The Voice of the Movies - are you in the Loop?

What do you think of when I mention sound design in film and television? I'm sure many of you will immediately think of music used to enhance dramatic effect, of added sound effects, or of foley to recreate daily noises such as walking on different surfaces. I wonder how many, though, will think of the background voices in crowd scenes, the conversations of incidental characters portrayed on screen by extras, of even the re-voicing done on main speaking characters when the audio recorded on location isn't up to scratch? All of these voice recording fall under the umbrella of  a vital piece of the on-screen jigsaw: ADR, or its proper name Automated Dialogue Replacement.

Sound technicians use ADR to enhance, create and correct, in all television and film content, and on group scenes within Gaming. Laughter is not canned laughter regurgitated again and again from one film to the next, crowd scenes noises are not from a compilation track. No, instead each scene, each ambiance, each location is created from scratch, performed by a team of ADR actors, aka a Loop Group. These actors are responsible for making the scenes come alive, for making them become more 'real'. This stage of post-production makes all the difference, and yet when done well goes barely noticed by the captive audience absorbed by the dramas unfolding on screen.

The techniques and requirements of the ADR actor are unique, although they share similarities to those employed in Gaming, In many ways, although the voice is recorded, the style required is much more akin to acting than to voice over work. Physicality, location, character, status, period research and improvisation are crucial to establishing a 'true' background soundscape. Researched, non-specific dialogue improvisations are key to making an unobtrusive but natural background to any scene. Vocal takes from group work and individual microphone work are layered together to create detailed environments. This team work makes the restaurant come alive with diners, the party seem in full swing, and the surge of the crowd that bit more threatening.

In September 2012, David John of In the Loop ADR Voice Casting established ADR training together with Louis Elman and Abigail Barbier to form the Louis Elman Academy. For many years, Elman and his team have been known as the experts in the business, and on this course it is easy to see why. They share their extensive knowledge and experience with those seeking to work in ADR  based at the Warner Brothers De Lane Lea Studios in Soho. Forget Hollywood, many blockbuster and award-winning movies are given their sound treatment here in the UK, and on this course, you get the opportunity to see some of the world's best sound engineering talent at work.

The next course dates are 11th May and 1st June 2013, and you can find our more here http://www.louiselmanassociates.com/lea-academy/. Please do tell them I sent you. Who knows? Perhaps you are a natural and you could land yourself slap bang in the middle of an award winning movie. You may have to listen very carefully to hear your voice, but it'll be an important part of the picture nevertheless.

 Have a listen next time you watch the telly, or go to the cinema, Really listen. You'll be surprised and impressed at the detailed level of vocal work that you hear. You may never be able watch anything in the same way ever again!


I often get a huge response from my blog's from people interested in the books and materials I recommend. I have put many of them (and more!) together in a recommendation list with Amazon, which you can view below should you wish to buy directly from them. Please click below:<a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwvoiceovera-21 " target="_blank">
, and get developing and improving your self!

Ongoing Development for Professional Voiceovers

This blog relates to the relevance of continual development for those working as established Voiceover Artists, as well as for those just setting out at the start of their careers. There are many areas to pay attention to, where learning and, crucially, listening and understanding of  developments in the global marketplace, can make all the difference. Self-development can include microphone and editing techniques, maintaining an awareness of developments within technology, both hardware and software. It can be about improving one's own microphone technique, or  networking skills for new and existing clients. It can be about making improvements to your demo's, to your many online profiles, to keeping abreast of your ratecard. It can be about researching new areas of the Voice market. In short, there is always room for improvement, no matter how long you have been in the game.

In the US, there is a culture which makes continual coaching the norm, even among the busiest VO's. In the UK, we are less inclined to use a coach, and if we do take a course, it is more likely to be a one-off, or to update a demo.  There are many benefits though to establishing a rapport with a voiceover coach on a longer term basis. They can help you focus on how you sound, and how to achieve the best results for your clients. They can help keep you grounded when you have the best of luck with some major clients, and keep you confident of your abilities when work is quieter (it happens to us all!). In short, they can be an important point of contact for your performance development, able to spot when you are off mic, able to hear when you misjudged a turn of phrase, or when you could give a different energy to a line. Skype has enabled even the most remote coach to work with you in a personal way, or better still, you could find someone located near to you and meet with them in person.


