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Voiceover Techniques – Lesson 4: Make It Real

Posted by JohnMatthewVO in All Posts | Instruction | Voiceover Techniques & Tips - (Comments Off)

So, you can read out loud without making too many mistakes; you’ve warmed it up with a genuine smile; and added some attitude for flavor. Now, the final step is to make your voiceover performance realistic by connecting with an audience. If you’re speaking to someone – rather than just reading words off a page – your voiceovers will have an authentic, human feel to them. And most importantly, the audience will believe you.

Let me be clear – the techniques and mindset of voice acting at this advanced level are more numerous and subtle than can adequately be explained in a blog post. This is the core of acting – and it requires years of practice, experimentation and some good coaching and advice to really connect. But I’ll give you some basic ideas to work with.

1. Talk to ONE PERSON. Unless the script specifically calls for you to talk to a group, it’s almost always more effective to have one person in mind, because your listeners will feel like you’re talking to them one-on-one.

2. Pick a SPECIFIC AUDIENCE. It might be someone you know, someone you’ve imagined, or someone in the room at the time – but the more specific your choice, the easier time you’ll have connecting with them.

3. Choose an audience CONSISTENT WITH THE PIECE. If it’s a health care commercial, you might think of someone who is ill, or has a friend or relative who is ill. If it’s an audiobook for children, speak to a child. Sometimes the script will indicate the intended audience. BUT, don’t be afraid to experiment with atypical choices for practice!

4. Remember PROXIMITY & LOCATION. How physically close you are to your audience, as well as the setting, will change your performance. Sitting next to someone in a quiet room yields a different performance than yelling across a crowded cafeteria.

5. Try DIFFERENT APPROACHES. You might try and visualize your audience in front of you, or just recall the visceral feeling of speaking to someone. You may prefer to think of people you know, or invent a fictional audience. Do some experimenting to see what works for you.

6. PRACTICE & REVIEW. Record yourself using different combinations of audience and setting, and listen to the results. You may find that how it feels isn’t always how it sounds, and you need to make some adjustments.

And don’t forget to have fun!

JM

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Voice Over Techniques – Follow The Face

Posted by JohnMatthewVO in All Posts | Instruction | Voiceover Techniques & Tips - (Comments Off)

OK, the analogy may be a little stretched here, but this Seinfeld clip reminded me of a basic voice over technique that I hit on years ago that you may find helpful. And it’s simply this: if you’re having trouble summoning the right feeling or attitude for a read, try leading with your face.

Put on a facial expression that you think would be appropriate, and see if the feeling follows. For example, if you’re going for a wry sound, try raising an eyebrow and putting on a wry grin. If you want to sound suspicious, narrow your eyes and turn your head to the side a little – and start talking!

It’s also a good way to find new attitudes and reads. Try putting on a random expression, something you wouldn’t normally think of or maybe can’t even name, and see if it evokes a visceral feeling. Record some voice over copy with that look on your face and check playback to see what you’ve come up with – you may find a great new sound that you’ve never used before.

After years of using this technique, I now find that my gut feeling and my facial expression are pretty much locked together, so the second I make a face, I feel something. I still may need to use some basic voice over tools to “bring out” the read – a bigger smile, more energy, changing intensity or proximity and so on, but if you’re on to something genuine, you’ll know because you’ll FEEL it.

Give it a try, and have fun!

JM

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