voiceover book

Directing Voiceovers… Lend Me Your Words

October 3, 2012 by Dan Friedman

Effectively communicating with a voiceover talent during a recording session can be a struggle for clients, or for many new directors. Recently, a client suggested posting “a list of words that can be used to help explain the changes they would like the voice over person to modify.” This sounds like a great idea and an easy thing to do… right? Well, yes… and no. While a list may be helpful in some situations, it would only scratch the surface of what may be involved when directing a voice talent.

Contradiction

Much of the language used when directing seems contradictory. For example, “urgency” almost never means to read the script fast and “intensity” does not mean to shout or automatically give a script the monster truck rally treatment….

“SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! YOU’LL PAY FOR THE WHOLE SEAT… BUT YOU’LL ONLY USE THE EDGE!” 😎

While that delivery is intense… it would be inappropriate on an intense commercial for a hospital. Similarly, while “urgent care” in a hospital means to get care quickly, in a commercial for a hospital, “urgent” usually means to read somewhat slowly, with great concern and importance.

Another term that is used frequently is “cool”. Does this mean cool, as in hip or cool as in calm? Contradictory and/or ambiguous language is just one reason why a list of words or certain terminology will not help in every circumstance.

What’s My Motivation?

Because every talent responds differently to different methods of direction, what works for one talent… may not work for another. While some talent may respond well to simple words or verbal cues, others may need background information such as what the writer’s intention is or in what format will the final production be presented (radio/tv commercial, boardroom presentation, classroom presentation, etc.). Many voice talent like to know the environment in which a scene takes place… for example a coffee shop, city street corner, or bedroom. The same dialog can take place in any of these locations but each may require a different delivery. A voiceover talent may want to hear the music if it has been chosen, or be given specific guidance on inflections or even where to stop and take a breath. The possibilities and combinations of factors are seemingly endless.

Directing, like most things, is much easier after gaining experience. But, the best way to do any job… is by not having to work hard at it. Thankfully, there are a few ways to help you get the delivery you desire with minimal effort and without the need to do much directing. Like many other professions, using the right tools and having the right team can make the difference.

The Tools and the Team

The first best method for getting the delivery you want, is to have a well-written script. Good scripts provide road maps for the voice talent. Proper punctuation, grammar and formatting are helpful, but more importantly, the use of descriptive or illustrative words allow the talent to capture the mood and feel of the message. Unless you are seeking a delivery that is intentionally counterintuitive or completely unique (a character voice for example), the tone of the script should be obvious to the voice talent.

This brings us to the second best method, which is to choose the right talent for the job. Here is where things can get very tricky. A voice may sound great on a demo, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the voice talent is the right choice for your script. Time and time again… big announcer voices are hired for their vocal quality, but are asked to sound conversational. This usually requires additional time and effort for the delivery to sound believable (as though a “real person” is presenting the information).

Some voice talent are more suited to announcer reads, others are great at sounding conversational and others are good at narrating or story-telling. Some talent can interpret copy flawlessly, while others need extensive direction, instruction and line reads in order to achieve the delivery you are seeking. Some talent can interpret copy very well while acting as a character, but have great difficulty when delivering the same material as themselves. The trouble is, as the client acting as director, you often don’t know what your chosen talent’s strengths and weaknesses are… until after you’ve hired him or her.

With a well-written script, it should rarely take a voiceover talent more than four attempts to get the tone of the delivery correct. The first take should be left to the talent’s interpretation of the script. A good voice talent will usually get reasonably close on the first pass. The second take is used for dialing up or dialing down the energy or for any clarifications on tone or characterization. The third take is for fine-tuning any changes made in take two. By take four, the over all tone will ideally be dialed-in.

No Substitute For Experience… or Great Ears.

Great voiceover talent don’t need much direction and a good script will provide most of the information a voice talent should need. But once the tone and delivery are where they need to be, tweaks and fine-tuning may still be necessary to help the talent provide the best performance possible. This is when experienced audio producers and engineers become an increasingly more valuable part of your team.