Keeping abreast of technological advancements is important too. There are so many pre-amps, mixers, microphones and software packages out there. Ensure you know what is what, or at the very least, the best places to lay your hands on this information. I recently attended BV Expo in London, and found Rode and Shure standholders extremely helpful in demonstrating and explaining their products, and eager to share their recommendations for different budgets and recording scenarios. Some companies are good enough to let you have a seven day try-before-you-buy policy on recording equipment, and it is very worthwhile taking them up on this offer. Perhaps you aren't quite ready to invest in the top of the range Mics, but wouldn't it be beneficial to know which set-ups you aspire to? And maybe to have a full understanding of the best options for recording when away from your home studio? Do your research, so that you know which way to go when the time comes.

There's an abundance of books out there which advocate good business practice for maintaining and excelling in client relationships. Even if you are confident of your abilities to charm and be agreeable with clients, it can do no harm to see if there is room for improvement. One of my favourites, although a little out of date as it was published before the rise of the internet, is 'You are the Message' by Roger Ailes. Another is 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen Covey. Get reading, or better still, support the Audiobook industry (and your fellow Narrators) by listening to a version on CD or mp3. It makes self-improvement so mush more accessible when you can do it from the comfort of your car, or while you go for a jog.


Self-development is important no matter where you are in your career. Those at the top need to  know how best to ensure they stay there. Those starting out need to fully understand the business they are entering. It is never as simple as standing in front of a mic in a quiet room. There is always room to learn, and grow, and develop, as a business person and as a professional performer. Above are a few of my ideas. What can you do to improve your lot?

I often get a huge response from my blog's from people interested in the books and materials I recommend. I have put many of them (and more!) together in a recommendation list with Amazon, which you can view below should you wish to buy directly from them. Please click below:
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwvoiceovera-21, and get developing and improving your self!

Industry insights into Voice Acting for Video Games

It's official. Video Games are here to stay. This relatively new entertainment industry is set to get bigger and better, and with more and more people enjoying the likes of Playstations, X-boxes and Nintendos, games are no longer the sole domain of the stereotypical Gamer. They belong also to the family, to young children, to groups of teens, to Granny and Grandpa wanting to exercise, or stretch their brain cells, and it belongs to 92 year old Great-grandpa who, confined to his seat, fancies a round of golf on Boxing Day (a wonderful, true, remarkable moment from my own family!). There's character games for kids, there's war games, there's fantasy, there's Zumba! They are interactive, they are on the big telly, they are with us on the go in our hands, in our pockets, on our phones. And that means greater and broader opportunities for Voice Actors within this niche industry. However, in the UK, it seems that the work is increasingly going to a select few. So what can you do to ensure you are the one with a foot in the door as Gaming grows? It's a chicken and egg situation: getting experience without having experience has been nigh on impossible, until now.

Hugh Edwards, Voice Director and Casting Director from High Score Productions is making a firm commitment to training actors specifically for Video Game work. He wants to widen the talent pool that gets used, and ensure those that are up-and-coming know the tricks of the trade. Voice Actors need to fully understand the gaming industry, to have a feel for what is required of characters within game play, to have background knowledge on Gaming pop-culture references. If you are serious about getting anywhere in the industry, you've got to know your Blades of Time from your TombRaider. Most people have grown up around film and television, but not everyone has been involved in Gaming. Hugh aims to give a taster of what is going on in this branch of the entertainment industry which currently is overlooked during traditional actor training.

If you're selected to join a Game cast, and you are working in front of a Developer or Publisher, from Sega for example, the Voice Director needs to have total confidence that you know not only how to perform in front of the mic, but also the gaming specific terms and lingo bandied around the studio. It is not enough to wing it and learn on the job. Valuable time can be lost in an hour session if you are having to be coached in the 'how-to's' by the Voice Director. And that's why those with Game experience get cast again and again, because they can be trusted in front of a client to get the job done, and done right. So, for the humble Voiceover Artist who wants to break into this industry, where can you go, and what can you do to help yourself?! Well, Hugh places such importance and value on training the next generation of Voice Actors as the industry grows, that he has established a course based at Hackenbacker Studios, where together with Peter Dickson (of X-factor fame, although also a prolific Voice Actor for Games) they pass on their vast knowledge of what is expected of you on a Video Game job.

