(Tenth in a series)
A Loyal Reader Asks:
“How can you teach young jocks to ‘be real’ — to break out of the ‘I’m a DJ’ persona and become communicators?”
Have them mimic “good” personalities.
Have the young jock bring you recorded examples (from anywhere) of jocks you both agree sound “real.”
Then have your jock go into the production room and record a series of breaks — intros, PSAs, etc. — as she thinks the “good” personality would do it.
I am not suggesting that you encourage the jock to copy someone else’s style. But one way to become proficient at an activity is to model the behavior of those who excel at it.
Listen to the results. If they seem to represent an improvement over the jock’s usual performance but do not sound like an out-and-out imitation, suggest that the jock do the first hour of her show “the way (Good Jock) would.”
Eventually, perhaps, your young jock will pick up worthwhile techniques from a number of “good jocks” and meld them into her own, individual style.