Professional audio engineers, who specialize in voiceover, often take on the role of director. They often work with many voice actors and have experience knowing not only what buttons to push on the equipment, but also which buttons to push within the talent that will produce the desired delivery. They may also be responsible for the assembling the final mix and will develop a “vision” for what will help the final production sound best. When you find an engineer who shares your vision, do not hesitate to allow him or her to interpret your needs and communicate them to the talent if you are having difficulty.

Lend Me Your Words

Clearly, there is a great deal involved in directing a voiceover session. While a list of words may not always be helpful or simple to create, there is no reason why we shouldn’t try. I’ve included a few words with their possible meanings in this article. I invite all of you (talent, directors, engineers, coaches… and everyone reading this blog) to add some of your own in the comments section and I’ll compile them for a future post. I look forward to seeing and hearing what you come up with.

What A Voiceover Demo Is… and What it is Not

August 22, 2012 by Dan Friedman

A voiceover demo is your business card. A demonstration of your abilities and talent. It is a reflection of your ability to present yourself as a professional. It is representative of whether you can communicate and deliver copy, but also indicates whether you can hear what it takes to deliver that copy effectively. After all, when it comes to voiceover, communication requires talking as well as listening.

On at least a weekly basis, I hear or receive voiceover demos that simply aren’t demos at all. Please take the following items into consideration before sending out your “voiceover demo”.

What is NOT considered a voiceover demo:

1) A seemingly endless stream of outdated character voices that you think you can do
2) An air-check from your radio days (even if one of those days includes yesterday).
3) A single commercial spot.
4) Messages that you put on your answering machine.
5) A recording of yourself reading from a book.
6) Any voice recording that was performed in a noisy or unprofessional sounding environment, even if your delivery of the script was nicely performed.
7) Slapping a recording of your voice over a piece of music (especially well-known songs).
8) Anything that begins with, “Hi, my name is (doesn’t really matter because the listener has already moved on) and this is my voice demo”. P.S. – I only know that something follows the name because I sometimes listen further knowing I might get the opportunity for a laugh (although… usually not in a good way).
9) An audio file that is ambiguously labeled and offers no way of knowing who you are.
10) Any and all combinations of one through nine.

Ideally, you want your demo to be memorable. While some of the things listed above can definitely make a voice demo memorable… is that how you want to be remembered?

Here are some additional articles about voiceover demos:
Are You Ready To Make a Voiceover Demo?
A True Story and Advice on Voiceover Demos

The Most Difficult Part To Being in Voiceover

October 10, 2011 by Dan Friedman

So what is the most difficult part to being in voiceover? No, it is not dealing with clients. (I love my clients, even the more challenging ones). The technical stuff can be difficult for some, but for others it can be a breeze. I believe that the the most difficult part of being a voice talent, for nearly everyone in this business, is the same thing that is difficult for my children…patience. I don’t mean to imply that voice talent are like children, but let’s face it, we can be a sensitive and impatient bunch.

My friend Bill DeWees recently held an audio book seminar where he said this; “a voiceover career is a marathon, not a sprint”. At Faffcon 3, my friend Paul Strikwerda dropped this “golden nugget” which he’s allowed me to share with you; “We live in a microwave culture, but voiceover… is a crock pot career.” I love these quotes. They are simple and effective analogies, reminding us that patience is key to success and survival in this business.

Waiting can be difficult because it often coincides with fear of the unknown. It gives people a lot of time to get in their own heads and fool themselves into thinking something bad is happening, or nothing is happening at all. Furthermore, our “microwave culture” has become so accustomed to having it our way and getting it now, that we often forget the old adage… good things come to those who wait. Progress often occurs so slowly that it seems as though nothing is happening, but it is important to remember that as long as you are (back to Paul’s crock pot analogy) adding ingredients to your career and allowing everything time to cook properly; you will over time, get tasty results.

Nearly every skill involved in a voiceover career takes time to develop and cultivate. Learning to use your ears and apply the knowledge gained from listening… takes years of listening. Learning to understand and communicate various emotions that a script calls for, requires years of experiencing emotions and perhaps more importantly, recognizing how others express emotions.

