out in reality.  He discusses the premise of TiVo and then why it was a colossal commercial failure.  He not only applies the Law of the Diffusion of Innovation to this example, but also includes the “Golden Circle,” building atop the foundation that he has laid thus far.  Sinek is a master of slowly and simultaneously revealing and building concepts with examples to further illustrate his points.

15:16-17:13 – Applies the Law of the Diffusion of Innovation to a successful attempt: Martin Luther King in Washington D.C. (“I Have a Dream”)

• Sinek has discussed everything thus far in order to illustrate a much larger idea.  He has given the examples, introduced and explained the concepts all so that he can reveal the true meaning of leadership in action, which is the overarching theme of this presentation.  He tells the story of Martin Luther King’s speech in Washington D.C. in 1963.  He tells how it was organized, and more importantly how King himself used The Law of the Diffusion of Innovation to spread his word, and how he used the “Golden Circle” principle to speak his beliefs.  Now that we fully understand how Apple stays innovative, how the Wright Bros. changed history and how Martin Luther King was able to congregate such a massive amount of people for a cause, Sinek is preparing us for his final revelation.

17:21-17:56 – “There are leaders, and there are those who lead.”

• This is it. This is the true and final revelation for which we have been waiting.  Sinek has cut to the core of all of his previous examples, concepts and stories to give us the meat of this presentation.  He has built up with lead-ins, subtle shifts and clear examples.  He has backed up his statements with facts, and he has captivated us with his passion.  We believe what he says because he has so clearly and so cleverly outlined, examined and explained his ideas.  There weren’t any misleading or vague moments in this presentation.  He also repeated “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” after many of his points were made.  This reinforces his main point, and gives us something to refer to and take with us.  All in all, Sinek is a clear, simple presenter that knows how to delicately and subtly build point upon point until his revelation.

_____________________________________________________________

Great leaders inspire action.  We follow these leaders not because we have to, but because we want to.  We follow them for ourselves because they speak from the “why” of their minds, not the “what.”  In order to lead, you must know why you are doing what you are doing, then you must speak from the heart and others will follow. 

Simon Sinek is a master architect of this presentation.  From the very beginning, his tactic of carefully and consistently adding layers of concepts, facts, explanations and applications gives depth and credibility to his words.  He teaches, but without overburdening his audience with instruction.  In essence, he has built a presentation from the ground up, using the very concept that he has illustrated to the audience.

We would love to hear our readers’s feedback and please keep updated with our presentation strategy updates by subscribing to our email list in the upper right hand corner titled, “Become a Presentation Rockstar.”

Midwest Entrepreneur Conference

Hey guys, these are the three presentations I referred to earlier.

Whether through small anecdotes, audience engagement, or musical numbers, these are excellent examples of speakers using storytelling to illustrate a concept or get a message across.  They all have a hero, a villain and the element of suspense.  Even if they are not obvious, these elements do exist in every good presentation.   Sometimes they can be cleverly disguised and go under the radar.

I know this post is long and tedious, but we believe that by breaking down a presentation, you can greatly enhance your own presentations.  By understanding the structure and purpose behind a great presentation, you as a presenter will learn to emulate the masters and become one yourself.

As you are watching and reading these presentations, jot some notes down and or leave a comment below.  When did the speaker say something that you liked?  Why did the speaker do this or that?  Keep track of the speaker’s tactics and methods.  These are great speakers, but remember, it’s always good to question their ways.  If you have any questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, please let me know and we can chat about them.  I would love to answer any and all questions regarding presentations!

I hope you all enjoyed my talk and will enjoy these presentations.  Have fun at the rest of the conference!

Benjamin Zander “On Music and Passion”

0:16 – Zander begins his presentation with a story, more particularly a joke.

• From the very beginning, Zander has set the tone for his talk by opening with humor and transferring the message into his first talking point.

0:40 – Ties in the initial joke with his first talking point – the future of classical music

• By creating a bridge through a joke, he has made the audience much more comfortable and prepared for the main discussion.

0:51 – Tells the audience what he is about to do in very clear terms

• Instead of simply asking a question or giving statistics, etc., Zander is very transparent in his intentions.  He tells his audience upfront that he is about to engage with them.  This honesty makes them more willing to cooperate.

1:27 – Begins to play the piano, and goes on to play through his interpretation of a child progressing in skill over many years

• This is a unique and highly entertaining way to play the piano.  Notice how Zander doesn’t simply play all the way through, but breaks up the playing with some insightful commentary and preparation for the next “age” of the child.

