Speaker Package
TED BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
Table of Contents Welcome ................................................................................................. 4 Background & Theme ............................................................................. 5 Preparation ............................................................................................. 6 TED Illustrated Speaker Guide ............................................................... 8 TEDx Commandments ............................................................................ 9 Important Dates & Ticket Information ..................................................... 10
Speaker Release Form ............................................................................ 14 TED Speaker Guide ................................................................................. 16
Welcome to TEDxAntioch Once again, congratulations for being selected to be part of TEDxAntioch: One Voice We were overwhelmed with the quality of our speaker applications, and it was no easy task selecting which ideas to feature. Ultimately, we selected you because we believe in your ability to communicate the at the heart of TED’s overall mission: you’ve got an idea worth spreading.
taken lightly. Not only will you will be presenting to a select audience from Antioch, but your talk will be accessible online and in podcast form, and may even end up on TED.com where most talks are viewed by at least 100,000 times, and some have several million views. Take a minute to think about that. Don’t worry though. The team behind TEDxAntioch is here to offer our full support, and we’ve built tools and a timeline to help you develop the best talk of your lives. You should never hesitate to approach us with any of your concerns or feedback; we’re learning too. We aren’t your boss, we’re your ally. The success of TEDxAntioch depends on our collective ability to bring out the best in everyone.
For promotional purposes, please keep in mind that this event is independently organized under a license from TED. It is not TED proper. Please do not make that confusion when you’re spreading your exciting news. You are welcome to begin spreading the news about your invitation to speak at TEDxAntioch! We are very excited and proud of Antioch, TN and would love for you to begin sharing that we will be hosting
TEDxAntioch, not “Nashville,” “TEDTalk(s),” or “TED.” You may write or say that you are giving a TEDx Talk or that you are speaking at TEDxAntioch. On social media, refer to TEDxAntioch as #TEDxAntioch, @TEDxAntioch. Or TEDxAntioch. Refrain from saying or writing: “TEDx in Nashville” or “TED Conference” This message and the attachments make up the TEDxAntioch Speakers Package. Please take the time to read through the material and make note of the requested timelines and deadlines. We’re working hard to make this an excellent program and a great opportunity for you to share your idea. Please help by making sure we receive everything on time. Congratulations once again! Sincerely, The TEDxAntioch Team
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Background: The goal of every TED Talk is not just to tell a story, or to inspire or invoke emotions -- it’s simply to communicate an idea. We are seeking to give the global TED community access to perspectives they may not otherwise encounter. If you have an idea of what topic you would like to tackle, search www.ted. com to see if that topic has already been done and if you can offer a different perspective. If you’ve made it this far, you probably have a good sense of what TED and TEDxAntioch are. We’ll skip most of the background, but to summarize, TED is an event based on the mantra of “ideas worth spreading”. Similarly, TEDxAntioch aims to bring the same experience to Antioch and to give community members the platform to share their own ideas. If you’re eager to know more, brush up on some history at: TED: http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/5 TEDx: www.ted.com/tedx TEDxAntioch: www.tedxAntioch.com
OUR THEME: TEDxAntioch: One Voice
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Your TEDxAntioch Talk Preparation
Setting out.
Developing your content.
Timing.
Let’s set one thing straight: TED presenters might make their TEDTalks look effortless, but there are hours of thinking, preparing, practicing, slide revision, and memorization involved behind each spectacular Talk.
Your TEDxTalk should be focused and sharp. It should go deep rather than broad. It should include visuals that develop your ideas, rather than distract from your purpose. It can include unique aspects of your personal experience or projects, but these examples should be powerful, illuminating and succinct.
TEDTalks don’t usually run longer than 18 minutes. At TEDxAntioch, however, the talks will be even shorter. Everybody’s case will be a bit different, but presenters
We expect the same.
There is absolutely no toleration for corporate, political, or religious plugs from stage. That is an abuse of the TEDx platform.
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presentation into 8 to 15 minutes.
Your TEDxAntioch Talk Preparation
Speaker Tips
Visuals
We hate to murder a cliché, but practice really does make perfect. The ideal presenter will be speak slowly and clearly, will deliver his or her speech mostly by memory, will be passionate and engaging,
Less is more.
technical glitches or memory lapses. Once you take a look at our timeline for preparation, you’ll see some benchmarks we set for these presentations. Of course, we
Ask for help.
