| Introduction:
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| | a better job compared to traditional
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| After working with hundreds of
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| | video but it never hurts to
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| executives on every rung of
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| | fatten up those borders and edges a
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| the corporate ladder, I've been a
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| | little.A second case for sticking with
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| witness to some of the best
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| | basic fonts has to do with
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| and worst presentations ever created
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| | the "font load." Every PC comes with
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| with Microsoft
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| | certain universal fonts.
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| PowerPoint. The program is so evolved
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| | As time passes, most PC users add fonts
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| these days that
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| | they find around
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| there are tools, effects, transitions
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| | the Web, or fonts are added
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| and settings available
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| | automatically from programs
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| that will either help or hinder your
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| | they install.Unless you will be
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| effectiveness as a
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| | presenting from your own PC, be very
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| presenter. Everyone wants to have a
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| | wary of using any fonts outside that
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| powerful presentation,
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| | standard font load.
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| and there are some very simple ways to
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| | Microsoft PowerPoint automatically
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| accomplish this.First of all, keep in
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| | replaces any fonts,
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| mind that the audience is not assembled
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| | which do not exist on the "show" PC with
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| to watch a slide show. There is nothing
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| | something simple.
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| more sleep
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| | Your material won't disappear, but it
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| -inducing than a dimly lit room and
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| | may not look the same
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| dull, content-cluttered
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| | as it did when you created your
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| slides after a hot lunch. Take it from a
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| | slides.There are many times a font switch
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| frequent napper in Art
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| | can go unnoticed -
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| History 101!With great tools it is all
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| | going from Helvetica to Arial is
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| too easy to forget that the message
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| | practically an even swap to
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| you are delivering is coming from Y-O-U.
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| | the untrained eye. Other times, it can
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| You know the
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| | wreak havoc with your
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| material inside and out! See yourself as
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| | word wrapping; throwing previously
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| the focus of the
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| | "safe" text off the bottom
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| show, and use support tools like
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| | of the screen in older versions of PPT,
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| Microsoft PowerPoint to
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| | or making it size
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| reinforce the key elements of your
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| | down in the newer versions. It's always
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| presentation -- to be your
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| | a good idea to
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| backup singer while you stand front and
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| | punch through your slides before
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| center.Now doesn't that make you feel a
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| | presenting on the "show"
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| little special? It should!
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| | computer.This is a good place to talk
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| For whatever reason it may be, you have
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| | about size. I mentioned earlier
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| been asked to
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| | why creating slides nobody can read is a
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| speak as an expert; to weigh in with
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| | presentation
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| your opinion; to share
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| | disaster. With fonts, bigger is better.
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| your discoveries; this is your time in
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| | There is undoubtedly a
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| the spotlight so let the
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| | fine line between large, and "horsey,"
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| software and laser pens support your
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| | or too large. One old
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| performance and not
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| | trick to check for readability is to
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| overpower it.Keep It Simple, Superstar:
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| | pull up your presentation in
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| A good place to start is by looking at
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| | the Slide Show mode, then lean back from
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| the amount and
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| | your monitor and
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| complexity of the material you need to
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| | squint. This simple exercise will show
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| present. An easy way
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| | you what your
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| to keep your presentation from becoming
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| | projected image will look like to
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| an uncontrollable
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| | someone in the back row of
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| monster is to remember the six-by-six
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| | your audience. Screen sizes on location
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| guideline. Six bullets
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| | are chosen based
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| to a slide, six words per bullet. This
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| | on the size of the room so this works
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| is a simply brilliant way
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| | whether you're
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| to avoid the dreaded "Presentation
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| | presenting in a boardroom, or a
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| Karaoke" syndrome -- a
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| | ballroom. The dynamics of
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| speech where either the presenter reads
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| | screen distance to screen area are
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| directly from the
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| | relative from a 32" video
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| slide or the audience reads along with
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| | monitor to a 9' by 12' screen.In
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| the presenter -- or
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| | general, I find headlines between 34 and
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| both! Six-by-six works so well, it is
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| | 40 points, and
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| taught as a presentation
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| | body text of 28 to 34 points usually
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| model in many communications seminars
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| | show quite well. For title
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| throughout
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| | slides, I head to the 60-point range for
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| corporate America. Can you go
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| | names and 40 to 50
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| five-by-five or
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| | points for title, division and
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| seven-by-seven? Of course you can. Any
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| | company.Table Times:
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| individual slide
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| | Call me a neat-freak, but I'm a big fan
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| may need adjustments as you go along but
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| | of tables. Whenever
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| by keeping the
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| | you have information which needs to line
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| six-by-six guideline in mind you're
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| | up in columns --
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| guaranteed to keep the fat
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| | use a table! Spacing out your columns
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| trimmed from your presentation.Let's add
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| | within a text box
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| sub-bullets to the mix. I try to avoid
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| | might get it "close enough" but is that
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| subs, but
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| | really "good enough?"