The course is a full day, and jam-packed with information and opportunities to ask advice and know-how. Each participant gets equal amounts of time in front of the microphone, and one of the benefits of the course is that you hear and see everyone else's performance. So often in voice work, a VO is alone in a booth, and is usually booked for a separate slot from other voice actors. The chance to watch and learn from others on this course is invaluable. To experience the difference in someone else's performance when it is well acted and properly directed leads to a greater learning opportunity for everyone. Peter and Hugh create a supportive atmosphere where to experiment and play with your voice, your character ideas and accents, is safe, and creativity is encouraged. And one of the best things is that the course is only open to actors and VO's already well versed in performing for the mic, and not to total novices. This means there is already a wealth of experience in the room before anyone opens their mouth.

Frank discussions on agents, demo content and on how to approach gaming audio companies were extremely useful. There really is no bigger turn-off for Gaming producers than to be sent Commercial reels. After all, how good you are at selling BMW's or a bar of chocolate, has no reflection on your ability as a Gaming character. Demo's need to be Gaming specific, and packed with decent content, to show your ability and range in an interesting and engaging way, with careful consideration for the kinds of smaller roles you are likely to cast in. You firstly need to be in the right category, but within that framework you can show variations and be dramatic, and show your malleability. In many instances up to 8 smaller roles may be played by the same performer. Each needs to be distinct and fully formed. And this can be a challenge when you are often working in isolation, so you need to ensure you can keep an accent or character up, and remember them from one session to the next. Some tips on how to do this were insightful and easy to put into practice.

With £1 billion per year in the UK alone spend on Gaming, the industry is only going to grow, with PS4 and the new X-box offering coming shortly. Current and emergent new technologies will offer the Voice Actor opportunities for Motion Capture work, both body and facial, & for wire-framing. Plans are already afoot to encapsulate some of the rudiments for these techniques in a new course coming later this year. Watch this space.

Why not start working through some characters for yourself, find the ones you are most comfortable with? Have a snoop on YouTube at popular Game characters and see where you might be a fit. Do some leg work before you are ready to create your demo. Or, if this is really going to be your thing, be a Gamer. Get hold of a console, and get playing. It'll be the best way to immerse yourself in this whole other world.


Further info on High Score's course can be found here http://www.high-score.co.uk/courses.php, and I for one, can highly recommend it.

Drama School training for Voiceover Artists - are there benefits?

As I've said before throughout my blogs, people enter the Voiceover world from different backgrounds. Some arrive from having worked in radio as presenters, some as experienced producers or sound engineers. Others find their Voiceover niche because they have always been able to entertain through mimicking and creating crazy voices. A great many however, began their careers as actors, and launched their Voice careers after honing their skills and talents at drama school. I am from within that camp, having completed post-graduate Actor Training, and then having worked as a  professional actress for some years. This blog shares with you my thoughts on the benefits of being an actor, especially a trained one, when it comes to Voiceover work. It is not my view that it is completely necessary, just that it has benefits, and may give you food for thought on how to improve certain areas of your voice work.

For me, there's an assurance I carry that I know what I'm doing with my voice. Vocal training during my time studying at drama school helped me gather a strong sense of what works and why. I understand how to shape my mouth and tongue and lips to change my sound to achieve a desired effect. I appreciate the difference warming up my facial muscles makes to a session with the microphone, and those warm ups are ingrained! They are so much a part of my daily routine, that often I'm not aware that I do them. I hum in the car after dropping my kids at school to warm my voice, I stretch out my face. I work on some excellent tongue twisters with the children, all to get the muscles moving, I read through each and every script aloud making full use of every single vowel and consonant (I sound utterly ridiculous and a little bit crazed) and it makes such a dramatic change to the reading I then give into the microphone, makes me focus, and slow down my speech. A wonderful, elderly voice tutor spent hours of her time drilling us students in the importance of clarity in speaking. Who wants to listen to someone who isn't taking the time to enjoy language, who garbles and rushes through syllables and consonants? And she was right. I now find it frustrating to hear people who in daily interactions err on the side of mumbling. Becoming aware of my own shortcomings in my natural speech, makes me determined to ensure my clients get full articulation and clarity from me. If someone has written the script, then they want it spoken properly! Jonathan Tilley has some excellent warm up tips in his highly recommended eBook, 'Voice Over Garden'. Visit  http://www.voiceovergarden.com/ to find out more.

