If you’re trick-or-treating tonight but you haven’t thought about a costume yet — and you have 20 minutes to run to the dollar store — a modest suggestion: be a TED Talks speaker.

You’ll need:

• 1 pack of fuzzy pipe cleaners
• 1 pack of pompoms or small foam balls
• 1 sealed pack of 4×6″ index cards
• 1 large piece of black paper (or a black paper napkin)
• 1 pack of craft foam sheets or stickers
• tape and/or glue
• Bright-colored outfit (no black, please)
• For ladies, try a statement necklace. No dangly earrings.

To make the headset mic:

1. Choose a large pompom or foam ball and affix it to the end of a pipe cleaner. Use glue if you have it, or just poke the pipe cleaner into the center of the pompom/ball. Twist the end, if needed. Note: You can choose a pipecleaner and pompom that match your skin tone so it disappears on film, or use glitter pipe cleaners and pompoms so you get more candy. It is Halloween.
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2. Bend the pipe cleaner so it follows the shape of your face and folds over the top of your ear. Twist the end into a hook, so that it fully envelopes your ear. Pro tip: Onstage, our audio engineers sometimes tape the mic to the side of your head in an unobtrusive place. Watch for baby hairs if you do this.
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3. If you’re overachieving, snake a cord down the back of your neck to an unobstrusive mic pack (not shown).

To make the clicker:

1. Wrap the pack of index cards completely in the black paper — the same way you would a small gift — taping it tightly.
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2. From the craft foam, cut one small green triangle and one small red triangle. Affix to the black paper as shown. Feel free to mix up the colors.
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3. Make an antennae. Snip a few inches of black pipe cleaner, fold down one centimeter. Put glue on the section and afix to the top left of the clicker.
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4. Carry, and every so often click the green triangle. When nothing happens, say, “Slide?

Walk confidently, use expressive gestures, and start strong.

All photos by Sacha Vega/TED.