If at any point you have a question (regardless of how trivial you think A single, strong, graphic image it may be), please do not be afraid or succinct line of text will tell to ask us. We are here to help you your story better than a crowded make the best talk possible and collage or packed paragraph. we are more than willing to help Remember, people need to you out. process everything you’re saying while simultaneously absorbing your slides. Rather than one complex slide, show several slides, each with one idea, image or data point.
commitments you probably have, but Please eliminate slides that are we do expect you to rehearse, and essentially Headline + Bulletrehearse, and rehearse. Points. These can get very tired. You should refer frequently to the We will be looking over your TED Commandments – 10 tips for slides with you too, and making speakers on our next few pages. sure they’re in line with our Tech Take a look at presentation guides Specs. like Garr Reynolds’ blog (www. presentationzen.com) or Nancy Duarte’s Slide:ology blog (blog. duarte.com)
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The TED Commandments and Speaker Suggestions: These ten tips are given to all TED Conference speakers as they prepare their TED Talks. They can help your TEDx speakers craft talks that will have a profound impact on your audience.
1. Dream big Strive to create the best talk you have ever given. Reveal something never seen and heard before. Do something the audience will remember forever. Share an idea that could change the world.
2. Show us the real you Share your passions, your dreams, your fears. Be vulnerable. Talk about failure as well as success.
3. Discuss complex issues in plain talk Don’t try to dazzle people with your intellect or speak in abstractions. Explain everything.
4. Make us laugh! Make us cry!
5. Don’t boast. It’s the surest way to switch everyone’s attention off.
6. No selling from the stage! Don’t even think about pitching your products or services or asking for funding from stage.
7. criticize. Controversy energizes! Enthusiastic endorsement is powerful!
8. 9. End your talk on time Doing otherwise is to steal time from the speakers who follow you. We won’t allow it.
10. Rehearse your talk Try it in front of a trusted friend for timing, clarity and impact.
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Important Dates (Send all materials as an electronic attachment to tedxantioch@gmail.com) 1. you elect to send a black and white photo, we’ll accept that. A biographical description of you. This material will be used by our emcee, in publicity, and in the
(Send all materials as an electronic attachment to tedxantioch@gmail.com) 1. The title of your presentation along with a paragraph or two which describes the idea you’ll be sharing. (We will be working these ideas out with you, so if you are stumped, please do not worry) A TED/TEDx Talk is not a speech; it is a sharing of an idea, argument, or position that inspires onlookers to action. Please remember this when planning your title. A blog post of at least 500 but not more than 1000 words. We’ll share the blog under your name on the TEDxAntioch web site prior to the program. (If you need help, we have an editor on staff to edit)
(Send all materials as an electronic attachment to tedxantioch@gmail.com) 1. An outline of your presentation. Keep in mind you’ll be presenting your idea to an informed audience. They’ll be attending because they’re interested in learning. We encourage you to focus on one unique aspect of your idea rather than attempting to be too broad. And, remember, this is an idea to be shared and not a sales pitch for a product or service. Speeches in this format will be pulled. The Speaker Waiver form. A copy of the form is included in this document. Please read it carefully and contact Teresa Vasquez-Terry, EdD, TEDxAntioch Curator if you have any questions. (tedxantioch@ gmail.com) 3. discuss your outline.
Dr. Terry has experience with coaching speakers. We’re asking that you schedule at least one (1) meeting with her prior to the beginning of October. When you meet with her, be prepared to share your presentation, including visuals, in the way you’ll be presenting on October 18th. You will hear from her in the near future with some dates and times when she will be available to meet with you.
We are arranging with The Crossings Event Center to allow you an opportunity to do a complete rehearsal of your presentation. We are working towards having the studio and stage set and ready the week before the event. We are asking that you do this because TEDxAntioch will be in an event center with 4 cameras, television lighting, a video projector and video monitors. Since this is not the usual setting for most people making presentations, a full rehearsal is very important. Please indicate at least two times that would be
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convenient for your rehearsal. We will schedule the time slots once we hear from everyone. Just drop an email to us with the date and times you could be available. tedxantioch@gmail.com.
Tickets Because our license only allows 100 attendees, which includes volunteers, TEDxAntioch tickets are a hot
All audience members must RSVP prior to the event as we will have registration the morning of the event due to the limit on audience members. If you will not need your tickets, please consider giving them back to the TEDxAntioch team to redistribute in the Antioch community.
