Voiceovers: Techniques and Tactics for Success

Copyright © 2007, 2014 by Janet Wilcox

All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Allworth Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.

15 14 13 12 11 5 4 3 2 1

Published by Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Allworth Press® is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.

www.allworth.com

Cover and interior design by Mary Belibasakis

Page composition/typography by Bsmart Publishing

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62153-429-7

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62153-457-0

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface

Acting Comes First

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER 1: The Playing Field

The Forward Pass • Who Is Winning? • Postgame Analysis • Coach’s Huddle

CHAPTER 2: The Rules of the Game

Pre-Game • The Clock Is Running • The Starting Line • Getting a Feel for the Playing Field • Get Ready for Workouts and Work

CHAPTER 3: Train to Reach Your Fighting Weight

Preempt Problems • Finding Your Balance • Gear and Play Things • The Gold Standard • Coming Up for Air • Exercise Your Imagination, Not Your Voice • Strengthen Emotional Choices • Defining the Boundaries—Approaching Copy • Play the Game • Key Suggestions • Warm-Ups • Turn Up Your Imagination

CHAPTER 4: Getting Ready to Compete

Use Your Hands to Free Your Voice • Learning the Rules of Radio and TV • Play Book • The Tryouts—Auditions and Casting

CHAPTER 5: Finding Your Game

The One-Two Punch of Promos • Going for the Gold with Commercials • The 1,500-Meter Race: Long-Form Scripts • The Marathon—Audiobooks • Relay Races—Multiple Character Radio Scripts • Lost in Play—Crazy Animation

CHAPTER 6: The Record Book—Your Demo and Marketing Plan

The Dos and Don’ts of Demos • Production Value • Defining Style and Finding Copy • Adding New Demo Genres • Distributing Your Demo • Showing Off Your Trophies—Marketing • Resources and Referrals • Be Persistent • Creativity Pays • Establish Credibility and Define Your Brand • Draw on All Your Talents

CHAPTER 7: Playing Your Game

Game Time—Auditions • Technical High Hurdles • Animation—Acting on the Spot • Being Part of a Creative Cartoon Team • Game Time—Thinking Outside the Booth • Finding Work

CHAPTER 8: Coach’s Corner

What Makes a Successful Voice-Over Talent? • What Makes a Good Voice-Over Demo? • What Are Your Pet Peeves? • What Are the Biggest Mistakes Actors Make? • What Skills Do VO Actors Need? • What’s It Like to Be on Your Side of the Desk? • Are Celebrities Monopolizing the Field? • What Are Your Thoughts about the Agent/Client Relationship? • What about the Actor’s Relationship to the Casting Director? • How Do Actors Gain Success in Animation? • What’s Unique about Promos? • How Have New Technologies Changed the VO Field? • What Can an Actor Do to Improve His Odds of Success? • How Much Follow-up Should an Actor Do with Agents? • Do VO Actors Have to Live in Los Angeles? • Some Tips from Producer Michael Maxwell

CHAPTER 9: The Stats

The Weekly Warm-Up • Away Games • The Whistle Blows • Winning Score

CHAPTER 10: Welcome to the Games—Agents and Going Pro

What Does an Agent Do for You? • How Do You Get an Agent? • Sell Yourself • Slam Dunk

APPENDIX I: Scripts

Legal Disclaimers • Promo Scripts: Study Points • Script Formats • Commercial Scripts • Industrial and Marketing Copy • Study Points • Multiple Character Study Points for Radio Spots • Books and Character Copy • A Boy Named Blue By Janet Wilcox • Fifi of Fifth Avenue—Excerpts • Animation Copy: Study Points

APPENDIX II: Read Styles

APPENDIX III: General Character Checklist

APPENDIX IV: Voice-Over Internet Links

APPENDIX V: Audition Considerations

APPENDIX VI: Tongue Twisters

APPENDIX VII: Sample Voice Over Resource Guide Cover

APPENDIX VIII: Home Workout Sheet

SUGGESTED READINGS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE VOICE ACTORS ON THE CD

INDEX

Preface

When a movie star walks down the street he is likely to be followed by an entourage, fans, and the paparazzi. An equally talented voice-over artist, on the other hand, usually remains invisible, no matter how successful she’s been. However, once people discover that she’s a voice-over artist, she’s in the limelight.

What kind of jobs do you do?

Do I have the right kind of voice to do it?

How much money do you make?

These are the questions that are likely to follow.

