This is the 5th instalment of my "So You Want To Be A Professional Emcee in Singapore" guide. You may refer to the links below for all articles or click on 'Emcee Resource' tag on the lower right side of this blog.
In this article, I will be sharing what SHOWMANSHIP is all about. Why are some emcees so captivating, charming and totally enjoyable watching them on stage? It may be the voice, the looks, the disposition, but I guess it would be more surreal to say it is the X-factor in the Emcee.
1. Do I Have The X-factor?
I have the honour of meeting and interacting with some of Singapore's finest emcees, both female and male emcees, and the question of whether one has the X-factor or not, doesn't apply in ultimately becoming a great Emcee. Each of them is different, has different personality, background, style and flair. So if you are wondering if there's a particular personality to be an emcee, the answer is NO. And neither are emcees born, don't let anyone fool you into that.
2. How Can I Polish Up My Showmanship?
The best way to polish up your showmanship skills is to first find out where your gaps are. It is not sufficient to say practice makes perfect. You may have many hosting opportunities, but without an experienced emcee highlighting where your gaps are, it will be difficult to improve. My suggestion is to video record your hosting and work with an experienced emcee to review. The best is to have an experienced emcee at your event as sometimes video recording may not be as effective.
If you are starting out, watch as many YouTube videos of successful emcees and follow some of them to their events to watch and learn if they allow you to. Sometimes it is easier to learn on the spot than over videos. Note down your observations and discuss with the emcee after the event.
In the course of my emceeing career, I found mental visualisation to be very be helpful. I will visualise the style and persona on stage, the way I am going to connect with the audience and how my movements, facial expressions, voice variety will add highlight to me on stage. Sometimes I will practice and rehearse in my mind or if time permits, an actual rehearsal in front of the mirror.
Some helpful advice here: It doesn't matter what is your personality in general, because on the stage you can be anyone you want. The best emcees' showmanship are not inborn, it is a result of continuous practice, tweaking what is wrong and improving what is correct.
Lastly, I want to conclude by encouraging you to define your Zone and strive towards it at every show. The Zone is a mental state of mind that makes you relax and be completely excellent at what you do. All sportsmen and performers know that they will be giving their best once they are in their Zone. For me, I know I am in my Zone when I have a great emcee opening introduction and managed to establish the connection with the audience. What's yours?
If you would like me to discuss a specific area or topic about being an emcee in Singapore, feel free to drop me a comment on the Contact page or email me at style.emcee.sg@gmail.com.
For all articles on emceeing, please refer to my link 'Emcee Resource' on the lower right side of my blog.
Stay tuned for my next post describing the Partnership - Events Organiser and Emcee. As important as the emcee is towards the success of an event, equally important is the partnership between the organiser and the emcee.