3:32 – Introduces the concept of “One-Buttock Playing”

• Zander has established the concept of “One-Buttock Playing” first through example, not by definition.  This is a fun way to teach or introduce an idea.

3:42 – Begins a new story implementing the aforementioned concept

• Zander is clever in his anecdotes because he ties them in nicely with his talking points.  This method integrates the fun part of storytelling or joke making into a very practical, useful form.  Zander is combining story with concept in a seamless way.

4:13 – Zander continues with his point about people’s perceptions of classical music by setting up approximate percentages of a sample group according to their taste for classical music.

• We are back to the primary stream of the talk – people and classic music.  Zander is very close to the audience now, diagnosing and making claims about the very fabric of the crowd.  He has covered every variable of his “experiment” by classifying the audience.  This classification serves to relate these sample groups of people to the audience at present.  Zander has broken them all down, and everyone has heard about himself or herself, if even slightly on target.  They are with him now because he has told them who they are in a vague sense.

5:21 – “You cannot be tone-deaf.  Nobody is tone-deaf.” – Zander makes an interesting statement that most people don’t know.

• He has created intrigue for the audience, which in turn creates room for explanation.  Throughout his presentation, Zander is keen on providing new insights and concepts that keep the audience attentive and motivated to learn more.

6:06 – Zander declares that he will make everyone who watches this talk “love and understand classical music.”

• Here it is.  Here is the promise that by the end of this discussion he will have moved us all.  Zander has made a very, very bold statement, bordering on risky.  However, this sort of premature-call-to-action technique is very powerful because it creates an incredible amount of suspense while hitting your main point.  Zander has teased the audience with his daring promise, and we are all waiting to be changed, which is exciting, right?

6:22 – Zander backs up this claim with a strong idea about leadership

• Zander has made the promise, and now he is backing up his reasoning for making such a bold statement.  He is supremely confident, and he tells us this.

6:57 – Begins to play a piece on the piano

7:44 – Makes a statement as if he is impersonating a member of the audience.

• He makes fun of the audience in this comment, but at the same time, he is identifying a universal habit of ours to wonder off in thought.  He, too admits that it is funny how we all do it.

8:11 – Zander poses a question to the audience

• Asking a question to your audience is always a good way to liven them up, get them thinking about what you’re saying.  Zander is excellent at posing a question without being awkward in awaiting a response.  He ties in the question to his next point in a way that makes you wonder at, but not worry about, the answer.  Stimulate your audience with questions, and then answer them in a unique and memorable way.  They will learn from you.

8:40 – Begins breaking down the previously played piece by explaining and characterizing the roles and purposes of musical notes

• Zander is telling the story of this piece by giving us characters and their roles in the story.  “The job of the C is to make the B sad.” This characterization of sounds gives life to the notes being played.  Then, as the notes intermingle with each other, they form a storyline.  He relates this storytelling to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Just remember, stories can be told in many ways.

12:13 – Zander relates his story to Nelson Mandela and the concept of vision over detail

• By comparing the story of a piece of music, Zander is painting a larger picture of his concept.  He has arranged the theme in such a broad scope that we, as the audience, are greatly intrigued by the upcoming replay of the piece.  Once again, Zander has built up an idea by showing an example, breaking down the example and giving it meaning.  Then, he returns to the example and allows the audience to absorb meaning independently before describing the overarching theme of the example.

12:40 – Zander gives a call to action before he plays the piece

• Zander requests of his audience to think on a deep, emotional level before we all embark on the journey of the song that is about to be played.  By asking all of us to think on a personal level and apply it to this piece, Zander is yet again increasing the suspense for the musical story that we are about to witness.  Just by default, before he even begins playing, the audience is deeply connected to the song because they are deep in thought. 

15:08 – As the audience claps after the piece, Zander quickly rises from the piano and walks off stage to clap excitedly in front of the audience.  He asks, “Now you may be wondering why I’m clapping.”  Then, Zander tells a story that relates to his clapping in a similar situation that results in a joke.

16:03 – Zander shifts into another story and ties it in with his point. “Classical music is for everybody.”

• Zander finally directly addresses the situation at hand.  He brings up the issue of moving the percentage of people who love classical music from 3 to 4%.  He is applying everything thus far into real-time, modern-day calculations and posing the question of:  what would happen if everyone loved classical music?

17:25 – Zander tells another story

• He continues to tell story after story in order to build upon his point.  He is leading up to a grand reveal, and story is a great way to showcase the concept through previous experiences. Zander tells the audience about a realization he had.  He then shares this realization in terms of a broader concept.  He shifts carefully from his epiphany to an explanation of how he changed.  He wanted to “awaken possibility in other people.”

