My first promo video

[Marc]

A graduate student on Communications did the editing as part of a requirement for his degree. A friend of ours is a professor and assigned the student to my endeavor.

Some of the audio and music were deleted by YouTube because of copyright issues. The student is working on that.

I tossed the script offered me and just ad libbed the whole shebang, so a lot of the verbiage I used on the findings is poorly stated. Speaking clearly is difficult when you haven't heard anything clearly in almost 50 years, so I was tightly focused more on my pronunciation than what I was saying.

I've always been more comfortable in a dentist's chair than a photographer's studio.

I should have lost the cough drop before the filming started. In a few places, it looks like I'm chewing tobacco.

Marc

EDIT: Inserted link to corrected video

[Jim Baird]

...a good start for your film career, Marc.

[Jim Katen]

I like it.

Only suggestions:

It could be shorter.

You should smile more.

Your speaking voice is great.

[Marc]

I cannot smile. My daughter would tickle me for the camera sometimes.

I glad you were able to comprehend it. That had me worried most of all.

Marc

[Jim Katen]

I cannot smile. My daughter would tickle me for the camera sometimes.

I glad you were able to comprehend it. That had me worried most of all.

Marc

No worry there. You're easy to understand. To my Yankee ears, it sounds like you have a southern/French accent, but I understood every word.

[kurt]

You sound like you have a cultivated southern...drawl....accent(?). I don't know if it's a drawl or an accent, but you sound like a Southern Gent. Which is kind of interesting because you can't hear, which makes me wonder how that happens. You're hard wired Southern Man.

Nice video, but it would have been better if...when the drum beat thing builds...you ramped up into James Brown...maybe Sex Machine, or Get Up Offa That Thing...and broke down in a break dance....then the class starts clapping, and rapping, then it segues into one of those Bollywood crowd dance scenes then a full on production dance set...you're in front jamming "like a lovin' machine, get on up, get on up, like a sex machine", everyone in the back is moon walking, fade to "Cold Sweat"... with you and a half dozen hotties jamming...humping the air...some James Brown sideways jam shuffles....Get Up On the Good Foot....

[utube]

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I think you got it in you.

[Marc]

Yeah, sure but I forgot my leather-soled dance shoes, bell bottoms and cape that day. I'm thinking O'Handley in tights would make a good sidekick.

It's a cajun accent but the drawl is the deaf influence...I think.

I'm elated that folks can understand it. It makes my day. Thanks to all.

Marc

[Chad Fabry]

It was a good video, Marc. If I was looking for an inspector, I'd pick you- your demeanor is authoritative and confident without being boorish. I really liked your plain speak; no big words, just honest communication. Good job.

[Chad Fabry]

I like it.

Only suggestions:

It could be shorter.

You should smile more.

Your speaking voice is great.

I agree with that except the smiling bit- he's got a Tommy Lee Jones thing going on.

[kurt]

I'm elated that folks can understand it.

Marc

No problem at all. It's a good video.

[Charlie R]

I liked it, good job, no problem understanding you at all. Serious look is good on you.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Good video, very authoritative, straight-talking, nice appearance and presence and VERY understandable.

No worries about being understood ... I honestly don't know how you do or did it with your hearing loss.

Excellent job Marc.

[Jim Baird]

I too could understand the speech very well, and pegged it right away as Cajun. Reminded me of that Louisiana chef that had a TV cooking show.

I also like subtitles, as my southern drawl is hard for some to understand, but the titles should be yellow, not white, which washes out against white backgrounds.

[John Kogel]

It is topnotch, Marc. I would recommend that video to anyone wanting to learn.

[palmettoinspect]

Very nice Marc! I had no problem understanding you. Video production looked top notch too!

[Marc]

Thanks to all. Public speaking doesn't scare me as much anymore.

Marc

[kurt]

I still think you shoulda had some break dancing.

What's the difference between a Cajun and a southern accent and a drawl?

[Erby]

I didn't have any trouble understanding you though it was nice to have the subtitles as I read faster than you speak so I knew what you were going to say most of the time. I agree with a different color on the sub titles.

