In episode 3 of The Video Marketing Podcast by Falkon Digital, host Luke Sherran sits down with Michael L. Roberts – vocal coach, screenwriter, music director and behind-the-scenes creative on projects like Rocketman, Belfast, Death on the Nile, and House of the Dragon. Michael has coached A-list actors (including Taron Egerton on Rocketman and Matt Smith on House of the Dragon) and advises C-suite leaders on high-stakes communication. The result is a rare, practical playbook for speaking with impact on camera, without sounding fake.

You can watch the full episode here:

Authenticity vs. “Playing a Character”

Most YouTubers aren’t playing a role; they’re trying to be a more engaging version of themselves. That’s harder than acting. As Michael explains, adopting a character comes with emotional distance. But being yourself on camera requires self-knowledge, craft, and repetition. The sweet spot is you, dialled up: recognisably your natural voice, with sharper intention, clearer structure, and a little more energy than everyday conversation.

Confidence Comes from Preparation

Confidence isn’t the absence of nerves; it’s the presence of preparation. On Rocketman, Michael’s team didn’t rely on “talent” on the day, they reverse-engineered the performances through deep prep. Understanding Elton John’s influences, arrangements, and physicality long before cameras rolled. For creators, the same principle applies:

• Know your material cold. If you can’t explain your hook in one sentence, the video will meander.
• Plan the beats. Open strong, build tension, resolve with a clear takeaway.
• Rehearse aloud. Reading silently isn’t rehearsal. Speak your script, feel the breath, notice where you stumble.

“Practice makes permanent,” Michael says. The reps you do are the habits you keep, so rehearse the way you want to sound.

Speak in the Listener’s Language

One of Michael’s best stories is how he landed Rocketman with some high kicking execs and director Dexter Fletcher. In an empty office he rearranged chairs like a piano, blocking out camera positions to show the visual rhetoric of Elton John rather than tell it. That won the room because he spoke in the decision-makers’ language.

For marketers and founders, this is gold. Producers think in shots; CFOs think in risk; customers think in outcomes. Frame your message to match the audience’s mental model. Ask yourself before you hit record: What does my viewer need to see, hear, or feel to say “yes” to the next step?

The Persuasion Triad: Ethos, Logos, Pathos

Ancient tools, modern gains. Michael talks about the 3 appeals of persuasion.

• Ethos (credibility): Why should we listen to you? Use earned experience, case studies, and receipts without bragging.
• Logos (logic): How does the idea work? Use structure, proof, and clear reasoning. Graphics and demos help.
• Pathos (emotion): Why should we care now? Use story, contrast, and stakes to move people to action.

Great videos mix all three. If your content is stacked with data (logos) but flat on feeling (pathos), viewers won’t finish. If it’s emotionally charged without substance, they won’t trust it. So audit your next script – highlight lines that deliver ethos, logos, and pathos, then balance the colours.

A 60-Second Vocal Warm-Up You’ll Actually Do

Michael’s warm-up is brilliantly simple and camera-friendly:

1. Posture: Sit or stand tall, feet grounded, shoulders loose.
2. Breath: Two slow nasal inhales, long relaxed mouth exhales.
3. Pitch glides on speech, not strain: You can use Michael’s poem and control the pitch to test your range. Try to do this without moving your head or clenching your neck. Keep the face neutral; let the air do the work.

This takes a minute, warms the instrument, and crucially, helps creates stillness on camera so any gesture becomes a deliberate choice, not a nervous tic.

What Business Leaders Can Steal from Film

Michael also coaches C-suite leaders, where the stakes are boardrooms, media scrums, and investor days. His film-to-business crossover lessons:

• Serve the audience, not the ego. A great speech or video is built for the listener’s decision – not the speaker’s CV.
• No new ingredients on show day. Don’t try a brand-new tactic minutes before the earnings call or product launch. Rehearse your process in conditions that mimic the real thing.
• Package credibility. Translate expertise into relatable frames (customer impact, risk mitigated, value unlocked). That’s ethos audiences can use.
• Narrative beats move markets. Even in B2B, decisions are human. Use conflict → insight → resolution to make strategy stick.

If you’re a business owner, imagine treating your quarterly update like a scene: what must the audience believe by the end, and what emotional journey takes them there?

Scriptwriting for Creators: Write for Them, Not You

Creators love passion projects; audiences love useful passion projects. Michael’s north star for scripts: who is this for and what will it do for them today? Practical ways to keep scripts audience-first:

• Open with the outcome: “By the end, you’ll…”
• Build around questions viewers already have (search, comments, sales calls).
• Use simple scaffolds: Problem → Why it exists → What most people miss → Your method → Step-by-step → Proof → Next step.
• Trim anything that doesn’t move the viewer toward the promised result.

Then iterate using retention data. Logos isn’t just logic inside the video, it’s the feedback loop that shapes your next one.

Watch the Episode & Build Your Voice

Whether you’re a solo creator or a founder leading a team, your voice is your most scalable asset. Michael L. Roberts shows that world-class communication isn’t mysterious, it’s a craft. Prepare deeply, speak in your audience’s language, balance ethos-logos-pathos, and give your voice the 60 seconds it needs before you press record.