Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....NO!

Hey, there...hey!

For those of you who want to be on-camera for anything...Reality TV, Acting, Hosting, Improv, News Anchoring, Public Speaking, Comedy, or Oral Interpretation of Literature in the park...

You rrrrrrrrrrreally must get "umm" out of your vocab.

ASAP-IDLY!

I don't think you realize you do it or how much you do! Umm in between breaths, in between sentences and random words...umm as a place setting until the next thought.

Ummmmmmmmm!

It's comforting, right? It gives you a minute to catch up to your thoughts. It's a cushion for your brain farts. It's also second nature to a lot of people. 

I get it!

But that damn UMMM is also distracting. It makes you sound unsure and insecure. It makes it difficult for editing. And too many of them sound annoying. It's the devil!

TRUST ME ON THIS!

Start to pay attention to your words. Try to see if you can catch some of those umms you let run wildl! Make a deal with yourself to stop them right in their tracks. You'll be surprised how often you say it! I even say it, umm, all the time, umm but umm er umm...I'm not Talent ;)

Practice reading out loud. Practice saying your own words out loud. Ask friends who support your on-camera endeavors to help you catch those filthy Ummms!

Filth! Filth! Filth!

You don't want those umms at your interviews, on your reel, on stage or on screen. 

Umm, nope!

Don't let them to accompany you on auditions or meetings with Casting Directors, Agents, Producers or Directors. No way! You don't want the person who can Book you to meet umm either!

#Nope

And listen...don't try to psych yourself into just using umm around your friends and fam. 

Nooooooooo!

You want umm gone! BYE! Why? Because once you form that bad habit, it'll be difficult to shake it.

So no umms in 2015 and beyond!

Take some Speech, Diction and Accent Reduction classes while you're at it! 

Yes...ALL UH DAT!

Classes and workshops can help with umm and other speaking "issues" you've picked up along the years. What you'll learn will help with auditions and delivery once that gig is booked!

Ummm k?  

Now go get booked!

CMJ