18:05 – Zander walks along the front row, looking at people’s eyes to see if they are shining.

• Zander has coined another concept and applied to his story/epiphany.  He has expressed the notion of inspiration through this physical imagery of shining eyes.

Zander closes out his presentation with a story about living with what you say and being careful about your choice of words to others.

Message:

Passion comes from many places.  Inspiration leaps from passion and leads to understanding.  By inspiring others, whether through stories, music or actions, the world is able to grow in their understanding of life and humankind.  To inspire with passion requires the vision of a better world, belief in beautiful things.

Benjamin Zander uses firsthand stories, experiences and insights to illustrate the overarching vision of passion and inspiration.  As he plays and explains the meaning behind classical music, he is crafting an even larger example of the “vision” of which he speaks.   Zander calls us to live in a way that reflects the passion that we all possess in order to inspire others, to keep their eyes shining.

David Holt – “Mountain Music”

0:19 – Introduces first character, Aunt Zip, giving a description along with the photograph

• Right off the bat, Holt gives the audience a character to identify with and relate to.  He has set the tone for the entire presentation by beginning with a story.

0:23 – Builds character by reciting quotes

• This is subtle character development.  Holt has cleverly and successfully characterized a black-and-white photograph within thirty seconds.

0:42- Introduces accompaniment and plays music

• Music will be very instrumental (no pun intended) in this presentation.  You will see how Holt weaves his songs and stories together seamlessly to convey his passion for Appalachia.

1:25 – Continues the story with the same character, relating it to his music

• Holt sets a scene as he sings this song.  The audience feels as if they are sitting on that porch with Holt and Aunt Zip as she says “Black-eyed Suzie.”

2:15 – Banjo/Harmonica/Tap solo

2:35 – Lets the audience fill in the chorus as he sings

• By allowing the audience to chime in, Holt has not only engaged his crowd, but he has also done something very powerful and extremely subtle.  He has invested his audience much deeper in the main character by coaxing them to say exact same words.  Just as Aunt Zip said, “Black-eyed Suzie” during the chorus, the audience now says “Black-eyed Suzie.”  They have become linked with Aunt Zip .

3:07 – Introduces the next character, Ralph Stanley.  Holt tells us how he met this man, and about his experience with him.

• Holt characterizes an additional figure in his life.  He uses the black-and-white photograph once more.  This gives life to the descriptions that he is providing.

3:53 – Relates his experience with Ralph to his own journey.

• With each new character, Holt reveals an additional piece of his story, thereby extending the narrative in a subtle, eloquent way.

4:57 – Reveals how he came to the conclusion that he wanted to be a musician.  He gets some laughs.

• Holt has led up to this point in his life’s story by carefully weaving other characters into his experiences.  The audience is slowly learning bout Holt through this process, which makes him more relatable.  The audience identifies with the humor of telling his parents he “wanted to be a banjo player.”

4:16 – Begins showing a series of mentors that he has met and shared experiences with throughout his journey.  He sets these photographs to music.

• Once again, Holt is breaking up the presentation into digestible segments for the audience.  Instead of giving one long speech, he keeps his segments short and to the point then uses music to fill the gaps between points and stories.

6:00 – Ends the stream of photographs, giving some background on Ray Hicks.

• Holt transitions into this characterization of Hicks by using the last few images, but also by impersonating his voice to the audience.  The audience can appreciate an example of Hicks’ voice because it adds detail to Holts’ reference.

6:23 – Refers the audience to his site (davidholt.com)

• By referring the audience to his website, Holt is being considerate in not showing all of the people in his tale.  He is giving his viewers a taste of the stories and characters in his story, which adds value to the resource he is providing.

6:31 – Introduces a prop, the mouth bow. He gives a brief background and purpose to the object.

• The audience is curious about this instrument; a small-scale suspense factor has been added.

6:52 – Tells a short joke about the object, and gets a few laughs, then begins playing the mouth bow and singing a couple of verses.

8:08 – Holt begins to tell another story.  This time, it is a personal one about his family.

• Holt has now successfully made the full transition into his own personal story.  If you look back, you’ll see the clever way in which Holt has migrated from telling of other experiences that highlighted other characters into his own personal one.  He has now established the main character: Mr. Holt, himself.

9:59 – Holt eases into song during his story.

• Holt uses music in various ways throughout his presentation.  He has used it as a transition, then as a break and now as a storytelling supplement.  The audience can see and feel the way he and his brother felt in the cotton field that day.  It almost feels like we’re watching a musical.