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| sometimes that is impossible. When subs
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| | Dropping a table onto your slide will
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| are involved, I
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| | ensure your decimal
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| keep them the same size or just slightly
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| | points line up, and using right justify
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| smaller as the
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| | on a left side column
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| regular first-line bullet text, and let
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| | and left justify on a right side column
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| the indentation tell
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| | will make
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| viewers the next line is a sub. The
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| | comparisons or "versus" lists a cinch to
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| default templates often
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| | read.Using tables will also help you
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| reduce subs into the unreadable zone.If
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| | avoid the formatting mess I
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| you find yourself going to a second or
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| | mentioned earlier when dealing with
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| (yikes!) third
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| | missing fonts. Your
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| sub-bullet, you need to re-work your
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| | sizing and style may change, but to
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| material. Perhaps by
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| | borrow from Led
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| changing the headline to a shortened
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| | Zeppelin... The table remains the
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| version of your first full
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| | same.Background Check:
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| bullet, or losing the first actual
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| | There are many presenters who use
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| "bullet" to create a sub-head.
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| | customized
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| I find that presenters often create a
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| | backgrounds and templates these days
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| headline and hold it
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| | from royalty-free
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| through an entire section. A full page
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| | websites around the world. While I
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| "chapter" slide at the
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| | whole-heartedly support this idea, it
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| beginning of a new portion of material
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| | should be said that a
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| will allow you to then
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| | colorful photographic background might
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| change each subsequent slide headline
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| | not be your best
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| and make it more
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| | friend without some minor tweaking.Make
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| custom to the material in the bullets
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| | sure your presentation text has
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| below. In a fluid
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| | high-contrast when
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| presentation your audience won't forget
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| | using a custom background, template, or
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| your subject."But, but, but... If you
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| | even a basic
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| have the space, why not use it?" The
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| | background color. If you have a dark
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| answer is simple. Your slides are there
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| | color like corporate
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| to drive home or
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| | blue, maroon or purple, go with a light
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| re-state important points, to help with
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| | font like white or
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| keywords a
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| | mustard yellow. A light background would
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| note-taking audience member should jot
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| | call for darker
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| down, and to
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| | lettering. A background color in the
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| preface or summarize your presentation
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| | middle range (with a
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| or "chapters"
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| | luminosity comparable to "middle gray"
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| within. There's nothing worse than
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| | for you
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| having so much on a
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| | photographers out there) can often set
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| slide that you either cannot get through
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| | off either a light or
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| the material, or the
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| | dark font. Contrast is the key!If you
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| audience cannot read everything because
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| | have your heart set on a busy
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| the font is too
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| | photographic
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| small.In an average presentation, a
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| | background, try creating a large
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| speaker will hit two to three
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| | semi-transparent text area
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| slides a minute. That alone will guide
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| | in the center by using the drawing and
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| you into choosing
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| | fill tools. This is
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| your words carefully to cover everything
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| | called "screening back" in the world of
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| you put on the
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| | print, and it will allow
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| screen. If you don't plan on speaking
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| | a "taste" of the pattern or photo to
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| about something, or
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| | come through without
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| assume you will skip through certain
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| | muddling your words. If you have access
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| segments, remove
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| | to a paint program
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| that material from your slides. Bullet
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| | like Adobe PhotoShop, you can create
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| points remaining
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| | some stunning
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| untouched will leave your audience
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| | backgrounds using blurs, overlays and
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| asking mental
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| | tints with the
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| questions instead of listening to
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| | simplest of tools and filters. I like to
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| you!Charting a Course to Success:
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| | have a clear image for
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| Here is a pet peeve of mine I see far
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| | the MTL, then a blurred, screened or
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| too often. A chart with
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| | otherwise affected
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| so much information on it that nobody in
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| | complimentary image for the text
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| the audience would
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| | slides.Fear of Flying:
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| be able to take it all in during the
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| | I saved this subject for last because I
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| short time it is onscreen.