Having patience is a requirement to learning the craft and is also necessary when promoting and selling yourself. Making a great demo will take time and can take several attempts. A marketing plan and developing the materials necessary to implement it, takes creativity as well as patience to ensure that it will be effective. You also must have the understanding that after you’ve sent your demo and marketing materials to prospective clients, an immediate response is highly unlikely and a lack of response does not always equal rejection.

So what is a voiceover talent to do while things are on a slow simmer?

My suggestion… keep a positive attitude and take one step each day to keep your career moving forward. A step can be as big or as small as you like. Just keep moving forward. Also, don’t overlook the signs indicating that things are moving in the right direction. Not all of the signs will be as obvious as, “We love your voice and would like to hire you.” A sign can be as small as a positive response to an email, tweet or post. Do not underestimate the power of these smaller signs. While they may not seem like very much at the moment, these signs are often a very important ingredient to having the delicious crock pot career you’re working on (kind of like the spice cumin… a little goes a long way). Also remember that these signs are not just about you. Undoubtedly, the small steps you take are helping someone else create a tasty career as well. Like you, they just may not know it yet.

One Year, One Voiceover Book… A Whole New Chapter

September 1, 2011 by Dan Friedman

Since starting my webpage and blog, I have attempted to provide information that can be beneficial to several facets of the voiceover industry. I’ve written articles for directors, new talent, experienced talent and offered commentary on things going on in my VO life and in the industry. On this day (September 1st) last year, I published something that has had a profound effect on my life and has hopefully helped others. So today on the anniversary of the release of my book, Sound Advice – Voiceover From An Audio Engineer’s Perspective, I’d like to do something I’ve largely avoided, which is to write something about the book itself and how it has created a new chapter my life.

When I began writing Sound Advice – Voiceover From An Audio Engineer’s Perspective, I had no idea how it would be received by the voiceover community. I was nervous. But my mind was quickly set at ease when several letters and posts began to appear thanking me for writing it. While many of these letters were complimentary and some full of praise (for which I am so appreciative) two of my favorite letters came to me in just the last two months.

Submitted on 07/17/2011
Kelley Carruthers Buttrick
“Hey Dan, “Sound Advice” saved my bacon on Thursday. In the past, I would have freaked out at the problem and immediately called the engineer who installed the studio. Instead, I just did your first line of defense and unplugged and replugged the item giving me grief. It worked like a charm! Simple I know, but for someone who is technologically challenged like me, it was great! THANK YOU!!! See you at Faffcon!”

Submitted on 08/08/2011
Cindy Neill
“Hey Dan!
I just wanted to say Thank You for writing your book! I was getting a nasty hiss in my records this morning and started to freak out but I read through your book, calmed down, retraced my connections and settings and found the issue! When I’m not in an ISDN session, I’ve got to turn the ISDN pot down on my board otherwise, I get the hiss. Apparently I’d forgotten to turn it down after a session yesterday afternoon and thus, freak-out mode kicked in! But by reading through your book and following just the simplest of instruction, I was able to fix the problem on my own!!! YAY ME!! And YAY YOU for writing such an awesome book!!
Thanks Dan!”

These letters are my favorites because, almost one year later, people who have had the book are now turning to it and solving their studio problems. This is exactly what I had intended.

The only thing I knew when I began writing the book was that the information was needed. Over the years, voice talent had been calling me, asking for help with everything related to studios, recording gear and sound. Often the questions were very similar and I heard myself offering the same advice time and time again. Coincidentally, within a week or two, a couple of voice talent said to me “you should write a book”. At that time it was just an interesting idea.

I knew that voice talent didn’t want to go to school for recording and sound engineering. That would far exceed their needs. However, some knowledge of audio engineering was a necessity and there was no other source available that spoke to the needs of the voice talent. Many talent were actually afraid of their audio gear! The manuals and catalogs could be intimidating. Books about sound recording could not only be intimidating but overkill for anyone who simply needed to get a professional recording of their voice and perform some editing. After years of working with voice talent as an engineer, as well as years of working as a voice talent myself, I knew I could help. I wanted to help. What had started as an interesting idea, turned into reality.