Speaker Practice Sessions go ahead and mark these dates off on your calendar so that we can make the most of these times. While attending all three weeks are not mandatory, we would like a full-run through of your talk presented on at least one of those dates.
Technical Specifications Things to keep in mind when formulating slides.
Your Powerpoint presentation will be run off our laptops and projected onto a screen behind you, unless you require something different for your presentation. Please refer to these specs as guidelines, but be prepared that they may be subject to change.
Image Size
SQUARESCREEN (4:3 aspect ratio) : 800x600 (low res)
Title Safe would when typing on a piece of paper. This ensures that everyone will be able to read your slides.
Text Size You rarely need more than six lines of text on a slide. Often, only a line or two will do. Think of text as an image. Slide image size
Minimum font size
Text Clarity Sans-serif fonts (like Helvetica) are easier to read at a distance than serif fonts (like Times New Roman). To avoid last-minute glitches
Technical Specifications Things to keep in mind when formulating slides.
Background A simple, elegant background behind your text should be used to complement and enhance the readability of your words. If using a dark or black background, you may want to make the text bold.
Use high-resolution pictures and graphics. Full-quality photos from a digital camera will look better than images pulled off the web. You must properly license all images for TED’s use in worldwide video and web distribution. Don’t grab images from the web unless they are clearly licensed under Creative Commons for use. For data graphs or charts, be sure to follow the minimum font size guidelines above for all text, including labels on x- and y-axes and data points.
Useful examples Five presentations featuring clean, crisp, effective design that worked live at TED, and also online.
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/1
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/187
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/161
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/148
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TEDxAntioch PERMISSION RELEASE Please complete this form, make copies for your records and email to your TEDxAntioch contact: [Dr. Teresa Vasquez-Terry; tedxantioch@gmail.com]
TEDxAntioch (“TEDxAntioch”) will be recording all the presentations at the TEDxAntioch event to be held October 18, 2014 (the “Event”). TEDxAntioch is operated under license of TED Conferences LLC (“TED”). Beyond the Event, the goal of both TED and TEDxAntioch is to spread great ideas, by making these presentations freely and widely available to a global audience. This release (the “Release”) will serve as our agreement concerning your participation at the Event. In consideration for the platform provided to you, and in support of the goal of “ideas worth spreading,” you grant TEDxAntioch, TED, and other entities — e.g., broadcasters — as TEDxAntioch or TED may designate from at the Event (the “Presentation”) and to distribute, broadcast, edit, translate (as discussed below) or otherwise disseminate it, without any further approval from you, in whole or in part, throughout the world, in perpetuity, in any and all media now known or hereafter developed. This grant to the TED Parties includes, but is not limited to, the right to use the Presentation either alone or together with supporting information, such as your name, voice, photograph, likeness and biographical data (collectively, “Supporting Information”). Examples of permitted uses of the Presentation and Supporting Information include displaying the Presentation on the TEDx YouTube channel or on TED’s website, TED.com; broadcasting the Presentation on television; iTunes. TEDxAntioch and TED encourage intelligent public debate around each presentation. Accordingly, your Presentation may be distributed under a “Creative Commons” license, which allows each distributed presentation to be re-published in non-commercial, non-derivative works, as long as appropriate credit is given and the presentation is not edited or distorted. By signing this Release, you acknowledge and agree that you do not object to the distribution of the Presentation by the TED Parties under a Creative Commons license. TEDxAntioch and TED place a great emphasis on reaching a global audience. To achieve this goal, your Presentation may be translated into any language. Translators follow the guidelines established through TED’s Open Translation Project. By signing this release, you acknowledge and agree that you do not object to having your Presentation and Supporting Information translated in this way. In addition, you understand and agree that: (i) TEDxAntioch and TED aren’t obligated to use the Presentation or Supporting Information in any way; (ii) you won’t receive any form of payment in connection with the use of the Presentation and/or Supporting Information; and (iii) you may not revoke the rights granted in this Release. Release; (ii) you are the sole author of the Presentation; (iii) you own all rights to the Presentation, including, but not limited to, all copyrights and trademark rights; (iv) you will advise TEDxAntioch in writing of all thirdparty material contained in the Presentation (to which you have not secured all necessary rights); and (v) use of the Presentation as permitted by this Release will not violate the rights of any third party. If any third party claims that the use of the Presentation violates its rights, you agree to cooperate fully with TEDxAntioch and TED to defend against or otherwise respond to such claim.
