December 2011 sees the close of a busy and challenging year for Speaking Well In Public; my business dedicated to teaching public speaking skills for business, performance and social occasions.
I’ve created and delivered courses on:
Professional actors’ tips for trainers – exploring how actors use their voices and non-verbal communication to captivate and entertain an audience, while delivering a clear message.
Skills for reading aloud to an audience for business – how to deliver a formal script with style and impact when speaking at a conference or other business event.
Script-reading for film and theatre – how to give an interesting and spontaneous-seeming performance when sight-reading from a script.
Interviewing techniques – how to engage with and gather useful information from an interviewee.
Clients and audiences included:
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s Sussex Trainers’ Forum – an association of professional trainers practising in the Sussex area.
The Critical Incident event – bringing Arts and Business together for a day of workshops, training and debates. During the Critical Incident, I participated in a seminar presented by Studio 1919 on image versus character in business, and a debate on the arts, discussing the merits of business funding and public funding.
The Brighton Film Makers’ Coalition – an organisation of over five hundred film industry members, including writers, directors, technical crew and performers.
The actors of Chronicle Theatre – a ‘verbatim theatre’ company creating new drama from interviews, testimonies and real life experiences.
I also provided corporate actor/role-player services creating realistic scenarios for recruitment, training and assessment in business, for clients including BUPA, EDF and the Surrey and Sussex Fire and Rescue Services.
Other news:
I’ve made links with the Brighton Chamber of Commerce, attended business trade shows and coaching sessions in London and Sussex and given several radio interviews on the subjects of public speaking, acting and dealing with nerves.
I recently directed my first short film, ‘Dusa’, and as an actor I’ve just finished filming for a pair of independent films; ‘Pride and Quatermass’ and ‘Movie Heat’. All three are now in post-production.
This summer I played Helena in scenes from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as part of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Madness’; a new celebration of Shakespeare scenes, speeches and sonnets performed by members of Sussex Equity. Equity News Magazine said “… Philippa Hammond, outstanding as a Helena who glints words.”
I attended the Production Show / Broadcast Video and the Perform / Move it trade shows at Earl’s Court and Olympia, meeting with casting directors and theatre, film and TV industry members.
Plans for the new year:
Sparked by my interest in the Evening Standard’s current child literacy campaign and the importance of reading to children to help develop a love of reading and books as a great start in life, I’ll be presenting a series of workshops for adults on Reading to Children.
I’ll soon be releasing my new CD on Reading to Children. The CD takes you through dealing with shyness and nerves, controlling breathing and posture, developing your voice and giving an interesting and characterful reading.
I’ll also be presenting my newly-developed workshops on:
The Elevator Speech – your answer to the question ‘and what do you do?’ as the beginning of every contact and a major influence on your business success,
and
Corporate Roleplay Skills for Business – how actor/roleplayer skills can enhance your company’s learning, development and assessment events.
My Winter 2011/12 newsletter will be published shortly.
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,
Philippa Hammond
Actor, voice artist and teacher of Public Speaking Skills
Speaking Well In Public