Thanks to letters like those above I know that I have helped, but the biggest reward I’ve received from the book has been meeting and talking with so many of you. I’ve had the opportunity to meet hundreds of people I may never have met. I’ve been part of group discussions, online conferences and Faffcon2 (and Faffcon3 coming up). Many people in this industry have inspired me with their abilities, generosity, talent, and determination. I’ve made new friends who’ve been incredibly helpful and supportive. I’ve also met people who I was able to get added to the ProComm Voices talent roster, one of the finest group of voiceover artists anywhere in the world. I am so fortunate to be in such amazing company.

To everyone who has purchased or recommended Sound Advice – Voiceover From An Audio Engineer’s Perspective, thank you so much for your support. Getting the word out about a book is actually much harder than I ever imagined and I could not do it without your help. Please keep sharing and recommending it to anyone who you think could benefit from the information contained within its pages. I wish you all great success with your voiceover careers. Keep on talking and keep on listening.

Voiceover Pick-ups and How To Avoid Them

July 13, 2011 by Dan Friedman

It happened today. I was asked which of the two voiceover talent the client had chosen would be better for a 12 minute narration. “Talent A” and “Talent B” are both seasoned veterans and have great voices and deliveries. The difference is that “Talent B” requires a great deal of time for editing pick-ups, mistakes and fumbled words. On a project this long, the additional time that will be required to work with “Talent B” will be costly to the client. Needless to say, for a job like this, I recommended “Talent A”.

People with stage and live performance experience know that there is only one chance to get it right. Film actors know that film is expensive and multiple takes could become costly. People who have been in the voice over industry for more than 15 years will probably remember working with tape. Tape was also expensive and editing with it was much more difficult and time consuming then digital editing is today. So while many of these expenses and difficulties are less of an issue today, frequent pick-ups are still a tremendous waste of time and can be costly for the client and (as you read in the introduction) for the talent as well.

There is no question that some scripts and styles of reads can be difficult. Fast disclaimers and long scientific or medical narrations can be extremely tricky. But professional voice talent should not struggle with a typical script such as one for a grocery store, car dealership, restaurant, or bank. If the script is written well, a professional voice talent should have little trouble delivering it. It is frustrating when a voice over “talent” is unable to get through more than a few sentences without multiple pick-ups… and don’t even get me started on the editing.

Editing should be a tool for choosing the perfect nuances, eliminating clicks, noises and other anomalies, removing breaths and trimming a read so that it will fit into time constraints. It should not be required to simply get a complete read. The edit desk is not supposed to look like a ransom note (thank you Amy Snively for that analogy).

This is a customer service issue. The time it takes to edit audio full of pick-ups, mistakes, and fumbles can be costly to the client. Voiceover artists who are frequent fumblers require additional time for both recording and editing. Even on straightforward editing jobs, clients as well as voice over talent are often best served using professional audio engineers and editors to edit their audio quickly. When multiple pick-ups are involved, the editors speed is even more important. But even more critical than speed is the engineer’s ability to make disconnected reads sound cohesive (deliveries lacking cohesion can occur easily when multiple pick-ups are involved). His or her editing experience often produces better results than the client or talent can achieve when trying to edit the audio themselves.

Everyone makes mistakes. It is a fact of life. However, if you as a voice over talent routinely have more pick-ups in your reads than an auto dealership in the South has pick-up trucks, then (like those trucks) you’ve got work to do.

Here are some tips:

1- Begin by getting your eyes checked regularly. This should be obvious. If you can’t see the script, how can you possibly read the script?

2- Prepare. Clients don’t always send the script in advance. But, when they do, as a professional voice talent you have a responsibility to prepare. Read the script, mark it up appropriately and ask questions (if you have any) before you start recording.

3- Mentally focus. Do whatever you need to do to prepare yourself to perform the read you are about to deliver. Deep cleansing breaths, reading silently to yourself for a couple of seconds, imagine someone with who you will communicate the message, whatever it is that works for you. Once you are focused… stay focused.

4- Don’t try to memorize. Don’t take your eyes off the page and think you’ll remember what was there. Read the words in front of you.

5- Anticipate. Especially if you didn’t get the script in advance. Anticipate what is coming next based on the words, sentence structure and your experience.

6- Break it up. Break the word or phrase up into smaller components and then pull it together as you repeat it.

