Inside Competitive High School Speech & Debate: The Documentary 'Speak'

The World of Competitive Speech and Debate

• 🏆 Speech and debate is highlighted as a high school tradition where students can excel, particularly in original oratory, a 10-minute speech on a personally meaningful topic, recited from memory with factual analysis and theatrical performance.
• 🎬 The documentary "Speak" follows five high school students through this competitive landscape, culminating in the national championships.

Filmmaking and Student Selection

• 🎥 Directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman sought to focus on the students' personal stories and lived experiences, recognizing the richness of their "heart stories" combined with fact-based analysis.
• 🎯 The casting process was extensive, involving hundreds of calls and collaboration with the National Speech and Debate Association to find students whose stories would complement each other, considering diversity in race, geography, neurodiversity, and family background.
• 🤝 A crucial aspect of casting was ensuring the partnership with families, schools, and coaches, prioritizing transparency and safety for all involved.

Inclusivity and Personal Growth

• 🌟 Speech and debate is described as an inclusive activity that attracts students from all backgrounds, offering a competitive outlet for those who may not participate in traditional physical sports.
• 🗣️ It provides a platform for students to disagree respectfully, fostering an environment where participants can acknowledge and respect how others arrived at their viewpoints.
• 🧠 Coaches act as mentors, guiding students to be authentic, developing self-awareness and empathy through Socratic inquiry and personal connection to their material.

The Student Experience: Nerves and Advocacy

• 😥 While the competition is intense, with tournaments lasting several days and multiple speeches, students develop remarkable poise and self-regulation skills, including breathing techniques and focus.
• ❤️ The students, Esther and Mufas, share their personal journeys into original oratory, driven by a desire to advocate for themselves and others, share important stories, and make tangible change.
• 💡 Challenges like overthinking and managing nerves are overcome by viewing speeches as honest conversations with the audience and by channeling care for the message into performance.

Filming and National Competitions

• 📹 The filmmakers employed a cinéma vérité technique, aiming for intimacy while being sensitive to the students' emotional states, sometimes pulling back to allow them space.
• 🎤 The national competition is likened to a "nerd Super Bowl," bringing together thousands of students from diverse backgrounds, fostering both intense competition and a strong sense of community.
• 🎓 Both Esther and Mufas emphasize that speech and debate equips participants with lifelong skills in advocacy, communication, and leadership, preparing them to navigate complex situations and influence the world.