The anatomical knowlege of my speaking equipment I gained whilst training gives me the confidence to know when I need to rest my voice when things just don't feel like they should. After all, damage to the voice is a bit of a bummer when you are Voiceover Artist. Every impending sore throat needs a little TLC, and it is important to heed those early croaky warning signs.  It can be hard to say no to a job, but if your voice needs to rest, then you must take a break. I once suffered from some major vocal complications which meant I had to rest my voice for 8 weeks! It was a challenge, but meant that I still have the ability to speak and to have this excellent career. If I had been foolish, and not heeded warnings from vocal and medical professionals around me, life could be quite different. If something isn't working in the way a client wants you to do a reading, if it causes pain or discomfort, have the confidence to speak up. Change your performance or perhaps suggest they could use an effect on your voice instead. Don't take risks. If things don't feel right with your mouth or throat, go see a doctor. Have confidence in your knowledge as a performer, and understand the needs of your body.

And then there are the many things I learned about Breath. Breath control is paramount to a good performance, and knowing anatomically and viscerally how to achieve that makes a tremendous difference. Firstly, I urge you to find a voice class that you can attend, failing that check out some of the wonderful writings by the Royal Shakespeare Company's very own Cecily Berry.

 With my brand of upbeat, enthusiastic, and often fast paced voiceovers, it is crucial that my breathing doesn't ruin a read, and that I have the support to get to the end of a very long sentence without collapsing in a heap! There are many great exercises you can do to become aware of your own breathing limitations and habits, and advice on how to reform yourself towards new positive habits. Do a little research, and see where you can get some help locally.

As an experienced actor, I am accustomed to 'getting into character' quickly and effortlessly. Even jobs which require my 'natural' speaking voice, there always needs to be an idea of who I am, and to whom I am speaking. It is rarely ever just me 'reading the text'. There is an element of performance to almost every read: corporate, narration, commercial and the rest. Having confidence in the character I have created can make a read stand out, make it feel more connected, more natural. This is of particular benefit when working on Audiobooks where a myriad of characters need your voice to be 'their' voice. It is crucial then to be able to adapt my ideas on character when being directed, finding ways to quickly and seamlessly adapt my performance and character to a director's requirements. My experiences in the rehearsal rooms at drama school and my later acting career give me the confidence to play with my character creations. Some things work, some things don't, but I always have the willingness and ability to try something new with a character idea for a script. Why not find a local acting class you can sign up to? Or an improv class? They can be fantastic ways of jumping in and feeling inspired by your own character creations, and you can learn anm awful lot from fellow classmates. The City Lit in London offers some fantastic courses http://www.citylit.ac.uk/, although most adult education centres will have some form of performance course to get you started.

So, for me, Drama School training has been a real asset, but it isn't compulsory for a Voiceover career. Maybe adding a few things to your Voice Actor toolbox could lead to a huge improvement in your performance though, both vocally and creatively. It has to be worth investigating. So perhaps a full drama school training isn't for you, but it can do no harm to learn a little more about the tools of your trade: your voice, your breath and your performance ability.

Inspirational ways for Voiceover success

Like many people post-Christmas-celebrations, for me the end of a year and the start of a new one brings the perfect opportunity to assess the path my business and career focus has taken to date, and to realign my visions for the future, with especial interest for the next 12 months. In this blog I shall talk you through a few of the thought processes, activities and inspirational books I turn to, to ensure I keep my voiceover ambitions and achievements in check for the coming year.