7- Repetition. If a word or phrase is difficult for you to say, repeat it over and over again until you get comfortable with it.

8- Adjust your speed. Subtle changes in the speed of your delivery can make it easier to say difficult words or phrases.

9- Practice. Practice reading, out loud and fluently, all of the time.

10- Relax. This is your job. It is what you do. Relax… and make it happen.

Remember, this is a customer service issue. Voice talent who read fluidly, communicate effectively and require minimal editing provide a better experience for their clients. They also save the client valuable time and money.

If you have any additional thoughts or tips, I’d love to hear from you.

10 Tips To Get the Most From Your Voiceover Session

July 1, 2011 by Dan Friedman

Your advertising dollars and your time are important to you. Do you know how to get the most from your voiceover session? Here are my 10 Tips For Getting the Most From Your Voiceover Session.

1- Choose Wisely – Who you choose to deliver your message is the first and possibly most critical decision you’ll make. The voice should personify the attitude and style of your company, product or character and should relate to your target demographic. Keep in mind that the talent should be able to communicate your message quickly and efficiently. Choose a voice talent who can deliver your copy with few mistakes or pickups. Just because audio editing is easier and faster than ever, doesn’t mean extensive editing should be required to get the result you want.

2- Check Your Script – Before your session, read your script out loud and use a stopwatch to time it. This process will help ensure that you’ve fixed any mistakes, grammatical errors and any other stumbling blocks that the voice over talent may encounter. Using a stopwatch while reading aloud will prepare you for the possibility that you may need to cut or add copy to fit your message within the time limits required for radio and TV commercials.

3- Formatting – The way your script is formatted plays a big role in the ease in which it can be read. Double spacing allows room to make copy edits when necessary. Use of punctuation is a must. Also be aware that WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS MORE DIFFICULT TO READ. Only use ALL CAPS, bold type, italics or underlines to indicate emphasis.

4- Numbers – Using actual numbers (1,2,3) rather than writing numbers (one, two, three) is helpful. However, in the case of a monetary value that is complicated to say or that can be said multiple ways, writing the number the way you would like it said is best.

5- Communicate – Communication is what this is all about… right? Let your voice talent know right from the beginning what your ideas are for your script and the approach you had in mind. Most of the time, the copy itself will indicate what approach the voice talent will need to take. Other times several approaches could be considered viable options. This brings us to…

6- Be Flexible – While you were getting ready for the session to begin, the voice talent was also preparing. Professional voice over talent will look over the script, read it to themselves, then read it aloud and anticipate what delivery will be best based on the script, the client, and any written direction that may have been provided. Oftentimes, the talent’s approach will be very close to what you were thinking. However, the talent may also deliver something slightly different or even completely unexpected. These differences could lead to results that are better then what you had imagined. Be open to what the talent brings to the table. Its one of the reasons you chose him or her.

7- Ask For Help – The audio engineers, producers and the voice talent are all there to help you get the most out of your voiceover session. Everyone involved wants the production to be a success. If while in a recording session, you are not quite sure about direction, script construction, copy edits, or have questions or concerns about the audio itself, then allow the talents and experience of these professionals to help you achieve your goals.

8- Be Specific – Vague terminology is confusing and not very helpful since it often requires further explanation anyway. “Make it blue” is not a clear direction and can be interpreted in several ways. “Bigger smile” and “descend on that word” are examples of very precise directions that the voice over talent can easily understand.

9- Keep it Positive – Everyone appreciates positive feedback. If the talent is communicating your message effectively, let them know it.

10- Make It Fun – The best and most memorable recording sessions are the fun sessions. They usually involve fun, creative scripts and people who love listening to their productions come to life. Even if the script is informational and straightforward, there is no reason the session can’t be fun while the work gets done. Sometimes, it can be so much fun… it seems strange to call it work. How’s that for getting the most out of a session?

Directing Voiceovers… Lend Me Your Words

What A Voiceover Demo Is… and What it is Not

The Most Difficult Part To Being in Voiceover

One Year, One Voiceover Book… A Whole New Chapter

Voiceover Pick-ups and How To Avoid Them

10 Tips To Get the Most From Your Voiceover Session

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