One of the things that VO do is set the mood. This can change from sentence to sentence! I received a script to record yesterday for a hearing aid company.
The script said, “You know my sad story…” My point is that doesn’t sound natural. I suppose if I’m really trying to pull the pity chain I’d say that, but I’d more likely say with sadness in my voice, “You know my story…” and emote that so it sounds sad too! Then the next sentence I was saying how happy I was now that I could hear well, even in the crowded bar.
It’s a business!! Repeat this to yourself, “I’m starting a SEPARATE ENTITY called a business”.
Repeat this as often as you need to until you understand that sentence. Many people treat a business as a personal checking account backup.
IT ISN’T.
Your first, primary, most important, overarching job is making money for THE BUSINESS. Then, if you do, as the business manager, you decide what value you have and compensate yourself accordingly.
Bud light has at least 13 products starting with the words, #budlight. #MountainDew, more than 33. If you took someone that loves BL and handed them a “Bud Light Lime-A-Rita” (one of SIX flavors)- would they recognize it as a BL? I don’t know BL, but I’m thinking “no” is the answer.
Same with the versions of MD. Code Red, Live Wire, Pitch Black, and my personal name, “White out”. One hopes this is about snow and not an office supply! So how are you extending your brand in a way that makes sense in your niche?
This week I started a service writing blogs and articles for those that need motorcycle and travel related content. We’ll see how that goes. After writing marketing and sales copy for years, I’m hoping to gain traction there.
There it is. I write a lot of commercial and marketing copy and I catch myself.
Take: “I am going to go the store” can be read (and likely will be)
“I’m gonna go twoda store”
The first sentence, if read the way its written can sound mechanical, or robotic.
We can help “humanize” your script. With my sales and marketing background, I can also look at your script from the sales side. I just did a script this morning and the company name was only mentioned once at the beginning and never gave the web address. HUH?!
I do more and more virtual meeting management, I’m seeing confusion on what I do, or more accurately what people want. So…
Moderator: I might be “on screen” long enough to be introduced, but I’m really more like a stage manager in a play. I manage the event
Host/Emcee: I’m on screen and while helping to manage the event, I’m on screen sometimes managing and introducing guests, but I’m not the presenter.
Presenter: I’m the content provider. I may act as your company representative, or just the hired gun brought in to close the deal, but I’m doing the presentation. Of course there are combinations of these too?
May I help you in your virtual presentations and webinars? Contact me here!
Let’s talk about starting your own business. NOT a #voiceover business, ANY business. It takes a mind-set not everyone is geared for, and that’s okay! I talk about several places to go for help SBDC (https://americassbdc.org/), SCORE (https://www.score.org/) are two, FREE resources to help you start.
Do some soul-searching. Are you okay with NOT making any money next week? How long can you go without income? How can you start “today” with little money and how far can you get doing that? Are you okay with working for periods with no day off? This is a BUSINESS mental attitude/aptitude question more than it is about voice acting.
Talk to someone you know that owns and operates a business. Buy them a coffee and ask what you need to look out for. Good luck! I’m happy to chat for a few minutes or do a paid mentoring session.
Got rolling early today with a friend stopping by after his midnight shift to carry two rolls of carpet upstairs, helped me install one room, then we carried the furniture up that I also got yesterday. Whew!! And that was ALL done by 8:30!
Oh yeah, #voiceover! Why NOT have a voiceactor voice your wedding toast!? I had an order come in to record a fun toast. As the script was written in a humorous way, I gave them a second cut with a little “Grant Humor” tossed in. They loved it.
Did some revision work on the “off-world miner prisoner” character voice I’ve been working on for a video and finally work on how to use a soil testing device for a company. Never a dull day!
Episodes # One, Two and Three were about “The Space” and helping you to determine if you can record in the space you now live in. That done, today is “About you”!!!
So you’ve got a voice and you’re not afraid to use it. Great. Unless you have some awful vocal challenge there might be a slot for you in VO. There are several “on-air” people I can think of that in most cases, probably not pass the “voice for commercial success” test, yet there they are on national radio. So there’s that.
Do you like to read? If not, this might be a separation point for you. There is a LOT of reading in this business. Next, start reading out loud. Listen to your pacing and inflections. Does it sound clean? Can you read many sentences at a time without mistakes? Okay, now record yourself, put on headphones/ear buds and listen for weird pauses, mouth noise, etc. You’ll hear things listening back that you’ll never hear while you’re recording.
Practice reading for smoothness and flow. We’re not yet worrying over emphasis, etc. If you feel you read well, it’s likely time to have an initial coaching session or two with a good coach. Why one or two? To get a feel for the process and what’s required. Many coaches will give you a free session or half hour to get a feel for one another.
I’d be honored to help you start and get going with some initial coaching. Hit me at VoicPro@GrantsVoice.com and let’s chat! Why is coaching next and not gathering scripts to practice? I’ve seen many talents practice the wrong things, then they have to unlearn bad habits. That just slows you down and adds cost.
The week started with corporate reads on how to use a piece of equipment. Pacing is ALWAYS important. Pacing is what makes someone sound rushed or hesitant, confident or not. This week I’ve done three reads for corporate “how to” use a piece of equipment and the related software. When explaining software it is important to give the listener (this backed a video, so “viewer”) time to ‘go to the top menu and click on the Edit menu’. Pacing along with tone can significantly change a sentence. Take, “I got specials all the time, take a look!” Is dis guy sarcastic? Street vendor? Selling watches on the street? There’s probably 30 different ways to read that. That’s why context is so important! It’s also what makes the business fun! When you organization needs something explained or a character read, keep GrantsVoice in mind!
This is #3 on Grant’s Sound Advice on getting started in a #voiceover career. The first two videos concentrated hard on “the Space” (cue Star Trek music). This morning I came up with the BRILLIANT (just ask me) idea on how to evaluate your space. Grab a ping pong ball off that table you bought three years ago and have only played on twice. Walk into each room you’re considering. Toss the ball at a wall or the floor. Count the bounces. Every bounce is one too many. I’m not sure about the science behind this, but I think its related. I’ve been in professional studios where walls and floors would bounce a ball, certainly. But they’ve spent big bucks mitigating that bounce in other ways. Anyhow… If you do this in your home, you’ll quickly find the space with the fewest bounces. Start there. I also mention another type of fort, the “Pillow Fort”.
