Advice and help needed please.

[Guest]

Hi folks i find myself being asked to exhibit some of my stuff on 12th july at the ellesmere port boat museum and i don't mind telling you iam bricking it, they have asked me to talk a little about my work...so has anyone else done this and can you offer any advice from someone who is now panicking a great deal? any advice is more than welcome.

scottuppet:

[spanner570]

Scott, the answer is simple..ish. Be yourself. Talk as if to a mirror,

I have talked in public a few times and always adoped the well proven theme......Open with a good one liner, end the same and keep those two as close together as you can!!

I hope to be there and would like to help if I can.

I tell you mate, once you are set up, you really will enjoy it.

What an honour to be asked to give a talk on model making, you must be well chuffed. I wish you all the best.

Cheers,

Ron

[AFC]

Hi Scott, nothing can go wrong...that's my bday so a great day will be

jokes apart, I've learned that when you talk about something you are good at and you love so much, nothing can go wrong.

best of luck

[Guest]

aint that wierd, thats my birthday as well......and i have never been in to the boat museum, might pop in to see you scott

[Gern]

Hi Scott,

I appreciate how you feel! The first time I had to talk in public was when I started teaching. It was my second day and I was given a group of about 15 teenage girls and told to go and teach them some maths! Talk about scary!

If it's any help, keep it simple and talk about what you know best (Which is just about what the other lads have suggested). It will help if you've got samples of your work for them to see - folks always like something to look at. If you won't be able to point at your exhibits, take some stuff you can show to illustrate whatever point you want to make.

You should also try and get some idea from the organisers on how long you should make your talk. If they want 10 minutes, try and put together 20 minute's worth of stuff. You can always miss bits out, but it's very embarrassing to run out of material too soon. Ask me how I know! If you're any good, - and you will be able to tell if they want you to finish or if they want more - your audience will appreciate the extra.

Gern

PS Ron's right. If you do grab your audience, you will LOVE the experience.

[Guest]

I still vividly remember my first public "engagement" at the company's annual dinner-dance, which was thrown at me, with about 6 hours notice, due to illness. How I got to my feet, with shaking knees, I'll never know, but I spotted a friend, about two tables away, so I addressed my speech directly to him, knowing that he was on my side. If you can find a friend, out there, or someone who appears supportive (or extremely pretty!) try the same thing, and don't be afraid to make notes, beforehand, referring to them if need-be. Remember that your audience will be there because they want to be, but don't overdo the jokes, and don't get too technical. Take some liquid adhesive, and show them how it's possible to stick parts (old sprues, preferably) together, instantly, without mess, or a foul smell (parents will love that,) and you can pass the glued assemblies around to show that there's no need for glue to go everywhere. Take an airbrush, and spray ink onto sheets of paper held on a clipboard, even signing your name on one (that goes down a storm.)

Edgar

[Guest]

I agree with Dave above ... standing/sitting in front of a bunch of teenagers trying to get them to understand the basics of a topic is scarey the first few times .. you get to relax a bit from then on.

Once you get used to speaking at events/lectures etc it's easier to hold and associate with a small audience, as you can involve them in some way .. you will probably have to involve your audience visually so - if i were to do this talk - i would take in some visual aids to assist.

Also, Dave's right again ... if you have to talk for 15 mins .. get a 25-30 minute talk sorted and have a watch on the table to look at with your notes ... it doesn't look good if you're always looking at your wrist for the time .. just looks like you want to get out of there and the audience will pick up on it and their interest will waver (ask me how I know that )

Depending on the level of knowledge of the audience (i'll bet there's some that have no idea what goes into making a model)......here's a few ideas you can either dismiss or take on board if i may offer them.

Take in a new, unbuilt model in a box and use this to explain how the model is first formed by showing the sprues. (maybe show how you take the pieces off the sprue explaining the importance of damage limitation to each piece etc)

Explain in brief why the plans are written in the way they are (i.e for the order of the build)

have a selection of tools with you, and maybe some tools you have inovated - i'll bet there's a few modellers that will get some ideas from you on that one.

Have a selection of paints, glues etc and give a brief summery of their capabilities and applications

Maybe touch upon scratch building and give a brief example of what you can achieve with scraps and odds and sods.

Inject a little humour by mentioning that we use ordinary household chemicals etc to build our models (i.e. Klear) maybe crack a joke about the missus having to "infiltrate the den to look for her cleaning stuff so she can get on with the housework"

you could take another, larger, finished model in to show weathering effects and explain this process.

If possible you could ask the "officials" if there's enough time for a little "question and answer" (if the audience is small enough) at the end of the talk

Mention this when you start your talk and the audience will show more interest in your talk as most people like to participate in these situations - if only to show off a little with their own knowledge, it'll help your relationship with the audience a lot though as they will be paying more attention.

Above all ... have fun ..you'll want to do it again i can assure you

[Ian M]

Don't start with "unaccustomed as I am......"

Do wear a shirt and tie or some thing smart, You dont want them thinking "anorak" the minute you walk on stage.....

Thats All I have to offer, except try to relax and have fun with it.

Ian M

[Guest]

Ok up date what i've been told is that it is the ellesmere port model boat club who meet at the boat club in ellesmere port, they meet on the 2 tuesday every month, my work has been seen by one of their members who regularly use the station so he gave me the chairmans number. He asked i i minded bringing some of my kits along and be prepared to talk a little to some of the members who will have questions about them, i made him aware that my genre is WWII armour but he told me it doesn't matter, so not a grand arena but iam still bricking it lol.

scott

[Guest]

Hi Scott

Though I have had the same experience a number of times it does not get easier but that is not a bad thing as I think you are at your best when the adrenalinis running.

Except I found a few ways. First is to give yourself confidence & get the audience with you.

Found a good way is to ask them straight off if any of them have made any models themselves. If you can get an answer then asked them what they have made what scale they & you will then relax. If nobody has ask them if they would like to have a go. If you can get the audience involved I then have found it is very relaxing & have enjoyed the experience from then on.

Another good idea is to have your models on the table in front of the audience & invite them as an opening gambit to crowd around & have a look at your models. Get them to name the models & age of the aircraft or which ever models you are showing. Then get them to sit.

Also make sure you are close to the audience. There is nothing worse than having a lot of space to the front row.

Tell them they can interrupt & ask questions at any time. As somebody has mentioned make sure you do your homework & have a bullet points structured crib.

Best of luck. Let us know how you got on.

Laurie

[stona]

I think,crucially,you know what you are talking about. Stick to that,don't try to be Tommy Cooper and you'll be fine.

Cheers

Steve