With the day-to-day pressures of business, personal and family life it is easy to forget that each little step and each little job is taking you on a journey with your career. Make sure the steps you take are taking you in the direction you wish to go! I use a huge Vision Board, placed clearly on my fridge door in the kitchen as a daily reminder of what I wish to achieve. This is a technique borrowed from Julia Cameron's, 'The Artist's Way', which I find hugely powerful (her book I cannot recommend highly enough for creative types stuck in a rut). Once upon a time I would randomly rip pictures from magazines that appealed to me on some level, but now I am much more targeted in how I create my collage. I hunt on the web for images and logos of the kind of brands I would like to voice for, of agents I would like to be in engaged by, of animators that inspire me, and audiobook production companies I'd be delighted to narrate for. I add to that pictures of studio equipment that I would like to add to my fine collection, and together with glue and scissors I have a whale of a time putting together my vision of my future career. I get really sucked into it, and then stick it up with a magnet somewhere prominent, and promptly forget all about it. Somehow it works its magic by being a daily reminder of the things I wish to strive for and achieve. Try it. It works. And you can adapt it as you acheive your goals.

 

 

I am a huge fan of motivational books, and one that I encountered in 2012 is so inspiring, and better still, Voiceover specific that I intend to dip into it from time to time in 2013. Joan Baker and her colleagues created 'Secrets of Voice-over Success', and it is well worth a look. Another book that found its way to me by recommendation from a stranger-turned-friend (you know who you are!) is 'The Dream giver' by Bruce Wilkinson. It is a beautiful parable of striving for your Dream, and makes sending just one more email, or making just one more cold call, or doing one final edit on an audition demo just that little bit more bearable. It reminds me of why I am doing what I love to do, even on the days I wish I was anywhere but the studio!

 

 

 

I intend this year to keep a list of my all goals in full view in my office so that I am constantly reminded of them when I settle down to work.  I shall have a similar list right next to it which will grow as the year goes on - it'll contain all the 'good stuff' I have achieved. That could be making a new client, achieving a certain number of Tweets, or attaining a financial goal. It could be compiling a new demo, reaching a certain number of readers for my blog, or receiving positive feedback about my work. This year I shall take stock of all my mini-successes, and celebrate them in some way. It is good to take stock before moving forward.

 

Working for yourself, it is imperative that you keep motivated, and I have shared with you some daily things that help me. What could you do to make 2013 a year of successes for you? If my ideas help inspire you, let me know. Equally if you have a real gem of a way to stay motivated, please do let me know and I can add it to my New Year's Day repertoire!

 

 

 

The business of the VO business

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there is more to this malarkey than just being able to open and close your mouth in front of a microphone. And ultimately, if you are going to make this business work for you, you have to see it as just that - a business. I'm going to let you in on a few areas of my business that are just as important to me attaining my goals as a Voiceover Artist.

Basic business etiquette and understanding of standard procedures such as invoices, balancing the accounts, and all that comes with financial dealings, tax returns, and spreadsheets and forecasts and checking that clients have paid on time, in the right currency, are all vital parts of the VO experience. Suddenly time I spent doing temp jobs in accounts departments to get through Drama School seem to have been useful and helpful on my journey, way beyond getting the immediate wage packet at the end of the week. Plus having been responsible for a large theatre school with over 120 children on my books means that I am accustomed to keeping track of payments, and have developed a thick skin when encouraging late payers to cough up. If you're not good with numbers, find a local course to help you gain confidence- often in the UK you will find that your local council run free business start up sessions on basic accounting. This really is an area that you don't want to get wrong. I mean you aren't doing this VO thing solely fo the kick of hearing your voice on the telly are you?

Letter writing. You remember the good old fashioned postal method? Well, to me that is still a regular experience as I send CD's to land on desk somewhere. (To be honest I enjoy the stroll to the Post Office- gets me out of the studio and I have real social interaction, not on the phone or via email, or on the ISDN line!) Emails and mp3 are great- but you can't get your branding to jump out at someone in quite the same way that you can from an attractive bit of packaging. Plus it is much easier to dump an mp3 in the trash, than it is to put someone's CD demo in the bin without a moments thought. I have quite literally had a job 8 years after I first sent a demo to a producer - he found me on his shelf, getting dusty. You just never know where a demo CD will end up. It may seem a little old fashioned, but if it works, don't knock it.  Every CD needs a good cover letter, and again, basic knowledge of business ettiquette is vital. You are the brand - and everything has to be right with what you present a potential client. And no one likes a badly written email either, by the way.

