On Tuesdays, we watch talks or interviews with artists and designers and discuss how to present our work clearly and with confidence. This week we’ll hear from interior designer Oliver Haslegrave about two of his recent hospitality designs in NYC.
As you watch this interview, consider these questions: Does the designer speak clearly and with confidence? Does he use gestures and intonation to emphasize his points? Does he smile and look at the camera? Does he use professional vocabulary?
What does Haslegrave do well? He speaks clearly and is easy to understand. His posture is good and he looks at the interviewer when he is speaking. His volume is good, and he avoids using filler words.
What could he improve? The biggest problem with this interview is that the designer seems to have no passion for his work. He is not very expressive when he speaks, and it gives the feeling that he doesn’t care or is bored. To improve this, he could use more vocal variety to add emphasis to his descriptions. He could also be more expressive with his face and with his gestures. He could smile or pause sometimes to add emphasis as well. He could also reduce his use of uptalk to sound more confident.
What professional vocabulary does he use? He begins by talking about what he does in general, and the process he uses in his hospitality and residential projects. He describes the way his company, Home Studios, draws on different influences to use in their interpretations of their interior projects. Next, he describes two specific projects in more detail. The Spaniard was influenced by traditional Irish pubs, established New York restaurants, and Art Deco. The materials they used, such as oak, encaustic tile, pastel velvet, marble, and brass, created a traditional yet modern look. In the Elsa project, a beloved restaurant had to move to a new location, and so Haslegrave wanted to include subtle echos of the original location. He talks about the elements that were similar in both places and also mentions that they added a lot of custom lighting. Finally, he talks about the ways in which the two projects are similar in approach and yet unique.
Many people feel nervous when giving a talk or interview, and that makes it difficult to talk about their work passionately. A good language coach can help you to relax and speak with confidence, so your excitement comes through. This makes it easier to connect with your audience and keep their attention.
At Artglish, we help artists and designers to speak confidently about their work. We coach you to speak professionally using the best vocabulary and correct pronunciation. If you want to learn more, click here to join The Studio and try some free ways to improve your English, or check out our Lessons page.
I’ve chosen 5 words or phrases for you to focus on today. They are in bold. If you don’t know them, look up the meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and other forms of these words. You can find links to Merriam-Webster dictionary sites at the bottom of this page.
To see the original video, posted by Interior Design Magazine on May 9, 2018, click the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/InteriorDesignMagazine/videos/10155565889733157/