Secrets of Success

Sue is wearing a pink sleeveless dress and standing behind her white kitchen counter. She is looking at the laptop camera. On the counter are ingredients in glass bowls, veggies covered with a damp towel and a bowl of raw chicken placed on an ice-pak.

Tips for Virtual Cooking Demos

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.…

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Assume the Microphone is ALWAYS on!

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 –…

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Sue Mah wearing a summer outfit, standing behind counter at TV studio

Tips for Using a Teleprompter

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! 💪 ⭐…

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3 lights shining on a subject to illustrate concept of 3 point lighting.

Lighting Tips

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…

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Dietitian Sue Mah standing with her hands open and talking to TV host

What to do with your hands during a TV interview

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.…

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Sue Mah wearing a blue dress and looking into the camera

Pick 3 Key Messages

When you’re passionate and knowledgeable about a topic, you’ll probably have lots to say! But for media interviews, follow the rule of 3. Why 3? Well there are 3 reasons, of course! 1️⃣ We tend to remember words, visuals and references in patterns of 3. Just think of these classic examples: Eat, Pray, Love Friends, Romans, Countrymen Ready, Set, Go! 3 Little Pigs 3 Blind Mice Goldilocks and the 3 Bears 3 Musketeers 3 Amigos 3 witches in Shakespeare’s MacBeth…

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Sue Mah sitting behind kitchen counter and looking at an smart phone on a tripod

Look and Sound Like a Pro for Your Video Interviews

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…

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Registered DIetitian Lucia Weiler sitting in her home office

Tips to Look Your Best for Video Calls

Guest post by Lucia Weiler, BSc., RD, PHEc, President Weiler Communications Inc. Have you been using video calls for everything these days?  It’s a challenging transition for some people and an exponential learning curve for others.  So if you’re unsure how to set yourself up for video call success you’re not alone!   What I’ve learned from years of working online is that it takes time to discover what best suits each team and situation.  For example, this week my…

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Kerry Miller

Do You Remember Your First TV Interview?

I first met Kerry Miller when she was a grad student participating in my media training workshop. Fast forward, and now she’s appeared in her first on-camera interview with Global News. Way to go Kerry! Here’s my online interview with Kerry and a link to her TV interview. 1 – Congratulations on your first TV broadcast interview! Tell us how you secured this interview – did you pitch the story idea to the producer / journalist or did they find…

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That time I did a media segment recovering from stomach flu – by Shannon Crocker

It was a busy Thursday when the stomach flu hit.  It was also the day I was planning to do my final prep on key messages for an upcoming Monday TV segment. Needless to say, I got nothing done.  I wasn’t too worried as I started to feel better late Friday and I knew that I still had a couple of days until my TV segment. But, I didn’t get better and in fact, started to feel worse again on…

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Secrets of Success
Tamara is wearing a white blouse, standing in her kitchen and holding a white mug. On the counter are oranges, avocados, tomatoes and celery.
December 6, 2021
Puneeta wearing a green top and standing behind her kitchen counter with various food items on a cutting board.
August 22, 2021
Chef Andrea Buckett chopping red peppers on a wooden cutting board in her kitchen.
August 5, 2021
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