This Release contains the entire understanding between you and TEDxAntioch regarding the Presentation and/
Name (Signed)
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Date For people under the age of 18, a parent or guardian’s name and signature:
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This Release shall be exclusively governed by New York law without regard to choice-of-law principles. Any dispute concerning the Presentation and/or Supporting Information, or arising out of or relating to this Release, shall be resolved in the courts of the State of New York.
Speaker Guide You’ve been selected to give a TEDx Talk. Congrats! You’re doing great so far. Now what? Over the years we’ve come up with a few dos and don’ts on how to give a great talk. Though these steps are in no way comprehensive, they contain some guiding principles that have been known to work. Step 1: Get familiar with the form » Step 2: Develop an idea » Step 3: Make an outline and script » Step 4: Create slides » Step 5: Rehearse » Step 6: Give your talk » Step 7: Savor the glory »
1) Get familiar with the form What is a TEDx Talk? TEDx Talks are a showcase for speakers presenting well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes. If you haven’t seen a TEDx Talk, go to TED.com and watch at least one. Like this one: Phil Plait: How to defend Earth from asteroids
Why 18 minutes? Because it works. An audience is good at focusing on one subject at a time in relatively short chunks.
But, really, can I go over 18 minutes? No -- it wouldn't be a TEDx Talk. The time limit is part of what makes TEDx Talks work. And remember: Shorter talks are not lesser talks. It may only take 5 minutes to make your point unforgettably. Like this one: Joe Smith: How to use a paper towel
2) Develop an idea What makes a good idea for a talk? Like a good magazine article, your idea can be new or surprising, or challenge a belief your audience already has. Or it can be a great basic idea with a compelling new argument behind it. An idea isn’t just a story or a list of facts. A good idea takes evidence or observations and draws a larger conclusion.
Do I need to be an expert on my topic? You do not need to be the world’s foremost expert on the topic, but you do have to be an expert. Please remember that the audience relies on you to give accurate information, so whatever you say in your talk, please fact-check — especially facts you may take for granted: statistics, historical anecdotes, scientific stats. If you're drawing an example from a discipline that is not your main area of knowledge, use research from widely accepted and peer-reviewed sources, and, if at all possible, consult with experts directly.
Is my idea ready?
Write your idea down in one or two sentences. Ask yourself three questions: Is my idea new? Are you telling people something you're pretty sure they have not heard before? Is it interesting? Think about how your idea might apply to a room full of varied kinds of people. Who might be interested in it? Is it factual and realistic? If you are presenting new research, make sure your idea is backed by data and peerreviewed. If you are presenting a call to action, make sure it can be executed by members of your audience. If you answered “no” to any of these questions, refine your idea. Ask someone you respect who doesn’t work in your field, and if they answer “no” to any of these questions, refine your idea. If your TEDx event organizing team answers “no” to any of these questions, refine your idea.
3) Make an outline and script What is the best structure for a talk? There are many theories on the best structure for a great presentation. (Nancy Duarte presents one here.) There’s no single trick to it, but here is at least one structure that we’ve found to work particularly well:
1. Start by making your audience care, using a relatable example or an intriguing idea. 2. Explain your idea clearly and with conviction. 3. Describe your evidence and how and why your idea could be implemented. 4. End by addressing how your idea could affect your audience if they were to accept it. Whatever structure you decide on, remember: 1. The primary goal of your talk is to communicate an idea effectively, not to tell a story or to evoke emotions. These are tools, not an end in themselves.
2. Your structure should be invisible to the audience. In other words, don’t talk about how you’re going to talk about your topic – just talk about it! Introduction A strong introduction is crucial. • Draw in your audience members with something they care about. -
If it’s a topic the general TED audience thinks about a lot, start with a clear statement of what the idea is.
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If it’s a field they never think about, start off by invoking something they do think about a lot and relate that concept to your idea.
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If the idea is something fun, but not something the audience would ever think about, open with a surprising and cool fact or declaration of relevance (not a statistic!).
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If it’s a heavy topic, find an understated and frank way to get off the ground; don’t force people to feel emotional.
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Get your idea out as quickly as possible.
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Don’t focus too much on yourself.
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Don’t open with a string of stats.
