LaCroix
Voice Direction:
This is a simulated audition for a commercial featuring LaCroix sparkling water. This product is a step above regular water, and the read should feel like a luxurious, sensory, and elevated experience to entice the listener.
Script:
A warm summer afternoon lounging by the pool in a luxurious stupor. You have a thirst for something crisp and refreshing so you reach for a can of LaCroix naturally essenced sparkling water. All you need is one sip, and ahhhh.... pure bliss.
Congratulations to our winners, Niki Samnani, Jake Hall, and Carole R Lewis. They successfully laid back and delivered a persuasive case for soothing spring water. Yet, while laying back, they were also on their toes, with presentations that were crisp and refreshing. Below are a few tips on how you, too, can work in such a position.
1st place winner: Niki Samnani
Judge's Comments
2nd place winner: Jake Hall
Judge's Comments
Overall we like his voice and energy, and he shows good variety. But wow, he gives a screener lots of excuses to reject him. Let’s take them in order. There are a number of glottal stops, such as before “afternoon” and “in” and “and refreshing” and “of.” Then, the pause after “crisp” sounds unintentional, and is therefore choppy. Either connect the words (probably best) or add an intentional-sounding pause. But in this case, pausing is illogical – “crisp” could be potato chips. “Crisp and refreshing” conjures up something else altogether. Right after, he pauses after “refreshing,” which makes that section too choppy. Yet another confusing pause: after “can?” If intended as a dramatic pause, it’s misplaced, because a pause emphasizes the next word. The next word is “of,” whereas if anything should be emphasized, it’s the product name. And last but not least, what’s that noise before “Ahhhh”? Some on our team thought he’s imitating the sound of an opening can. Others thought it’s a slurp. It’s sort of creative, but weird, since it’s unnatural. Recording is technically okay, except for a tiny hint of resonance, and a very wet “P” sound on “sip,” overshadowed by the slurp.
3rd place winner: Carole R Lewis
Judge's Comments
Great variety, great timing, great acting. But she hid it with her final file’s volume being too low. Luckily, she slated her name at the start, giving us a moment to turn up the volume, but even at full volume, we might not have caught her name, as she said it too quickly. Without seeing it spelled out, the listener is at a loss. Then, when she began the script, she spoke even faster! The first words (“A warm”) were so quick that we’re not mentally up to speed until the third word (“summer”). And throughout the recording, she slurred many words, further hindering listener comprehension. At the other extreme, she hit the “N” on “naturally,” making it sound like ennaturally … or even unnaturally. If only she had been less meticulous there, and more meticulous with the D sound on “essenced” (which is missing). If she cleans up the few performance things technically, this audition would excel! Technical quality is good, except for the low volume.