I discovered voice acting on my first production job at HBO. I was hooked after my initial recording in the booth. I studied, acted, and booked everything from spots to shows. These shows have included E! Network’s Hollywood & Divine: Beauty Secrets Revealed. I was also the voice of Lifetime TV’s Billboards. This experience and my academic background were a perfect match for University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Extension.

Once I started teaching at UCLA Extension, I was surprised that so many people told me they were interested in pursuing voice-overs or taking my class. Then I realized that there are many people who want to test the waters and see if the field is right for them; but they’re too busy to get to a class or don’t want to invest too much money at first.

I created this book for these curious people, including actors wanting to transfer their skills or anyone who has been told that they have a nice voice. This book can be used as a personal study guide, or for a class, or study group. It is intended to be a voice-acting method book to set a strong foundation for work in the recording studio. I have organized the genres and exercises in a sequential pattern to build skills up to a greater level of difficulty. There is, however, no reason why a more experienced voice actor can’t pick and choose what he or she wants to work on, in any order.

Acting Comes First

The competition for voice-over jobs is very stiff—especially nowadays, when celebrities are eager to do voices for products, to narrate documentaries, and to create larger-than-life cartoon characters. My goal in writing this book is to help the aspiring non-celebrity voice actor to strengthen the acting technique that is needed to compete in a market that requires believable characters. Truthful acting has to be at the core of all work. And in order to get to this core, I am going to utilize a game-playing theme to get the creative juices flowing. Improvisation has influenced my work in everything from my live announcing gig for AMC’s Nicole Kidman: An American Cinematheque Tribute, to the narration of my children’s book, Fifi of Fifth Avenue (featuring twenty-nine characters).

Thinking out of the box helped me write and produce promos for HBO and A&E. I found flexibility crucial for directing celebrities as varied as Jerry Seinfeld and Gladys Knight. Finally, I discovered that fast, free-flowing thinking was essential to meeting the varied needs of my students at UCLA Extension. In sum, improvisation has inspired me in every area of the voice-over industry.

Speaking of every area of the industry, there are many opportunities in voice-overs, such as: commercials, infomercials, trailers, promos, looping, automated dialogue replacement (ADR), dubbing, phone prompts, Internet audio, A/V presentations, documentaries, video games, audiobooks, point-of-purchase displays, industrials, marketing tapes, websites, toys, museums, animated TV shows, DVDs, feature films, podcasts, and cell phones. These jobs may garner fifty dollars or thousands of dollars for a few hours of work. I’ve focused on the areas that I believe can enhance the range of a voice actor and yield decent pay or pleasure for an hour in the booth.

The book starts out with an overview of basic techniques and the industry. Then more and more exercises are introduced as different industry genres and jobs are discussed. Finally, business tips and advice from industry experts address etiquette and successful career moves. You can turn to the appendix for scripts and all of the checklists.

This book is all about playing the game to win, and the only way to do that is to have fun. You’ll learn the rules of the game with exercises. Then you can get an idea how to play the game as you read stories about jobs from professionals in the business. And, finally, you’ll understand how to cash in and win with your first paycheck. When was the last time you played a game and enjoyed it?

Turn the page and let the games begin.

Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible without the help of so many generous people. I appreciate what everyone did along the way to assist me in my efforts. I extend a special thanks to Harlan Hogan for introducing me to the senior editor of Allworth Press, Nicole Potter-Talling.

I especially want to thank Tad Crawford, Bob Porter, Thornwell May, Zoe Wright, and the staff at Allworth Press and Skyhorse Publishing for tirelessly guiding me through this process and for their excellent work. Looking back, Nicole Potter-Talling shaped and refined the first edition beautifully and she will be missed.

There were so many talented readers and editors who helped along the way, but Sue O’Neal deserves special recognition for her insightful comments at all stages of this undertaking. Riley Ellis should also be recognized for her considerable expertise throughout the whole process. In addition, I benefitted from the sage advice of Ed Crocoll, Amanda Davison, David Marc, and Peter Morphos.