11:06 – Holt tells us the moral of the story, giving us insight into what he learned.  Among several things, he touches on the fact that music makes hard work easier.

• We have now entered into a more personal conversation with Holt.  He is disclosing how he felt when he learned a lesson.  He is bringing us closer to his feelings, and therefore allowing us to hear his story in a more meaningful way.

12:09 – Plays the same song from the previous story, but asks the audience to sing along.

• Once again, Holt is including the audience in a song and prompting them to clap, which enhances engagement and makes his presentation more conversational.

14:03 – Introduces the steel guitar and provides an explanation of its history and purpose

14:39 – “This instrument pretty much saved my life.”

• This statement is startling.  It increases curiosity tenfold, and places a lot of significance on the steel guitar.  The audience is waiting for an explanation.

14:47 – Reveals that he lost his daughter in a car crash.  He tells the story of how he found happiness.

• We as the audience have now arrived at the heart of the presentation.  We have been guided by Holt into an extremely personal narrative that ties back into the theme of music and the meaning derived from it.

16:20 – Begins playing the steel guitar

• As you listen to this song, think about the story Holt has just shared.  Think about the feelings that he has just conveyed to us, his audience.  We are close to him in thought and emotion, and this music is packed with more meaning because of the “connection” to which Holt refers.

19:11 – Starts with a new topic and a new story about inventions

• Holt has completely shifted direction, mentioning “I think I’ve got time to tell you about this.”  This isn’t a standard transition, but it does keep the audience on its toes.  Holt doesn’t want to end on a sad note, so he changes the subject to a more positive one.

19:53 – “Damn, those are gonna be some big pants.”

20:02 – Holt transitions into a new story that relates to his experiences with inventing and experimenting

• Once again, Holt says, “Maybe I got time for this.”  He is having fun on stage.  He is enjoying telling story after story, which makes the audience have fun listening to it.

22:54 – “I call this Thunderwear.”

• We can see that Mr. Holt is having a lot of fun at this point. He has gotten the audience excited about his stories by being excited himself.  He ends the story on a joke, and then transitions into his final drum solo by beating on his hands, knees and chest. 

Message:

The power of music is versatile.  From enriching experiences in the Appalachian Mountains to learning lessons in the cotton fields of Texas to healing heartbreak after the death of a loved one, music transforms life into a fantastic reality. 

David Holt’s presentation tells a story that involves many characters in many places, but the overarching theme of the story is a personal reflection on musical intervention.  Holt carefully and expertly blends a few outside stories with his own commentary to produce an interwoven examination into the sights and sounds of life and its experiences.

J.J. Abrams “Mystery Box”

• :21 – 24

o Loosens up audience with humor

• :40 -1:08

o Addresses theme for presentation: “mystery”

• 1:09

o Introduces personal story

o Tells the presentation like a story, not like a pitch

o How the grandfather impacted Abrams

o Shows how important he sees his grandfather; he characterizes his grandfather throughout so that the audience can relate to the grandfather in later examples and feel the way that Abrams does about the grandfather. Everyone’s on the same page.

o This is a pivotal moment in the presentation where he established an emotional connection.

• From this point on, Abrams will nurture the connection he has forged with the audience by showcasing further character traits and concepts that will reinforce Abrams’ points.

• 2:07

o Paints a picture of himself interacting and being influenced by this character (his grandfather)

• 2:15

o Shows props for visual aid

o Builds up how Abrams loves boxes

• 2:44

o His grandfather inspired him to make stuff

• 2:47

o Lends credibility to his grandfather for planting the idea of film in Abrams’ mind

• 2:55

o Shows the importance of his grandfather’s gift and how important it was for him in the beginning

• 3:37

o Ties the story together

o It helped Abrams’ realize his dream of making things

o Abrams is revealing the theme of this introduction—the point of the story: why he’s so inclined to make things (his grandfather’s influence)

• 3:45

o Beginning of second story

• 3:59

o Set the scene

o Elevators leading to the magic shop

o Magical atmosphere in a magic shop

o Using powerful words and imagery to make the audience feel like they are witnessing the setting

• 4:03

o Demonstrates a magic trick

o Further emphasizes the story (gives credibility to the story)

• 4:13

o Unveils an object, which creates suspense

o Tied this together very well by introducing the magic shop

• 4:37

o Tells the audience his thought process, which induces the audience’s thought process

• 5:01

o Culmination of all the questions

o Leads to a final questions: “why have I not opened it?”

