Although Adam Driver is most well-known for his role as Kylo Ren in the most recent Star Wars film, his November 2015 TED Talk served as an exercise in joining another aspect of his identity. The former Marine borrowed less than 9 minutes of the audience’s time to explain the stark contrasts and wildly similar characteristics of the military and acting experiences. Here are 4 things any presenter – rookie or expert – can learn from Adam’s recent performance:
1. Share a personal story
When you grab a cup of coffee with your friends or make small talk with a coworker on the elevator, you are likely exchanging personal stories or engaging in gossip. These moments account for 65% of our conversations. By evoking emotions through your personal story, you involve the audience and capture their attention. In Adam’s TED Talk, My Journey from Marine to Actor, he begins by saying the following: “I was a Marine with 1/1 Weapons Company, 81’s platoon, out in Camp Pendleton, California. Oorah!” Members of the audience then chant “Oorah!” back to Adam. Opening up about your experiences and their impact on other facets of your life demonstrates your human side – resonating with the crowd.
2. Embrace the use of humor
Adam’s acting roles typically involve a sort of sarcastic humor, so his use of the tactic in his TED Talk isn’t unexpected for those who know him and his work. But it also isn’t distracting for those who don’t know him because Adam is speaking naturally: he isn’t stiff and bored, which would be contrary to his normal behavior. He doesn’t seem to be speaking any differently from how he would speak to his best friend or a family member. And despite the more serious topic he is presenting about, he frames his experience in a lighthearted manner, such as the following excerpt at approximately the 3-minute mark.
“I was a Marine. I knew how to survive. I’d go to New York and become an actor. It things didn’t work out, I’d live in Central Park and dumpster-dive behind Panera Bread.” – Adam Driver
3. Emphasize the journey
Although Adam had the opportunity to start the presentation by calling out the organization he is involved in, Arts in the Armed Forces, he decided to focus on the journey – how he ended up in the acting field and how his experience in the military sparked the idea for the service. Adam refrains from mentioning the organization until the final two minutes of his talk – illustrating the value of adequately establishing the journey before connecting it to the ultimate resolution. Presenters who emphasize the journey over the product or service demonstrate a better grasp on the audience’s needs. The presentation will seem less about promotion and more about affecting real change or disseminating valuable information.
4. Employ literary devices
Throughout the course of his presentation, Adam utilizes a plethora of literary devices to vary the content and keep the audience alert. Below are 4 examples of literary devices Adam employed during his TED Talk:
Repetition
At 5:57 and 6:52, Adam uses the same phrase: “two seemingly dissimilar communities.” This is a central theme of his speech – the contrast between the life of the Marine and the life of the actor. Repetition places emphasis on the most important parts of a presentation.
Juxtaposition
The theme of military life vs. acting life is apparent throughout the entire presentation, as Adam constantly utilizes juxtaposition to show that even though there are monumental differences between the two lifestyles, there are elements of each experience that both worlds share. For example, between the 4- and 5-minute mark Adam talks about how in the military there is rank, tradition, an emphasis on personal health. But in the civilian world, rank is nonexistent and there isn’t a sense of community.
Inversion
By placing the verb after the subject, Adam produces a phrase that uses inversion to catch the attention of his audience.
“Mishawaka is many good things but cultural hub of the world it is not…” – Adam Driver
Simile
To make a final point and to comprehensively explain the goal of Arts in the Armed Forces, Adam constructs a simile that draws a comparison between self-expression and weaponry at the 7:31 mark.
“It’s a powerful thing, getting in a room with complete strangers and reminding ourselves of our humanity and that self-expression is just as valuable a tool as a rifle on your shoulder.” – Adam Driver
Adam’s TED Talk is a great example of connecting personally with your audience. For more information about varying the language and establishing a creative narrative in your next presentation, review the following resources:
Storytelling Tactics: Is Your Presentation Relatable?
3 Literary Devices You Should be Using in Your Writing
