Talking
Talking-Esports-FINAL-2 Talking-Esports-FINAL-2
Many are not aware of these skills even when they use themproperly, but when used and improved upon they can make up forshortfalls in a non-broadcast voice. Likewise, they are essential skillsto perfect even if you do have a TV-friendly voice.INFLECTIONFigure out what you are saying and how you want it delivered. Ifyou want to come across as more confident (for whatever reason),practice how to end a sentence on a downward inflection. If youwant to use surprise in your voice or exude excitement, learn howto end the sentence on an upward inflection.PROJECTIONMany people get confused between projection and volume, and thetwo are very different. Projection can help with improving volume,but its main purpose is to ease the strain on your voice while stillallowing those listening to fully hear and understand you.ENUNCIATIONIt sounds simple, but open your mouth wider. It will help you enunciatemuch better, and if you find yourself tripping over words whentalking quickly, opening your mouth and extending your jaw willhelp you with this. You can also improve enunciation by breathingbetter and for example just before you start on what you think willbe a long period of fast talking.Remember that it isn’t just your mouth or your vocal chords butalso your tongue control that matters when enunciating properly. Ifyou work to keep it wider and flatter, this will also help.You can also try standing up, something many of today’s commentatorsoften do as this allows you to open your lungs wider and be39
more expressive at the same time. You’ll be amazed by how mucheasier it is to enunciate when standing up compared to sitting(slouching, usually) in a chair.PACINGDepending on the type of game you cover, controlling the pace ofthe commentary can also help your voice. Speeding up and slowingdown not only helps the flow of the commentary but also aids youin gaining control over your voice. It can inject excitement at theright time and through not only speaking fast at the right time butalso knowing when to not talk at all.SAVING YOUR VOICE (AKA AVOIDING A SORETHROAT)Over time and particularly during an event weekend or long periodof broadcasting, it is inevitable that you will get a sore throat. Almostall of the commentators I have worked with, including me,have got a sore throat at some point during a long event.You can avoid this most annoying of afflictions by adjusting yourattitude towards the weekend of an event, for example:.Avoid excessive work day after day. Obviously the moreyou do, the more likely you are to stretch your vocalchords, so avoid overworking them, take a few days offduring the week and try not to do seven days a week forten hours a day.Work on how you actually use your voice. Most commentators,especially in the early days, will shout. You don’t actuallyneed to shout! You can learn how to project your40
- Page 1 and 2: Talking EsportsA guide to becoming
- Page 3 and 4: CAMERAS! ..........................
- Page 5 and 6: INTRODUCTIONIt doesn’t matter if
- Page 7 and 8: HOW ON EARTH DID WE GET HERE?We’v
- Page 9 and 10: on a dedicated gaming channel (Xlea
- Page 11 and 12: BROADCAST ROLESBefore I jump in to
- Page 13 and 14: STREAMINGStreaming is an important
- Page 15 and 16: If you get stuck, remember that the
- Page 17 and 18: GOING PUBLICWhen you’re ready to
- Page 19 and 20: Using the same words over and over
- Page 21 and 22: I could spend an age analysing why
- Page 23 and 24: THE KEYS TO SUCCESS ON ANY FORMATRe
- Page 25 and 26: I’ve included a recent spreadshee
- Page 27 and 28: GAME-SPECIFIC PREPARATIONIf you are
- Page 29 and 30: efore the tournament. Make sure you
- Page 31 and 32: Likewise, being professional doesn
- Page 33 and 34: So how do you deal with all these?L
- Page 35 and 36: self saving them occasionally, but
- Page 37 and 38: emember that very few people are an
- Page 39: THE VOICEI won’t lie to you here:
- Page 43 and 44: son as to why you should avoid alco
- Page 45 and 46: That said, stamping your own person
- Page 47 and 48: If you work on your own, it’s rel
- Page 49 and 50: STORYLINESAnother area often underu
- Page 51 and 52: a broadcast. That means, above all
- Page 53 and 54: HOSTING AND PRESENTINGOne of the mo
- Page 55 and 56: For large tournaments in arenas, it
- Page 57 and 58: GRAPHICS AND STORYLINESUp to this p
- Page 59 and 60: even four different cameras to use.
- Page 61 and 62: There is an old saying that you can
- Page 63 and 64: the conversation can often lead to
- Page 65 and 66: The simplest and easiest way to do
- Page 67 and 68: THROWSThe art of throwing is one th
- Page 69 and 70: ENHANCED THROWSOnce you’re comfor
- Page 71 and 72: or it hasn’t been produced until
- Page 73 and 74: COPING WITH NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND A
- Page 75 and 76: You can also talk to others in the
- Page 77 and 78: your goals and ambitions and ensure
- Page 79 and 80: Many of the newer commentators who
- Page 81 and 82: What do you bring to the event in a
- Page 83 and 84: ansom even by the top commentators
- Page 85 and 86: ADVERTISING & SOCIAL MEDIAWhen it c
- Page 87 and 88: COMMON MISTAKES (AKA THE GIBBS BROA
- Page 89 and 90: 22. No swearing - ‘idiot’ is fi
Many are not aware of these skills even when they use themproperly, but when used and improved upon they can make up forshortfalls in a non-broadcast voice. Likewise, they are essential skillsto perfect even if you do have a TV-friendly voice.INFLECTIONFigure out what you are saying and how you want it delivered. Ifyou want to come across as more confident (for whatever reason),practice how to end a sentence on a downward inflection. If youwant to use surprise in your voice or exude excitement, learn howto end the sentence on an upward inflection.PROJECTIONMany people get confused between projection and volume, and thetwo are very different. Projection can help with improving volume,but its main purpose is to ease the strain on your voice while stillallowing those listening to fully hear and understand you.ENUNCIATIONIt sounds simple, but open your mouth wider. It will help you enunciatemuch better, and if you find yourself tripping over words whentalking quickly, opening your mouth and extending your jaw willhelp you with this. You can also improve enunciation by breathingbetter and for example just before you start on what you think willbe a long period of fast talking.Remember that it isn’t just your mouth or your vocal chords butalso your tongue control that matters when enunciating properly. Ifyou work to keep it wider and flatter, this will also help.You can also try standing up, something many of today’s commentatorsoften do as this allows you to open your lungs wider and be39
Change language