Polish Your Passion's Tips 

for the "Tony Awards® and Carnegie Mellon University’s #NOMINATEMYTEACHER search for the inaugural Excellence in Theatre Education Award!

Tip #1 Camera. As technology gets better and better, the quality of video recorded in iPhones, iPads, or via your laptop can be amazing with the right lighting. If you want to record on a ☆fancy☆ video camera, borrow one or ask a favor from the local high school AV department or a college film program. 

Tip #2 Location. A theater might be a classic choice, and also, an opportunity to shine in amazing lighting. Your house will work, but make sure there is a clean background. We love the Elsa poster in your bedroom (yes, we actually have seen that come up in a video ☃), but we don't want anything to distract your audience from your teacher's unique story. 

Tip #3 Wardrobe. Keep it very professional and simple. Patterns can sometimes show up a little crazy on film and the only crazy thing should be your excitement for your teacher! A production/show shirt from your favorite show that your nominee directed might be an excellent choice. 

Tip #4 Creativity. Use your creativity! iMovie has a lot of fun, user friendly tools to add a lot of shine and ✧ sparkle ✧ to your video. Anything that creates a memorable impression is a good idea.

Tip #5 Energy. Keep that smile ☺ going the whole time - positivity and passion is contagious! 

Tip #6 Diction. Always speak slowly and clearly. What you're saying is so important and means so much! Also, putting together a simple script might help, when it's time to call ACTION!

Tip #7 Timing. It is definitely all in the timing and you only have 3 minutes (GAH! so much passion to share, so little time!) to tell your teacher's story. Make sure you plan your video, so that you can get enough usable takes under the time limit and save yourself some agony in the "editing room." Remember to estimate the timing of any title cards/transitions you might want to insert, so that you nail the time requirement. 

Tip #8 Breathe. In order to be your most confident & most polished in your video, you must remember to breathe! Just like the opening number or big scene, breathing is essential to bringing your story to life. Replace all of those umms, uhhs, and "likes" with a breath and you will automatically sound your most confident! 

Tip #9 Details. There is truth in the old saying, "it is all in the details." It's a given that your nominee is "awesome" or "amazing" or "so helpful." What are the specific reasons why? Any stories/examples to illustrate? When your nomination video includes details, it helps your audience to connect with the story you are trying to tell, and ultimately, achieve your objective– to show why your nominee is most deserving. 

Tip #10: Fun. Most of all, HAVE FUN! This is your story to tell and we want to hear it your way!