Body In presenting your topic and evidence: • Make a list of all the evidence you want to use: Think about items that your audience already knows about and the things you’ll need to convince them of. -
Order all of the items in your list based on what a person needs to know before they can understand the next point, and from least to most exciting. Now cut out everything you possibly can without losing the integrity of your argument. You will most likely need to cut things that you think are important. ‣
Consider making this list with a trusted friend, someone who isn’t an expert in your field.
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Spend more time on new information: If your audience needs to be reminded of old or common information, be brief.
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Use empirical evidence, and limit anecdotal evidence.
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Don’t use too much jargon, or explain new terminology.
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(Respectfully) address any controversies in your claims, including legitimate counterarguments, reasons you might be wrong, or doubts your audience might have about your idea.
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Don’t let citations interrupt the flow of your explanation: Save them for after you’ve made your point, or place them in the fine print of your slides.
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Slides: Note anything in your outline that is best expressed visually and plan accordingly in your script. See Step 4.
Conclusion • Find a landing point in your conclusion that will leave your audience feeling positive toward you and your idea's chances for success. Don’t use your conclusion to simply summarize what you’ve already said; tell your audience how your idea might affect their lives if it’s implemented. •
Avoid ending with a pitch (such as soliciting funds, showing a book cover, using corporate logos).
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If appropriate, give your audience a call to action.
Script Once you’re settled on your outline, start writing a script. Be concise, but write in a way that feels natural to you. Use present tense and strong, interesting verbs.
4) Create slides Should I use slides? Slides can be helpful for the audience, but they are by no means necessary or relevant to every talk. Ask yourself: Would my slides help and clarify information for the audience, or would they distract and confuse them? Some great examples of slides can be found in the talks by Dan Phillips, Jarrett Krosoczka and Rick Guidotti on TED.com. The most important rule for slides: Keep it simple.
I’ve never made slides before. Where do I start? Assess your own skill level. You can make great simple slides if you stick to photographic images, running edge-to-edge. If your slide ideas are more complex and involve type, consider working with a designer. Your event organizer should be able to help.
What goes in my slides? •
Images and photos: To help the audience remember a person, place or thing you mention, you might use images or photos. -
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Graphs and infographics -
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People will understand that the images represent what you’re saying, so there is no need to verbally describe the images onscreen.
Keep graphs visually clear, even if the content is complex. Each graph should make only one point.
No slide should support more than one point.
What should the slides look like? •
Use as little text as possible -- if your audience is reading, they are not listening.
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Avoid using bullet points. Consider putting different points on different slides.
How should the slides be formatted? •
Check with your event organizing team about tech specs (resolution and aspect ratio) before you start making your slides. If in doubt, make them 1920x1080 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
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Use the broadcast-safe zones in PowerPoint or Keynote. Don’t put any information or visuals in the far corners of your slides.
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Use font size 42 points or larger.
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Choose a common sans serif font (like Helvetica or Verdana) over a serif font (like Times). -
If you use a custom font, make sure to send it to the TEDx event organizers ahead of time.
I want to use an image I found off Google Image Search but I don't know where it came from. It's of the Simpsons. Don’t. This is important: Only use images that you own or have permission to use. If you use an image under a Creative Commons license, cite the source at the bottom of your slide.
5) Rehearse I’ve said my talk once in my head. Is that enough? Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! We can’t stress this enough. Rehearse until you’re completely comfortable in front of other people: different groups of people, people you love, people you fear, small groups, large groups, peers, people who aren’t experts in your field. Listen to the criticisms and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. If someone says you sound “over-rehearsed,” this actually means you sound stilted and unnatural. Keep rehearsing, and focus on talking like you’re speaking to just one person in a spontaneous one-way conversation.
Timing Time yourself. Practice with the clock winding down in front of you. Do it until you get the timing right every time.
Posture Practice standing still, planted firmly in one spot on stage. Have a friend watch you and stop you from pacing back and forth or shifting your weight from leg to leg.
Stage time Ask your organizer to get as much time as you can for dress-rehearsal, on stage, with the clicker and the confidence monitor. The closer to the actual conditions on stage, the better.
6) Give your talk Inhale. Exhale. Do it like you practiced.
7) Savor the glory Congrats, you’re done! Bask in the praise you get over how you seemed so relaxed and spontaneous.
This TEDx event is independently organized. This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED. TEDxAntioch is an initiative of students at Antioch University. The name “Antioch� is used with permission of Antioch University. Email: tedxAntioch@gmail.com www.tedxAntioch.com