But how? That’s a good question. As Voice Over Artists, we face the challenge of creating whole worlds with the use of our voices. Today we cover just how to do that.
First off, I like to call ourselves Voice Over Artists because we paint images with our voices. Our audiences will believe our performances only if we believe them ourselves. So think of the following as you’re performing:
– Who are you talking to? The trick in this technique is to always imagine speaking to someone specific. Not someone you know from TV, unless you really know that person. And direct the copy to that person.
– where are you? Are you in a library? Or in a supermarket shouting ‘the blue bottle!’ to your wife at the end of the aisle?
– Is it night time? Day time?
– How are you? are you hot? Cold? Hungry?
– What are you talking about? A bridge? A river? Visualize it.
– What are you doing? Are you cleaning dishes as you talk to your children about their day in school? Are you changing a light bulb? Remember that our physicality affects our performances.
And as you’re reading, visualize each phrase, each place you describe, each person you’re talking to, every object you touch, see, and every scent you smell. It’s almost as if you’re discovering what’s happening around you in the moment. And that’s what it’s all about. Being in the present moment and sharing that experience with our audience. If it feels real to you, it will feel real to our audience.
Please try this out for your next online audition and let me know how it goes. I welcome your thoughts in our comments section!
For more great Voice Over tips, info on Voice Over Coaching, Bilingual Voice Over production and Songwriting, please visit the Berne Media Enterprises page. May ‘The Voice’ Be With You, and thanks for spreading the word!