A Master of Ceremonies can make or break the occasion.He (or she)is the bridge that delivers the event to the guests and gets the show moving. He is the Jack-of-all-trades—mood setter, cheerleader, joker, stage manager, script director and many more—depending on what the occasion calls for.So, are you ready to find your next Singapore emcee? What should you look for in a professional host?A good emcee can talk
First off, verbal ability (big surprise!). A good emcee knows how to communicate with his audience. It is someone who doesn’t just talk at people, he talks for them. He knows just what to say to crack ‘em up, raise their anticipation and direct their attention. You won’t want someone who drones on and on in a monotone.
Needless to say, he must also have a good command of the language, be it English, Chinese or both. Hooray for bilingual emcees. An effective compere is eloquent and speaks the language naturally—without pause or fillers—in a pleasant, well-modulated voice.
A good emcee is engaging
Most of the time, people will want someone who’s witty, funny and energetic. He must know how to work the crowd and get them pumped-up because an emcee is not just an announcer, he is an entertainer, mood-gauger and charmer. He understands that although he is essential, he is not the star of the show and his job is to make the audience, speakers and organizer shine.
A good emcee is always prepared
You wouldn’t choose to send someone to a bazooka fight with a wooden sword. You’d arm them with bombs, tanks and well, a bazooka. Likewise, you will be looking for an emcee who comes well-prepared, not to do battle but to entertain. He must have his well-oiled artillery of flair and style close at hand.
Communication is key. A good emcee knows what questions to ask and prepares his performance accordingly. He cares about his audience and is not inclined to just ‘wing it’. He has studied the event, knows it from top to bottom and is ready to dictate the atmosphere from an attention-grabbing opening to an appropriate closing.
A good emcee is a good manager
You must hire someone who manages time wisely and can keep juggling many balls at the same time—figuratively, but literally juggling balls on stage can be entertaining too.
He is conscious of the time and even briefs other speakers on their allotted time frame. He can transition from speakers, to winners, to party segments according to schedule with little to no hitches. He is not fazed by unexpected events and even finds something amusing or interesting in them. In addition, he can run the show smoothly and is ever-ready against that dreaded enemy—dead air.
A good emcee is versatile
As a good manager, an emcee should be up to any situation. He is composed, can think on his feet and is not easily flustered. An example is one who cancomment on what just happened. “The waitress spilled a drink on a guest’s crocodile shoes?Aw, she’s just jealous of his wonderful fashion sense.”Or, “We have a wildlife sympathizer in the house.”
A versatile emcee is also one who can be put in any setting and rise above it. He can tailor his style to what you have envisioned and can take a lot of pressure off you, the producer. A luau party, a corporate event, an awards ceremony—you name it.
