General TEDx talk information and guidelines 

What is a TEDx talk?
A showcase for speakers presenting great, well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes.

(Bearing in mind that some of the greatest TED talks have been under 5 minutes long.)

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What are the expectations of the speaker?

The idea has to be professionally presented, memorised and done on camera and in front of a live audience, without notes in hand. The speaker must be prepared to undertake speaking coaching, if required, to be considered for the program.
 

What’s a “well-formed idea”?
It can be something that’s new and surprising; an idea or invention that an audience has never heard about.
Or it can be a great basic idea (that most people will be familiar with) but contains a compelling new argument behind it that challenges beliefs and perspectives.

In other words, an idea isn’t just a story or a list of facts. A good idea takes certain evidence or observations and draws a larger conclusion.

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Will I get paid or can I pay to be part of the program?
TEDx speakers cannot pay to speak or be paid to speak.
 

Are there any TEDx content guidelines?

• No commercial agendas

• No political agendas or inflammatory rhetoric

• No religious agendas

• No bad science

A TEDx event must have a broad spectrum of speakers from across several disciplines that address a variety of topics. These topics should not fall under a single subject.

Read more on TEDx content guidelines

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What happens to my live talk - on the day and after?

You will be presenting your idea in-person, on stage in front of a live audience of about 100 people. It will also be filmed and footage of the talk will be video edited for TEDxKatoomba and the final video will be uploaded to the TEDx YouTube channel and website.

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General tips?
As a speaker you must take something that matters deeply to you and rebuild it in the minds of your listeners and viewers. The Idea does not have to be a scientific breakthrough or a complex legal theory. It can be a "how to" or a "human insight". An idea is anything that changes how people see the world. If you can conjure a compelling idea in people's mind, then you have produced a valuable gift.

A talk can be a journey which the speaker and audience go on together but the speaker must remember to begin where the audience are.

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Got any good examples of past TED or TEDx talks?

There is a wide range of TED and TEDx talks that have been successful and they can fall into several categories, namely

The big idea
The talks that make one or two very strong points, and it’s important.
Examples: Bryan Stevenson, Onora O'Neill, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The tech demo
An onstage look at some clever new invention that the speaker was a part of creating.
Examples: Tan Le, Markus Fischer, Raffaello D'Andrea

The performance
Music, dance, magic, puppetry, or some other performance to captivate your audience.
Examples: Usman Riaz + Preston Reed, Arthur Benjamin, Pilobolus

The artist’s statement
In these talks, artists showcase their art and explain the meaning and process behind what they create.
Examples: Raghava KK, Liu Bolin, Aparna Rao

The “dazzle with wonder”
These talks are mainly about the amazement of science and discovery.
Examples: Yoav Medan, Marcus Byrne, Janna Levin

The small idea
These talks are not about one big, world-changing idea, but instead a very engaging take on an interesting topic. Examples: Mary Roach, Joe Smith, Charlie Todd

The “issue” talk
These talks expose your audience to an issue that they may not otherwise know much about.
Examples: Rodrigo Canales, Lawrence Lessig, Rose George

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