I’m so inspired by Charmaine Broughton’s passion for food, cooking and fitness! She’s a food media specialist who attended the George Brown Culinary Arts program. The minute she told me that she used to watch “Wok with Yan”, I knew we’d hit it off! (Anyone else remember that show?) Sit back and enjoy this energetic convo with Char! Tell us a bit more about your business. My goal is to inspire people to get in the kitchen and cook –…
A couple of years ago, I met Carmy at a client dinner event (there’s always a food connection, right?!) Carmy Do is a food blogger and recipe developer who shares amazing meal prep ideas. And her food photos are drool worthy! Grab a mug of your favourite bevvie and enjoy my interview with Carmy! 1. How did you get started in food blogging and recipe development? I got started in food blogging not long after university. I realized there were…
Here’s a tip for giving a memorable interview – Finish Strong! Close your interview or video with a short recap of your key message / sound bite or offer a call to action (I call this the “closer”). Say your closer as you’re finishing off the interview and BEFORE the host / journalist says thank you in their extro. Sometimes they will even throw you the line, “Anything else?” or “Where can we go for more info?” Be ready with…
Happy Nutrition Month! Here are 3 more tips to help you crush your next virtual cooking demo. Spoiler alert – you will never guess my tip #3! 1️⃣ Have all ingredients mise-en-place (“everything in place”) and position the ingredients in the order that they will be used. 🥬🥕🥑🌟 This helps your cooking demo flow smoothly and ensures you’re not missing an ingredient. 2️⃣ Pause throughout the demo and tip your bowl to the camera. 🥣🌟 This allows the audience to…
I’ve been giving a lot of virtual cooking demos lately. 👩🏻🍳 Fun, fun, fun! 🌮🥑🥙🍅 Here are 3 tips to help you crush your next virtual cooking demo: 1️⃣ Use clear bowls and containers.🌟 This helps your audience see the contents more easily. 2️⃣ Cover veggies, herbs and delicate leafy greens with a damp towel until you’re ready to go live.🌟 This keeps them looking fresh and vibrant, not limp and wilted. 3️⃣ Place your perishable ingredients over an ice-pak.…
Did you catch this media FAIL? If you live in Ontario, you might have heard the news about Dr. Barbara Yaffe, our Associate Medical Officer of Health. Just before the live COVID briefing press conference began, Dr. Yaffe was heard saying, “I don’t know why I bring all these papers. I never look at them. I just say whatever they write down for me.”😧 YIKES!‼️ It’s a classic example of a “hot mic” blunder. 🎙 The microphone was ON –…
Question: How can I look and sound more natural when using a teleprompter? Answer: I’m sure you’ve all seen reporters and politicians reading from teleprompters. If they’re not pros at this, you can almost see their eyes moving across the screen. Sometimes they appear to speak in monotone with an expressionless face. 😐 You can do better! I’ve used a teleprompter many times to film videos for my business and brand clients. Here’s what I can tell you! 💪 ⭐…
Lighting is key to any media or video shoot. Our guest contributor Naomi Chen shares a few of her pro tips! Natural lighting A lot of the times, content creators try to “dim” or “soften” their studio lights. Natural sunlight already helps provide a more organic look in your videos. However, because the weather is constantly changing, your shoots become dependent on the sun. You also may not be able to create certain effects for your videos. You want to…
Wondering what to do with your hands during a TV interview? Here are 5 things to consider. 1️⃣ Open or Closed?Both. Keep your hands open as much as possible while you’re speaking. This helps to build trust with your audience and shows that you have nothing to hide. When you’re listening and not speaking, relax and rest your hands in a natural position on the table, podium or in your lap. 2️⃣ Up or Down?Up. Gesture your hands slightly upwards.…
With physical distancing these days, more and more journalists are reporting from their homes. I’ve been giving live TV interviews via Skype and FaceTime from my home office and kitchen. And you can too! Here are my personal secrets of success. 1 – Use a tripod for your smart phone. This helps to steady the camera. I set up the tripod directly on my counter top. Raise the tripod so that the camera is at eye level. If you’re sitting…
