Walt Disney World – Magic Awaits
Voice Direction:
This simulated audition is to cast a voice actor for a Walt Disney World Resort commercial which will be broadcast nationally, :20 in length. The voice should be warm, energetic, and playful.
Script:
Where’s the one place on Earth where every single moment is filled with magic? Found in every thrilling ride, hug from an old friend, and nightly firework display? Walt Disney World Resort, where magic is waiting for you. Book your adventure now and experience the magic with someone you love.
Watch David Goldberg review and explain why some entries wouldn’t make the cut, some get short-listed, and one gets cast.
Congratulations to Rupa Krishnan, Gracia Damsgard, and Demetris Bobo!
In this simulated voice acting audition for a Walt Disney World Resort commercial, they delivered the message with Disney-compatible personality that is “warm, energetic, and playful.” Here are some tips to help your performance stand out with professionalism and distinction as you play with audition scripts in the future.
For further perspective: Review the recording of Chief Edge Officer David Goldberg’s January 12, 2025, live session, where he – and a wide range of voice actors – review a random selection of this contest’s entries. It gives insight into the casting review process – demonstrating how a casting person quickly moves through hundreds of submissions to create their shortlist. But — unlike real casting projects — David explains what casting teams listen for and how their decisions are made.
EDGE STUDIO TIP # 1 – Smooth out your read and reduce vocal tension. Just as in a real audition, our entries included a lot of near-contenders. But an audition screener has to narrow the field somehow. Where to begin? One common “filter” is to listen for a relaxed voice, one that is free of unwanted tension. This is especially true when the direction calls for qualities such as “warmth.” One way tension creeps in is with habitual glottal stops. A glottal stops is a momentary closing of the throat, usually on words that begin with a vowels (such as “any” or “every”). Listen carefully to your recordings. Do you do this? It tends to tire the listener, and is a red flag to many reviewers. It’s likely unintentional, and you can avoid it with practice (and perhaps a bit of coaching). Stopping it will also make more effective the few times you might do it for effect. And even in those times – especially in auditions – consider using some other method to emphasis the word.
EDGE STUDIO TIP # 2 – Think about the script. What is its key point? A LOT of people delivered pretty well but sounded like a lot of others. That’s common, because even experienced voice actors initially read things the way we’ve all heard similar phrases before. But then the pro thinks further about ways to avoid this trap. Can you make your read distinctive without getting goofy? (No Disney reference intended.) Yes, by understanding that the script is a series of related thoughts, not just words.
What is this message’s most important thought? Here’s a clue: The word “magic” appears three times. So you should hit it. Yet, each time it’s in a different context. So, to avoid sounding corny and repetitious, consider hitting it differently each time, in keeping with its context at that point. For example:
- The first time, you need to establish it. Make extra sure it’s noticed, and that you sound impressed by it. So you might deliver it with “awe.” What that means for you to do, is your creative decision as an actor. But two options might be: (a) lengthen the “M” sound a bit (but still be natural), or (b) give it a slightly breathy quality.
- The next time … you’ve established the word, so don’t do it the same way. Maybe just change pitch in your phrase.
- And the third time, it’s still important, but so is the word “love.” So you might hit both words the same way.
Remember, these are just examples. With a bit of thought (and what you learn through VO training), you could think of other natural ways to hit the word. Which to use in an audition? Often the answer is to choose the natural approach that shows off your attributes and won’t be chosen by everybody else.
EDGE STUDIO TIP # 3 – Read and follow the directions – all the directions. More than half the entries leaned to the specified “warm” quality. They were very calm and sentimental. Good, but many overlooked the direction to also be “playful and energetic.” Can a voice actor really capture all three qualities in a single read? Yep. It’s a matter of balance. For examples, hear our winners.
EDGE STUDIO TIP # 4 – Learn the various VO faux pas, and avoid them. For example, “upspeak.” That’s when you end a sentence (usually most sentences) with an upward pitch, and it isn’t a question. It’s a habit common to businesspeople and younger generations, but many people find it annoying. It also makes the speaker sound insecure (as if the speaker is asking permission with every sentence, or for agreement before proceeding.) It’s also confusing when the script DOES have questions. To differentiate the question(s) from declarative statements, end the latter with falling inflection. That makes you sound more confident and authoritative, strengthening your read.
EDGE STUDIO BONUS TIP – Put yourself in the audition screener’s place. This tip is easy, and can be highly instructive. Here at our site, you can listen to all this contest’s entries and those of past contests. Listen to a bunch of them in quick succession. (To be fair to our entrants, we suggest you click around at random, not just on the first people in the list.) Do many of them sound pretty much the same? How far do you get into each before you decide to move on? Do you catch all the words … without looking at the script? You’ll also hear technical errors, like “dead air” at the beginning, or volume that’s too loud or too quiet. In this contest, some people even submitted the same recording two or three times. Now imagine you’re the reviewer in a real audition. How can you make the reviewer’s task easier, avoid simple errors, and put your best read forward?
1st place winner: Rupa Krishnan
Judge's Comments
The contest just ended … and over the next 2 weeks, Edge Studio will select winners and list the winners here. THE ARTICLE WILL BE POSTED HERE – PLEASE COME BACK SOON!