Branding is crucial. You have to know your product, so that you can attract your market. There is no benefit in trying to be master of all voice styles. Know what you are suited to, and market the hell out of it. Find your niche and work it, baby. Demos, business cards, logos, invoices, letter heads, emails, pretty much anything and everything that leaves the studio from you needs to make an impact, and one that works in your favour. Photographs, also, carry a strong weight. There is debate as to whether VO's should have their pic on their website or not, given that it is their voice they are selling not their ugly mug. My thought is that we live in a media rich world, and we kind of expect to see a face to put to a name. So make sure that pic is a good one, taken by a pro, and not a dreadful snap of you in poor lighting. That photo will end up everywhere as you market like crazy on social media sites. Is that really the image you want for your business?


Which brings me to the world of Twitter, blogging, Google Plus, Facebook, LinkedIn and more besides. This is possibly the single thing that makes the difference in my career. Networking,constantly.

 

My quiet spells of work often happen a month of so after I take a break from networking for a week, that's how big an impact it can have. Choose how you represent yourself in every interaction. It comes up in Google rankings! I have developed a fantastic community of Voiceover peers and buddies, who can now help in my time of need, and many producers have booked me after following me for a while. I honestly don't know how people did this for a living before!

So there you go, a few of my tips and pointers on how I do my bit in this business. Chiefly though for me, I never feel that I can sit back and wait for the work to roll in. Even at my most hectic times, with recordings and editing round the clock, I still put in the hours on the admin and networking, I still strive to protect myself against the inevitable quiet periods. So have a look at how you do things on a daily basis for your VO work. Are you presenting yourself in the best light? Are you doing things with your 'business head' on? If not, I suggest you consider a few changes. It'll make all the difference to your career, and your business.

'Everyone says I've got a nice voice!'

Many people out there have great sounding voices, but how many of those great sounding people can make a successful living out of the gift of the gab? In my experience getting anywhere in the Voiceover world takes a lot more than just being blessed with an interesting, likeable or charismatic voice. 'How hard can it be to talk into a microphone all day?! Surely anyone can do it!', I hear you say...

In theory, yes. Anyone can rock up to a microphone, speak into it and record a demo. But how many aspiring Voiceover Artists are aware of the basics of microphone technique, studio etiquette, the significance of branding, the importance of networking (cyber and in the flesh), and the pressures of coping with auditions and rejections on a daily basis? And what of the significance of vocal care and preparation to enable VO's to consistently provide a quality product? Because like it or not, if you want to work as a Voice, you have to see your voice as your product; a product that requires branding, packaging, marketing and advertising. Constantly.

The Voice world differs greatly from other sections of the performing arts. It is more corporate, often better paid, and must be approached as a business from start to finish if clients are to be won, secured and retained. Agents are of course an asset, but the buck does not stop with them when it comes to expanding and growing the awareness of your voice within the industry.

That brings me to another point - which industry are you targeting with your voice? Commercials, Video gaming, IVR telephone work, elearning, audiobooks, are just a few sectors that Voiceover Artist work in. Each area has different demands for a VO.  For Video gaming, can you effectively and quickly use your acting skills to place yourself in a strange world you have never seen- often without the other characters voices to respond to? For Audiobooks, can you sustain the same style of narration throughout a novel, with up to 16 -20 hours of recorded material? Can you be consistent with character voices that you create in the story, and move swiftly and seamlessly from one to the other, and back to your narrator voice again? Can your vocal cords cope with the stress and demands of speaking for hours on end? For commercials, are you capable of selling a product, of connecting with the audience quickly? Do you understand exactly what it entails to hit the right words in the script copy, in the required time, without sounding rushed, and whilst maintaining clarity, all under the watchful, hopeful eyes of the producer, client and sound engineer? And for all Voice work, do you have enough awareness of your voice to ensure that you aren't making ugly noises with your mouth, or breathing heavily? Are you able to sit or stand still enough to not knock your chair or your script stand to ensure you don't inadvertently ruin an otherwise perfect take? (It happens to everyone at some point!)

So yes, in theory everyone and anyone with access to a micrphone could work as a voice artist. In practice, though, only those with commitment, a desire to learn and improve, and who can run their career as a thriving business are going to see the career highs and financial returns they desire. It is a highly competitive market. Do you have the skills to make a significant entrance into this exciting career?  Something to think about next time someone comments on how great you'd sound as a Voiceover Artist. The skill is in making it all sound easy. Do you have more to offer than just a 'nice voice'?