Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Closed Captioning for PowerPoint?
After listening to an exciting speaker talk about internet advertising, my client/companion said,
"I didn't get it. The guy kept talking about paper clips. What do paper clips have to do with internet marketing?"
Uh-oh. My colleague misunderstood.
The presenter was saying "Pay Per Click" not "Paper Clip".
It would seem that the presenter's entire message was lost on my client. I was left in the position of re-interpreting the entire PowerPoint presentation.
But I understand my client's misunderstanding: "pay-per click" isn't a phrase where he had any familiarity, so his ears just picked up what he thought was the right word. Conversely, I am very familiar with the term, and my brain put it into the context of the presentation.
So what happens if you are presenting and using a term that is common in YOUR industry or YOUR profession...but the term has not quite hit the mainstream lexicon? It would probably help a bunch to a) include the written word in your PowerPoint presentation and b) enunciate very clearly.
I'm a big fan of "closed captioning" on TV. It is not because I'm hard of hearing (I'm not), but because the current trend in acting doesn't seem to put a priority on articulation. I am quite certain that young actors no longer take elocution lessons. Anyway, my brain gets exhausted with the strain of piecing together what might have been said....so I just put on closed captioning for reinforcement.
Here's an example: I love Sean Penn's acting: such an expressive face! But I can't understand a single word he says. So I wait for his movies to come out on DVD so that I can appreciate his acting with closed captions. I'd love it if Mr. Penn spoke more clearly, but perhaps that is part of his technique: he wants you to be able to understand his emotions independent of words. In Mr. Penn’s case, mumbling is likely a creative choice, not an impairment in articulation.
For the moment... let us assume that you do not have the acting skill of a Mr. Sean Penn. Suppose you cannot just feel the emotion of a pay-per-click ad, and that your audience will not have complete emotional, if not intellectual understanding of the subject.
Learn to enunciate. And provide written re-inforcement -- i.e., closed captioning for PowerPoint! ¶ 11/01/2005 12:34:00 PM
After listening to an exciting speaker talk about internet advertising, my client/companion said,
"I didn't get it. The guy kept talking about paper clips. What do paper clips have to do with internet marketing?"
Uh-oh. My colleague misunderstood.
The presenter was saying "Pay Per Click" not "Paper Clip".
It would seem that the presenter's entire message was lost on my client. I was left in the position of re-interpreting the entire PowerPoint presentation.
But I understand my client's misunderstanding: "pay-per click" isn't a phrase where he had any familiarity, so his ears just picked up what he thought was the right word. Conversely, I am very familiar with the term, and my brain put it into the context of the presentation.
So what happens if you are presenting and using a term that is common in YOUR industry or YOUR profession...but the term has not quite hit the mainstream lexicon? It would probably help a bunch to a) include the written word in your PowerPoint presentation and b) enunciate very clearly.
I'm a big fan of "closed captioning" on TV. It is not because I'm hard of hearing (I'm not), but because the current trend in acting doesn't seem to put a priority on articulation. I am quite certain that young actors no longer take elocution lessons. Anyway, my brain gets exhausted with the strain of piecing together what might have been said....so I just put on closed captioning for reinforcement.
Here's an example: I love Sean Penn's acting: such an expressive face! But I can't understand a single word he says. So I wait for his movies to come out on DVD so that I can appreciate his acting with closed captions. I'd love it if Mr. Penn spoke more clearly, but perhaps that is part of his technique: he wants you to be able to understand his emotions independent of words. In Mr. Penn’s case, mumbling is likely a creative choice, not an impairment in articulation.
For the moment... let us assume that you do not have the acting skill of a Mr. Sean Penn. Suppose you cannot just feel the emotion of a pay-per-click ad, and that your audience will not have complete emotional, if not intellectual understanding of the subject.
Learn to enunciate. And provide written re-inforcement -- i.e., closed captioning for PowerPoint! ¶ 11/01/2005 12:34:00 PM
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So are you suggesting subtitles, or utilize the PPT title? I would worry with subtitles that those with obstructed views in the back might miss it.
p.s. - I vote for "impariment in articulation." Although his brother Michael Penn is an awesome singer/songwriter (and married to Aimee Mann - ex lead-singer for Til Tuesday and an awesome singer/songwriter in her own right). Now THEY can enunciate!
p.s. - I vote for "impariment in articulation." Although his brother Michael Penn is an awesome singer/songwriter (and married to Aimee Mann - ex lead-singer for Til Tuesday and an awesome singer/songwriter in her own right). Now THEY can enunciate!
I think that if you are using a potentially unfamiliar phrase or term, that it is helpful to provide a written example of the actual words within your visual aids.
There are a number of creative ways to address it: it depends on the presentation itself...and contextual use.
There are a number of creative ways to address it: it depends on the presentation itself...and contextual use.
One of those ways is to use the free technologies offered by MVP Austin Myers.
Closed Caption for powerpoint available from this web site.
www.pfcmedia.com
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Closed Caption for powerpoint available from this web site.
www.pfcmedia.com
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: 2:02 PM, November 10, 2006
: 2:02 PM, November 10, 2006Links to this post:
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