This year - something new is being introduced... it appears that Miss America has asked each girl to give us a "Selfie Video"... rather than a regularly produced package. Here are some of the latest photos we found confirming such!
From top to bottom, Miss New Hampshire Megan Cooley, Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray, and Miss Connecticut Acacia Courtney all posted these photos to their individual Facebook pages - giving us a glimpse into their forthcoming videos!!! JUNKIES ARE SO EXCITED!!!
But more than excited - Junkies are predicting a new opportunity for State Pageants to jump on this bandwagon as well! Everyone has a cell phone and everyone knows how to use the video feature - so we're guessing we'll see more states asking their finalists to conduct 'selfie videos' in 2015! After all - what a great way to get to know the contestants and perhaps open a brand new opportunity to gage a People's Choice Winner (and/or bring in more scholarship money!).
So - in light of this new potential development, Junkies would like to offer a few things to consider when it comes to creating your People's Choice video... Chances are, most state winners have already completed their video - so this post is really for everyone else potentially competing in 2015.
Here We Go!!! :)
JUNKIES DO's and DON'T's of PAGEANT VIDEOS!!!
1. Do Be Real. Much like your headshot - if your video doesn't correctly capture who you are, you're setting yourself up for failure. You need to look like the same person the judges are going to see on stage and in your personal interview.
2. Do Be Happy. There's plenty of time for you to convey your "serious side" or your "smoldering beauty" - but your People's Choice video isn't the best medium to do that. Videos are supposed to be warm, engaging and happy! You can't convey that if you're busy being serious. If your life was shaped by something serious, then allude to the amazing progress you've made and how happy you are to get through the challenge. If your platform isn't "warm and fuzzy" - then share how incredibly touched you are to see the results of lives changed through your efforts. Your audience should smile when you're done - and think to themselves, "I like her." :)
3. Do Be Authentic. If your video is really, really REALLY great - you might actually be setting yourself up for failure. If the "real-life you" can't live up to the "you" in your video, you're in trouble. Junkies have seen this happen with Miss America contestants again and again. Many of the girls we loved in the videos were super-fantastic versions of themselves - but when they arrived at Miss America, these ladies weren't able to live up to the standard they set in their video. If anything, it's better to error on the side of caution here... It's better if your video isn't super strong and YOU are crazy-awesome, than to have a crazy-awesome video and your personal presence be lacking. If you consider both Mallory Hagan and Nina Davuluri's People's Choice videos, you'll see what I mean. Their videos were lovely - but both ladies are BETTER in real life than what you see in the video.
4. Do Be Conversational. Obviously, you can write out a script and then memorize it for your video - but when you write it down, you need to use the 'regular jargon' of how you would normally speak. This isn't an essay contest - it's a video. You can apologize to your English professor later - this is about being conversational, not being 'proper.' You need to talk exactly like you would in real life - otherwise, you'll come across as robotic and stiff. Use phrases like "I'm so excited!" rather than "I am very excited" and talk to the camera just like it's your best friend.
5. Don't put it all out there. Your video should make people want to know your more - so leave something to the imagination! Give them an overall glimpse into you - but keep it at "a glimpse". If you try to tell them everything you've ever done, you'll overwhelm the audience and come off as disingenuous. People watching your video (including judges) need to know there's more to you than this video... So don't let all your secrets out of the bag at once!
6. Don't make people feel sorry for you. America doesn't elect people they feel sorry for in politics or as their People's Choice winner... America wants to choose people who have purpose and vision. If I feel sorry for you after seeing your video, then deep down, I know you're not ready for the job. Essentially, you're telling me you're still in the middle of your mess and you still have a few things to sort out. Instead, give people your purpose and vision for who you are and why you compete - and let me see you as an over-comer!
7. Don't do too much. Specifically trying to come up with something that makes you "funny" or "cute" or even "memorable" is a recipe for disaster. We need to remember you for the right reasons - not the wrong ones... If you're naturally funny, it should come out in the video - but don't force it. If you're silly or eclectic or curious, you can find ways to show me such - you shouldn't need a costume or a gimmick to help me remember you. Doing too much or trying too hard is a recipe for disaster - and will make me wonder why you didn't just make a video with 'the real you' in it.
8. Don't "Wing It" on your own. You may be the kind of person who's better "off the cuff" - but it doesn't mean you can go into your video unprepared. Even "impromptu geniunses" need to practice their video and the best way to say whatever they want to say. Also - you need to make sure you're getting feedback from people you trust... If you try to do your People's Choice video alone, you're not going to have the level of 'polish' it needs. You don't need 78 different opinions, but you do need someone to come alongside you and be honest about what they see - good and bad.
And there you have it! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE'S SELFIE VIDEOS - and Junkies hope to see more videos in 2015!!!
All the Best!!!
PJ
(Pageant Junkies)
No comments:
Post a Comment