• 5:07

o Answers all the previous questions and reveals the point of this second story: it represents his grandfather

• 5:10

o Pauses for effect

• 5:23

o Reveals a deeper meaning to the box: it represents infinite possibility

o His grandfather helped him to realize what infinite possibility means

• 5:35

o Defines what the box means to him and how it has led him to do what he does

o Sets the stage for the audience to relate as well

o If it makes him feel this way, the audience begins to feel the same way

• 5:42

o “Mystery is the catalyst for imagination”

o This is the theme of the entire presentation

o He has tied together the themes of the last two stories to illustrate a larger point

o This is the “profound statement” that Abrams mentioned earlier (TED told him to be profound)

• 5:46

o Begins telling another story

o “Mystery is more important than knowledge” is the initial statement that sparks this story

• 5:56

o Revisits the mystery box concept, but explores it and how it relates to his own work

• 6:05

o Talks about the process of writing “Lost”

o Relating this process to the theme of the story

o “What could this be?” is a question that invites the audience to think about the mystery that was involved when creating “Lost”

• 6:13

o Addresses the audience by saying “I’m sure you all know people..”

o He highlights that there was no time for these kind of questions, saying that it “is kind of amazing” actually

• 6:32

o Shows a clip from “Lost”

o The audience is now on the same page

• Everyone is now aware of the feel of “Lost”

• 7:33

o Tells a joke

• 8:01

o “That blank page is a magic box”

o Powerful metaphor

o Also relates back to the mystery box concept

• 8:38

o “What are stories but mystery boxes?” is a question that reinforces the metaphor

o The blank page is now filled up with stories, which then turn into more and more mystery boxes

• 8:45

o Lays out the concept of stories

o The first act is the teaser

o Makes the transition from concept of stories being like mystery boxes to the implementation of the concept into storytelling

• 8:48

o Gives examples of implementation of concept with storytelling

o Star Wars

• 9:19

o Shifts into another type of mystery: imagination

• 9:30 +

o Withholding information (a.k.a. mystery boxes) makes stories more compelling and meaningful

• 10:00

o Final thoughts about the mystery box

o Transitions into a new meaning of mystery box concept

• 10:03

o Setting the stage for the next theme of the story: “What you think you’re getting, then what you’re really getting.”

• 10:10

o Using a story (movie) to illustrate the point of mystery boxes as examples of character development

o The mystery box concept applies to these stories (E.T., Die Hard, Jaws) because the underlying meaning is masked by the surface premise of the films (i.e. ET is really about a divorce and a family and a little kid who has lost his way, but on the surface is about an alien and a kid)

• 10:40

o Uses an example (clip from Jaws) to illustrate the previously stated theme and further enhance his point

o It shows the audience (physically shows them) what specifically he is talking about

o Everyone is on the same page and can clearly comprehend the connections being made between concept and example

• 12:28

o Abrams sees that the investment of character is really inside the box

• 12:45

o “Ultimately, you know, the mystery box is all of us.”

• 12:49

o Metaphor

o Movie theater is a big mystery box

• 13:12

o Identifies himself as an apple fanatic, which is why he watches Steve Jobs and how Jobs relates back to the mystery box himself

o Transition into another story that will be used as an example

• 13:35

o The mystery box has come full circle (apple products inspired him to create “Lost”, and in turn “Lost” is used to sell apple products)

• 14:00

o Relates back to the grandfather in his example of the tools that people have now, he only had limited access to when he was a kid

o Technology is more accessible now than it used to be (when he was a kid)

• 14:22

o “The most incredible sort of mystery, I think, is now the question of what comes next.”

• 14:26

o The creation of media is everywhere

• 14:35

o There is much more opportunity out there than what Abrams was exposed to when he was a kid

• 15:12

o “No community is best served when only the elite have control”

o Revealing the theme: anyone can create mystery boxes

• 15:33

o Scene from Mission Impossible 3

• 16:57

o Talks about a scene in MI3

o Incorporates the Super 8 camera from the first story of the presentation

o This brings back his original theme of making things and using the tools and the innovation that he used and learned from as a child

o These lessons and tools are applied to his current work

• 17:51

o “The mystery box, in honor of my grandfather, stays closed.”

o This ties up the entire theme of the presentation: the mystery box, with the examples and explanations of the lessons learned from his grandfather.

Message:

Movies can be made and stories can be told by anyone using technology that is accessible to them. This, combined with the compelling “mystery box” factor, allows the creation of quality entertainment to be possible.

All of the elements in this presentation are equally important and play different roles in telling Abrams’ story. The description of his grandfather, the various movie clips and even the slight pauses are all manufactured by Abrams as a way to tell a fantastic, magical story.

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