FREE VOICE-OVER LESSONS: BASICS/NAME SLATE & PERSONAL STYLE

I discontinued voice-over training and coaching, and for years still received inquiries about how to start a voice-over career (which simply has no concise response.)  While no longer teaching, I have decided to post increments from my Basics Training Event Workbook here, with a link to an audio track narrated by me.  It's my hope to help those interested in learning more about voice-over and what's involved in starting a career.

The 8th in the series of voice-over basics is on the Name Slate & Personal Style.

 TCVO Presents…

SPRING INTO VOICE-OVER!

© Teri Clark Linden, 2014

Name Slate

I’m going to jump in here with one of the basic things you’ll need to know about before auditioning for voice-over jobs and that is the name slate.  In voice-over, your name is usually the first thing the casting person listening to your audition will hear.  Sometimes, your name is all they hear before moving onto the next audition, so it’s extremely important how you sound while saying it.  

Ways to Slate & Personal Style

There are many ways voice-over talent slate.  Sometimes a slate is determined by personal choice and sometimes by the genre of job being auditioned for.  Personally, when slating for straight-forward commercials and narrations (no character roles) I simply say, “This is Teri Clark Linden.”  If the script is light and humorous, I’ll bump up my energy and say, “Hi!”  or “Hello” in front of that.  I will always slate in the vocal style the direction calls for in the script (speaking to commercials).  If they want a textured, smoky or husky sounding voice, that’s the voice I slate with.  If it’s upbeat, friendly Mom, the slate gets that energy and voice, and so on.  

With cartoons I slate in character, be it for animation or commercial.  For demos, I have heard several where a male voice slates on a woman’s voice-over and woman slates on a man’s (I have done this for a couple of students whose demos I helped produce).  I have also heard what’s called “end slates,” where the name slate comes at the end of the demo, usually saying something like, “Thanks for listening to Teri Clark Linden.”  I haven’t heard end slates nearly as much as front end ones though and they are usually found on character-voice demos.  I think the demos that really jump out when I listen all have a unique way they are produced.  Frequently, I listen to top-tier agency demos on the website www.Voicebank.net (where my demos can be heard as well) centering in on those in the larger markets like LA or New York.  At my New York agency there is a talent named Mindy Bell whose commercial demo is quite funny.  Right away I get the sense that Mindy Bell’s personal style is comedy.  I would say my personal style is texture.  I can jump in and out from using a textured, throaty sound (think Demi Moore) to a clearer one.  I think I also have a warm quality with commercials and a good sense of comedy as well.  The more training and practice you have the better you’ll be able to identify your personal style and what scripts you best perform to include on a demo.

© Teri Clark Linden, 2014

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO FOR FREE VOICE-OVER LESSONS: BASICS/NAME SLATE & PERSONAL STYLE, NARRATED BY ME!

FREE VOICE-OVER LESSONS: BASICS/CONVERSATIONAL READ

I discontinued voice-over training and coaching, and for years still received inquiries about how to start a voice-over career (which simply has no concise response.)  While no longer teaching, I have decided to post increments from my Basics Training Event Workbook here, with a link to an audio track narrated by me.  It's my hope to help those interested in learning more about voice-over and what's involved in starting a career.

The seventh in the series of voice-over basics is on the Conversational Read addressing Traditional vs. Modern Announcer.
 TCVO Presents…

SPRING INTO VOICE-OVER!

© Teri Clark Linden, 2014

CONVERSATIONAL READ

Traditional vs. Modern Announcer

In my two decades of recording commercial voice-over scripts (“copy”) nearly all copy with Announcer roles give the direction to be “real” or “conversational,” and sometimes “non-Announcery.”  What the people want who write or give this direction is to hear a voice talking as if you were just having a normal conversation with one other person.  They don’t want someone selling or pushing their product onto them.

Pamela Lewis has a really great way of introducing this idea to basic voice-over talent with a simple script for what she calls the “Traditional” vs. “Modern Announcer.”

Now, the Traditional Announcer is not by any means pushing or selling his product either, or have a voice in the old fashioned game show Don Pardo style (think The Price is Right and “Teri Clark Linden…come on down!”).

Traditional Announcer

Here is the direction Pamela gives for the Traditional Announcer’s two lines:

Line 1: Statement of love.

I love this product. 

(Think, “I love my __________________,” and you fill in the blank – grandma, mate, kid, dog, corvette, whatever.  Be specific and mean it.)

Line 2: Come join me in the love.

I know you will too.

(Think, while smiling warmly and sincerely, “Come join me in the love,” and really want the other person you are talking to – and pick one person and really pick them, don’t fake it – to love your grandma, mate, kid, dog, corvette or whatever too!)

For the Modern Announcer, it’s the same commitment emotionally, but just more laid back, and you guessed it, “conversational.”  The Modern Announcer is just a regular person like you and likes what he is talking about too.  Again, pick a person you are talking to and put yourself into a scenario – like sitting across your kitchen table after breakfast over coffee, or in the backyard over the fence to your neighbor, or whatever.  The more specific you are the more the listener on the other end of the television or radio listening the commercial will connect with what you are saying and ultimately (because that’s what commercials are for) selling.  

Modern Announcer

Here is Pamela’s direction for the Modern Announcer:

Line 1.  

It’s a great product.  

(Think, “Yeah, sure…my grandma is pretty great.”)

Line 2.  

Why not check it out?  

(Think, “Sure, meet her or not, either way is okay & I’ll still like you anyway.”)

The difference here is Modern Announcer is not emotionally committed one way or another.  I’m not saying be apathetic and feel nothing.  But unlike Traditional Announcer where you really do connect emotionally with the product (or “Grandma”) you are talking about and want the listener (your one person) to join you in the emotional connection, Modern Announcer is more laid back and rather than expressing deep feelings for what he or she is talking about, is merely relaying the information – having a conversation.

Don’t worry if this doesn’t make sense or resonate with you right away.  Performing a “conversational” read in commercial voice-over is one of the most difficult things to do for a lot of very experienced and very talented people, especially those with a strong background in radio imaging and disc jockeying.  

TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN ANNOUNCER PRACTICE SCRIPTS

TRADITIONAL ANNOUNCER

I love this product.  

I know you will too.

MODERN ANNOUNCER

It’s a great product.  

Why not check it out?

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MY NARRATION OF TODAY'S LESSON ON CONVERSATIONAL READ/TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN ANNOUNCER.

CLICK HERE FOR THE YOUTUBE VIDEO OF TODAY'S POST ON CONVERSATIONAL READ/TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN ANNOUNCER.

My Son listening to one of my recent audio book narration files for the day (Aunt Dimity & the Wishing Well, by Nancy Atherton.)

© Teri Clark Linden, 2014