More fun with auditions: the client brief on this merely said “confident”. The sample video they shared was a flashy/classy/futuristic sizzle reel of a new electric car with a lot of tightly-framed shots, so I went with confident and intimate, rather than confident and loud/boisterous.
Some audition practice today…
This one is for a short narration, and the client direction was “Mike Rowe style of delivery”, so I offered two different takes: one closer to Deadliest Catch (more announcer/presenter), and the other more like D***y Jobs (more conversational). Tone/pacing/delivery feedback?
Both were nicely done and each met your specific style goals but I connected with #2 a little better; it felt more like you were sharing something interesting while #1 seemed more like a news report. While only 2 seconds shorter than #1, the difference in #2’s tempo was noticeable and supported the conversational vibe better for me. The slightly higher pitch in #2 also helped move it to your “conversational” objective. Good job!
Hi Brian. Very accomplished read on both counts–quite pleasing in both tone and pacing. That said, I have to say that I find your second, more “D***y Jobs”/conversational read more engaging. Even though the scripts are identical, the second read keeps things moving at a good clip and definitely holds my attention (who knew track leveling could be so intriguing?)
Nice tone, good diction. The reads all sound very similar, though, and have an announcer feel, as opposed to the conversational feel that most clients are looking for presently. I’d say give them another shot with a different, specific listener in mind for each one, which should then translate to different tones and serve you better to show your range.
Trying my hand at a fast–yet still clear–delivery (oh, those plosives!)
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OK, so for plosives, that’s just mic technique and taking the air out from behind those letters. As far as the speed…it definitely got muddy with the enunciation. The trick is to say everything fast without losing the words. One of my coaches told me to slow down to speed up, and while it seems paradoxical, it actually works.
Hi, Brian. Thank you for your insights! I shifted my mic and, as you suggested, tried to tap the breaks without losing the energy (I also noted I could’ve interpreted the script more accurately as the second line is one thought, whereas I broke it up in my original read). Again, my thanks for taking the time to listen and comment!
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Catching up on recordings. Had no voice for almost a month thanks to the nastiest cough available on the market. I apologize if I flood the forum but I wanted to get these out there. Thanks for any feedback and I look forward to looking at your recordings as well!
(If this double posted, I apologize…it doesn’t look like my first attempt was successful.)
Doing some narration practice, working on pacing and diction (making sure my “ands” and “tos” are pronounced without being over-enunciated), and as always, on tone. I put the VO over some video of me rolling with a white belt pre-COVID, in case you would like to see a little Brazilian jiu jitsu as well, hence the YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/G575XrpcgDw
Hi there, I tried posting this last night but it didn’t work, sorry if this is a duplicate! This is a longer read than I normally post. I was trying to not overthink it and was working a bit on my cold reading skills. Please let me know if I sound conversational and spontaneous and if I’m missing the mark please let me know how. I appreciate your constructive criticism!
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I think it’s a good read, but I’m not sure if I’m getting conversational and spontaneous from it. It doesn’t sound like you’re talking to a specific person, more that you’re speaking to an audience. I think that the list that begins “whether you’re into…” has a lot of potential to really sound conversational.
This is good stuff. I personally think this fits into a commercial read that talks to an audience. Some commercials are engaging and grasp the attention of listeners, (i.e. how to find the right name for your baby). Keep up the good work and honing your skills