I am also indebted to the following people and organizations: A&E Television Networks, Richard Allen, Kristen Argis, Richard Armida, Atlantis Group Recording, Sue Bailey, Lindsay Bajo, Joan Baker, Zoia Barrio, Dana Lyn Baron, Shari Becker, Bob Bergen, Terry Berland, Alan Bivona, Allen Blumberg, Scott Brick, John Brosnan, Tiesha Brunson, Mickey Caputo, Cheryllynn Carter, Joyce Castellanos, Mark Cerulli, Tiffany Chao, Melanie Chartoff, Suzanne Cooke, Deborah Crane, The CW Television Network, Adrienne Dalsemer, Michelle Danner, Debra Deyan, Wendy Dillon, Chuck Duran, Jill Edwards, Camille Errante, Jennifer Ferguson, Alberto Ferreras, Pat Fraley, Frederator Studios, Crispin Freeman, Robin Gee, William Germano, Rob R. Granlund, Virginia Griffith Frank, HBO, Paul Harris, Tori Hartman, Healthology, Elizabeth Hiles, William Bill Holmes, Eric Homan, Hillary Huber, Linda Ignarro, Allyson Johnson, Dr. Virginia Johnson, Matt Jones, Susan Bullington Katz, Arif S. Kinchen, Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab, Diane Lake, Chelsea Lail, Bob Liebert, Lifetime, Carl Lindahl, Lisa Lloyd, Bob Luke, Tammy Lynn, John Matthew, Michael Maxwell, Marilyn McAleer, Fred Melamed, Becky Neiman, Tim Nolan, Jason Ojalvo, Sue O’Neal, Kelly Passinault, Steve Penchina, Bonnie Perkinson, Jenny Phillips, Erika Pratt, Michael Presky, Mark Prillaman, Allison Reeds, Crystal Robbins, Rebecca Sadik, SAG Foundation, Josefa Salinas, Becca Schader, Artie Scheff, Dr. Randolph Schnitman, Aric Shuford, Selena Smith, Mike Soliday, Cynthia Songe, Bonnie Spence, Chris Spencer, Spotlight PR, Wes Stevens, Troy Stone, Michael Vanderwyst, Mike Varela, Voice Over Resource Guide, Douglas E. Welch, Rosanne Welch, Pat Whiteman, Dave Williams, Terri Williams, Stewart F. Wilson-Turner, Women In Film, Robert Woodfield, Charles Wright, Niki Yang, Michael Yurchak, and Carolyn Zweifel.

I want to thank Paul and Peter for their patience and Dennis Wilcox for all his advice. I am also grateful for the inspiration from my parents, and my brothers, Garry and David. Finally, I give a special nod to Paul Sills for teaching me to be so playful.

1

The Playing Field

Imagine playing football and having the goalposts placed in different areas each quarter. You would have to think fast to make adjustments to your game strategies. This imaginary scenario mirrors the ever-changing voice-over world. Technology, economic factors, social agendas, and artistic trends modify the kinds of opportunities a voice actor may have.

This is true of all entertainment industries and was portrayed wonderfully in the film The Artist, which explored the transition from the silent era of film to the talkies. Suddenly the protagonist is thrust into an unknown territory because sound has replaced his silent work.

A voice actor has to be a forward thinking individual who can change with the times or will otherwise fall behind. There are some facets of the industry that are constant. Having strong, yet flexible, acting skills can help you transition through the shifting trends.

Keeping your options open by networking with a broad base of industry contacts can bring success as well. Understanding the technological needs of new media and adjusting your skill set can also keep you on track.

I look back upon when I began my career. Voice acting was a hidden gem and wasn’t as widely visible as it is today. Many actors may have worked in radio or transitioned from theater. In contrast, today there is a whole industry that caters to would-be voice actors.

The much-coveted life of a voice-over trailer artist was even explored on screen in the amusing movie In a World. . . . The Internet is full of sites for voice actors and offers portals for productions ranging from podcasts to animated webisodes. A tech-savvy actor can audition and perform from anywhere with the proper skills and a well-equipped studio. The jobs for these types of scenarios range from those paying $50 to union rates with benefits.

An actor must make choices. All acting is about deciding what is the best interpretation of a character for a given script. In the same vein, the actor must decide what jobs and career paths to pursue.

The Forward Pass

Planning for a career takes a vision and knowledge of the winning strategies. Too many actors today want to rush through the process. Laying a firm foundation is essential to having a promising game plan.

Many people ask me about agents. I will explore this later in the book but I can tell you one surefire way to get one and that is to be so good at the craft that you can keep an audience entertained.

The best example I can think of for this is my friend Matt Jones. He studied acting at UCLA, performed theater, and was in a national TV commercial. In addition, he kept up with his training that included lessons at Alexander Techworks. Most importantly, he had suitable survival jobs so he could keep working on his acting career. He kept auditioning and landed a part in a wonderful play called One Night in Miami. . .. Agents came to see it and he landed both a top theatrical agent and commercial agent who also represented voice actors. The agents were so impressed by his theatrical acting that they welcomed him to do VO too.

