Voice Over 101 — Assignment 3
This one is pretty open-ended. It’s to choose a short piece to practice from any of the categories below. Choose one that interests you:
- Healthcare Scripts
- Real Estate Commercial Scripts
- Retail Commercial Scripts
- Travel Commercial Scripts
- Video Game Scripts
- Movie Trailer Scripts
- Talking Toy Scripts
- Scripts for Non-Profit Ads
- Scripts for Seasonal Ads
- Narration Scripts
- Technical Scripts
- Insurance Scripts
- Smart Speaker Scripts
- Podcast Intro Scripts
- Product Demo Video Scripts
- Other Scripts for Consideration
When practicing, be aware of:
- Hydration. IMPORTANT: Always sip some room-temperature water before starting. Cold water can cause your vocal folds/cords to tighten and make your voice sound stiff. Room-temperature water relaxes your vocal folds, helping them stay flexible and ready.
- Letting go of stress. If we’re stressed when we’re practicing it will affect our delivery. Take a moment before you start to let go of other thoughts and concerns.
- Your breathing. Hum a tune. Yawn a few times to relax your vocal cords. (Don’t hold back on yawning, no one is watching.)
- Your posture. Sit or stand comfortably but upright to support breath control.
- Your vocal pitch: Is it high or low? Smooth or raspy?
- Your pace: When you start practicing, pay attention to your pace. If you’re speeding through the piece, slow to half speed. Then try faster than usual delivery. Record the piece and see what sounds right. Remember that it’s fine to insert pauses.
Think about your character’s:
- Identity. Even if your character is “only a narrator,” make some choices that are interesting to you and consistent with the script. If you are doing a voice piece, which is advertising perfume, who is the person speaking? Try saying the words in different characters voices. Make a choice about your characters, personality, quirk, being sure your choices are not in conflict with the script.(You don’t have to be “you” reading the script, you can be anyone. And it should not sound like you are reading it, it should sound like words you’re speaking naturally.) listen.
- Age. Is your character a child? A young adult? An 80 year old? Try different ages to see how it affects your delivery.
- Attitude. Is your character friendly? Silly? Approachable? Snobbish and superior? Excited? Laid back? Seductive? Playful? Try reading the lines with each of these attitudes to see how it changes the script
- Audience.Who is your character talking to? Picture someone specific, and picture that person’s reaction to what’s being said. Are they talking to an individual? A group? A large audience? If you choose “audience,” who is in the audience? Create a scene in your mind, in which your character may even get some pushback and have to really work at it to get their point across.