VO Tips

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing a new video series that will help you become a better voice over talent, or even just a better communicator. Copy Checkup is a self-produced video series that breaks down simple sections of copy and shows the different ways that the phrases can be enunciated.

You can either click here and watch it on my youtube page or click below and watch it on the page for the post. Enjoy!

As a trombone player there is one thing I learned that not only helped me on trombone, but helps me everyday when I get behind the microphone.

It is a free resource for you to use as much as you want. There’s an unlimited supply of it almost everywhere you go.

Air.

Try saying a phrase on half lung capacity and then take a deep breath and use more air when you speak.

What happens? That’s right, your voice sounds more resonant, it carries better, and you have access to more of your range. Plus, if you keep using a good amount of air when you speak, this will energize you, raise your heartbeat, and give you a little bit of a workout. This increase in energy will allow you to focus better and put more energy into your performance, more than likely reducing the amount of takes you’ll have to do to get the copy just right.

The only downside I can see is you having to take bigger breaths when you need to breathe, but that shouldn’t ever be that big of a problem.

That was easy. Hey… where’s my staples button when I need it?

What do you think of when you hear the word meditation?

Most people think of monks high on a mountain somewhere high in the Himalayan mountains sitting around on mats with their legs crossed.

That’s not where I’m going. Meditation is simply deep thought. It’s actually something I practice quite often.

Let me explain…

You’re really missing out if you don’t know about this awesome resource for scripts:

Script Collection

I was writing a script collection until I came across this AWESOME resource on Jeff Kafer’s blog.

There are thousands of scripts in this collection and they all seem really great. DEFINITELY take advantage of this resource for your demos.

Going off of the last post, People. If you have thousands of connections and nothing to offer when they find you, you might as well not waste your time.

Sounds a little harsh, but it’s true. If someone finds you on your Myspace, Facebook, personal website (do you have one?), or they contact you by phone, are they going to be impressed with what they see or hear, or will they blow you off because you sound like an amateur?

There’s one way to prevent that: Practice.

I never say practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to voice over work. Practice makes persistence. You can’t always be perfect when it comes to voice over. Perfection lies in the ears of the producer or the client, not with your ears. Something may be perfect to your ears but completely wrong for the listener.

How do you practice using your voice? There’s a lot of great practice methods I use all the time.