This is an example of a forward-thinking voice actor—someone who respects the craft enough to work on it while doing survival jobs. With a solid base of skills, he can be flexible and move from VO to stage to screen acting.

Uta Hagen suggested that actors must have respect for acting and treat it with the same reverence as other art forms. It should require serious study and truthful work. Nowadays the same can be said of voice actors wanting to compete at the highest level. Voice actors must revere their craft because it has evolved and become more sophisticated and competitive.

So many voice actors hope to have a top Los Angeles agent. The Hollywood market caters to everything from national advertising to globally-viewed animated features. Sounds pretty cool right? Well, you need patience to get to this place.

Temptations to take shortcuts abound today. Anyone with a mic and a computer program can audition from anywhere—which is fine, but does not ensure success. You have to have strong tech skills to succeed at this work and much of it is non-union. If your goal is to do this kind of non-union work then that’s your choice. Yet know that without feeding your creative side and putting in the time to take your performances to new levels, you may plateau.

Whichever way you want to play it, you will have to balance your artist technique with technologically sophisticated skills in the world of entertainment. Acting, singing, improvisation, and performance outside the booth can help keep you fresh. Taking care to keep up with the latest software and computer trends can give you an added edge to lure clients looking for a fast turnaround performance.

Your career options are shaped by your skill-set, training, and business acumen. Voice actors who take the time to study acting, understand the craft, and can translate those techniques to any number of genres from animation to commercials have an edge. Voice-over artists who have tech skills can easily record auditions and jobs from home, but if they lack breadth of acting training they can be limited to perform only specific acting genres. Of course, a voice actor who has both great technical proficiency and solid acting performance work has the best chance of acquiring a range of clients.

It’s like the difference between a paralegal and a lawyer. Both are familiar with the law but a paralegal has specialized training with less depth. A lawyer has more education with in-depth insights into the legal system and will be paid more.

Who Is Winning?

Since the first edition of my book, many marketplaces have expanded. Often a voice actor must multitask in a world where people do so many jobs at once. For example, there is a great demand for audiobook narrators now. This caters to both union and non-union actors. Often audiobook vendors want actors to record and edit their own work, so knowledge of recording and editing is a plus.

The celebrity presence in the VO industry seems to have grown in leaps and bounds. On the other hand, there are many more opportunities and outlets for actors to secure voiceover jobs. Internet sites allow actors from across America and around the world to audition for everything from commercials to video games. Web casting sites give clients the opportunity to audition as many as 1,000 people or more for one commercial.

Advertisers can zero in on exactly what they want with celebrities who give them a shortcut to their brand identity. Accomplished actor, writer, and VO veteran Fred Melamed played a funny role as a famous trailer voice actor in the movie In a World. . . . He talks about how audiences and advertisers view the celeb VO talent. Melamed says: Most of the time the public is not even aware that the voice they hear is that of a star they are familiar with. The use of a star often lends more status to the ad agency and the client than the product advertised.

Celebrities bring a confidence and ease to talking about everything from cars to computers for lucrative union commercials. These union spots provide pay per play incomes that are very attractive. The non-celeb actor must bring the same level of skill, knowledge, and playfulness to their performance to stand out in the competitive field.

Fred Melamed talks about the artistic quality of celebrity performances. He says:

I don’t think it has changed the way voice acting should be approached. It’s true that the field has now been flooded with stars, anxious to add to their earnings with lucrative VO contracts. That heightens the competition, but I don’t believe that has added many voiceover greats to the talent pool. With some notable exceptions (James Earl Jones, Alec Baldwin and James Spader come to mind), in the vast majority of cases, stars give undistinguished VO performances.

Every actor will choose a path that leads to a perfect fit, but remember aiming high will give you more options. As Melamed observes, even for a star, acting is the key to creating a strong VO performance. He says: I would say that my growing visibility as an actor has had the effect of occasionally being made outright offers for VO work without auditioning, and the ability to command more money (working only at multiples of scale, for example) for what I do, but there is not much difference in how I work artistically. I have always approached VO work as a form of acting.

Postgame Analysis

Since the first edition of my book there have been some major milestones in the VO world. Don LaFontaine, the famous pioneer voice of the VO trailer style, passed away. His trailblazing voice was imitated throughout the industry and defined the style for trailers. Everyone remembers his famous line In a world . . . which he satirized in a Geico commercial.

Yet his great work lives on at the SAG Foundation’s Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab in Los Angeles. The Don LaFontaine Studio gives many union and non-union actors a chance to perform in a