The only constructive criticism I could offer is that it's too long and I didn't like the abrupt end. I was waiting for a conclusion type of ending.

Without already knowing it, I would have no clue that you are deaf as well as you speak.

[Marc]

I still think you shoulda had some break dancing.

What's the difference between a Cajun and a southern accent and a drawl?

As I understand it, the cajun accent is mostly a result of the french influence when they migrated here en masse from Acadia (now known as Nova Scotia) in the late 18th century. They were kicked out by the British because of their Catholic faith.

If these two accents and a drawl all sound the same, that would be really interesting...and confusing as hell to me. Before my cochlear implant, I couldn't understand how two folks speaking the same language could sound different.

Marc

[kurt]

Well, you got this Basso Profundo voice thing, which works interestingly with that "accent" you possess. It's an authoritative kind of sound. Although, the smiling part....you could lighten it up a little and it sound more accessible. Right now, it's maybe just a little too serious sounding. It's just a house.

And break dancing. I still think you should...right at the end....rip off your clothes to reveal yourself in a skin tight pant suit and cape, do a full drop splits like Prince while humping the air.

[Jim Baird]

When I saw Michael Doucet and his band Beausoleil several yrs ago, he told how the immigrants who populated the northeast of Canada when it was French came largely from an area called Acadi. Thus their settlement was called Acadia.

When they came they brought their folk music with them. The music played by Cajun bands, he said, is very close to what was the folk music of 18th century France. Zydeco developed from a mix of those styles with the local heavily African styles after their involuntary relocation to what was still French Louisiana.

Re accents: I think because of relative isolation of groups thru time in the South, a lot of different accents emerged. Mine is middle GA, and I can tell you if a speaker is from south, middle, or north GA after listening to not very much speech.

[Les]

Pretty good. Edit for length. I actually watched the whole thing and it was over before I realized it. I do like your voice. Salina in our office says your voice does not go with your image!

[Tom Raymond]

I like it. Fix the music with some old zydeco. Local flavor and public domain.

[GMedich]

My experience with this thread made me laugh a bit. Marc was one of the first to welcome me to the forum so I definitely had to check out the video. I had forgotten his location before viewing it, and did not read his post before starting it.

After the first few seconds, I paused it to check Marc's location. I thought I heard a French Canadian accent, and had to see if I was right...and then laughed about it when I saw he lives in Louisiana - definitely cajun! Once I adjusted my Michigan ears to its style and cadence, I understood his voice perfectly. You should have no problem with the locals, Marc.

Your pace is nicely measured out. Too many people seem to think speeding through a presentation is the way to go. Your even-measured pace adds clarity, and an impression of comfortable confidence in discussing your topic.

As for smiling, I think this is often included to add a sense of connection with the audience, a level of humanity, if you will. You more than achieved the same with several simply worded statements such as those regarding the offset corner movement and the subfloor insulation.

The direct "Take it off" declaration also added some humor as I, trying to experience the video as a non-inspector audience member, awaited your solution to the problem (which certainly must be technical, coming from a home inspector). I loved it! Later, referring to discoveries as "fish" added even more personality without requiring the slightest of smiles. I think the reference also strengthens your regional appeal.

The video length is long enough to watch through, but well-enough designed to promote you without all viewers needing to watch its entirety. You moved quickly from your classroom shots to field shots which demonstrates both competencies to those who just take a peek to confirm you are "the real thing" (however that might be defined by the potential client).

The only thing I have to add is that I was the first to "like" your video with a thumbs up on YouTube. I hope others here will do the same.

Congrats on such a well-presented and produced first video, Marc.

[Marc]

I appreciate the sentiments. My efforts were mostly focused on speaking clearly. The Bolivian grad student gets the credit for everything else. He's really good at what he does. I'll be writing scripts henceforth.

I've always been skeptical I could do this right...until now.

A few things I noticed when I first saw the finished video: My voice is deeper than I thought, I have less hair on my head than I thought, and I no longer have a butt. I used to have a butt.

Marc