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| | think it's where most
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| Not to name names, but financial
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| | people go awfully wrong! Think about all
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| analysts and engineers
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| | the television
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| with timelines tend to be the biggest
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| | programs, commercials, movies and
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| offenders when it
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| | sporting events you
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| comes to charts! Granted, there is value
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| | watch. Now try to recall the last time
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| to showing a
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| | you saw a clock wipe,
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| trend-line over a period of time -- any
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| | mosaic blocks, or barn doors to
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| stockbroker will tell
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| | transition from
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| you
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| | one scene to another -- or to bring text
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| that. Obfuscation typically occurs when
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| | on and offscreen. If
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| too many ticks are
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| | you're like me, it has been a while! In
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| labeled. This can leave a junkyard of 10
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| | the same way a
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| point, aliased text
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| | person who is new to videography tends
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| that does nothing but look horrible.The
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| | to lie on the zoom
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| fixes are easy. If your trend is over
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| | in / zoom out button, people who want to
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| twenty years, just give
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| | add "pizzazz" to
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| us five year labels. We realize the
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| | their presentation tend to heap on the
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| spaces between are
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| | wacky transitions!For the record, here's
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| non-labeled years. If you have a
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| | an opinion of mine. If you have ever
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| particular peak or valley, call
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| | used 'Random Transition" within a
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| it out in the chart area rather than on
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| | presentation you should
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| the axis. Put a star at
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| | have your mouse and keyboard crushed
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| the peak or use a different colored line
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| | into unusable
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| for emphasis. If your
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| | shards of plastic. Just. Say. No. The
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| budget goes from zero to $1,000, just
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| | last train to Effortville
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| give us $0, $500, and
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| | just left and you were not on it.A
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| $1k. Label your bars with "Show Value"
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| | simple dissolve, or even a Wipe Right /
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| instead. Trust me
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| | Wipe Left is a
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| when I say anyone with particular
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| | communications convention we are all so
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| questions about a chart
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| | familiar with that it
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| will seek you out after the program,
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| | happens without bringing attention unto
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| bring it up in Q&A, or
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| | itself. Why would
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| e-mail you about it later.If you're the
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| | you add a transition that shocks the
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| type to put a chart into your
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| | audience out of "show
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| presentation then
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| | mode" where they were concentrating on
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| say onstage, "I know you can't read
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| | your material, and
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| this, but..." Do
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| | into "what the heck was that" mode? It's
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| something about it before hitting the
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| | the equivalent of
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| podium. By admitting to
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| | hearing a cell phone ring at the theater
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| the audience that your chart is useless,
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| | -- it takes you out of
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| you're also saying
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| | the story and back to reality; and
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| you don't value their time. Dropping off
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| | that's certainly no way to
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| some data and
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| | drive home your point at the end of a
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| increasing the size of the remaining
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| | slide!Similarly, animating text should be
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| font should do the trick,
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| | done with much
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| and it doesn't take much work. For
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| | forethought. PowerPoint is slick enough
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| particularly complex
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| | at this stage that
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| charts and graphs, create two versions!
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| | you can produce some very clever,
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| With a simple on
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| | professional text effects. I
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| screen version and a complex, fully
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| | personally like an occasional fly from
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| labeled handout version
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| | any given side to
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| you have the best of both worlds.Another
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| | create a little "wow" when called for,
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| suggestion for charts and graphs is to
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| | but my old standard will
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| remain flat.
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| | always be the Wipe Right. With a
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| The 3-D options can look good in bar
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| | television production
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| charts and pies, but in
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| | background, that's how we always read on
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| my opinion nothing beats a clean, flat
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| | bullet points
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| 2-D chart with
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| | from the character generators on
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| high-contrast labels.Fontastic Results:
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| | location or in the studios. It
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| Fonts are a tricky beast. A creative
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| | is still probably the most-used
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| font style you might find
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| | convention for bringing text
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| clever or "cutting edge" while polishing
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| | onto a program. Take a look at tonight's
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| your presentation on
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| | television news and
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| the plane is likely to come off as silly
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| | see which transitions they use
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| when it hits the screen.
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| | repeatedly.The bottom line with motion is
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| Creative fonts are also hard to read
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| | that it should always
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| when used as body or
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| | enhance your material; not detract from
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| even smaller headline text. An exception
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| | your presentation.That's a Wrap:
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| to using standard,
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| | Each presentation by every presenter
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| clean typefaces like Arial, Palatino, or
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| | will be different. We
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| Trebuchet would be
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| | create guidelines like these knowing
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| for large title slides or for Meeting
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| | they have latitude to be
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| Theme Logos (MTLs)
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| | ignored when the need arises.
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| which sit onscreen as your audience
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| | Understanding why powerful
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| comes in to, and
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| | presentations work, and why others fail
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| leaves the room. Other than those two
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| | is like peeking
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| situations, it's safer
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| | behind the curtain at a magic show. In
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| to stick with simplicity.How about using
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| | the end, the goal is to
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| Times or New York for a typeface? Fonts
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| | create a shared experience between
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| with a serif (the little hooks and
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| | presenter and
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| slants on the ends of the
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| | audience. Microsoft PowerPoint can do
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| letters) are fine to use in larger sizes
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| | wonders in the right
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| -- let's say 32 points
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| | hands. But just as a chef must learn his
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| and higher. The problem with using
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| | kitchen tools,
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| smaller serif fonts is
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| | successful presenters must learn the
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| that the thinner points in the ascenders
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| | tips and tricks of
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| and descenders
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| | using today's presentation tools.And
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| (the lowercase j or top of the f for
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| | never forget... You are the star of the
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| example) can basically
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| | show.I hope this column helps you to stay
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| disappear on-screen depending on the
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| | on-point, next time you
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| chosen face.
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| | PowerPoint.Gary Lewis is a graphic
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| Obviously, losing your type is not a
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| | designer with over twenty years of
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| best case scenario. Any
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| | experience in television production,
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| font (or graphic device like an arrow
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| | post production and
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| shaft or the outline of a
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| | presentation design.For creative,
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| shape) which is thinner than 2 points,
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| | Royalty-Free backgrounds and stock photos
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| is very likely to
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| |
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| disappear when projected, or to vibrate
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| | (and plenty of free samples!) visit Pro
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| when shown on a
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| | Background
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| standard NTSC video monitor. LCDs, LEDs
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| | Art today!
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| and VGAs all do
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| |
|
