VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #519 – Misconceptions
Voice coaches, radio, everything voiceover. Welcome to a brand new episode of voice coaches radio. My name is Marissa and welcome to national wine day. I mean, if you're listening to this on the day that it is officially released on February 18th, that is what today is. So feel free to drink up. You know, it is a Friday after all, going into the weekend.
Why not? It's five o'clock somewhere. Actually, it's five o'clock right now, if you're listening as the moment it's released. Uh, but, that being said, if you're also listening to this three months from now, seven months from now... year and a half from now. I mean, whatever, you know, wine is available and it is drinkable.
Any day does not matter if it is a national holiday or not. I also don't know if it's really a holiday, but I check out this one calendar that is all about, uh, you know, weird holidays that are celebrated and there's something different every day, just in case you were wondering, but, uh, I hope that you are doing well and Staying warm.
It has been so incredibly frigid here on the East Coast, um, you know, and I, I don't know, I've lived here my entire life, but nothing really prepares you for when it's four degrees outside with a windchill and then it makes it like negative 14. I mean. That's just dumb. Uh, it really is. I am not somebody that is meant to be in weather like that.
So hopefully you are staying warm. If you're like me, I mean, I'm constantly either bundled up, I have a heater, a hat on. Uh, people probably think that I look like a homeless person most of the time, but I can't help it. I mean, it's better to stay warm than to stay, um, fashionable and, and, uh, like that's not what I'm about, you know, I just got to make sure that I am as toasty as possible.
Uh, so. I wanted to chit chat today about misconceptions, right? Because I have a feeling that there's maybe a handful of people, maybe more than that, uh, who believe one thing about certain types of voiceover that are maybe a little bit dated at this point. And I say that because I had a student just a couple of days ago and throughout class here with voice coaches, uh, It was brought up a couple times that, you know, we were going through a commercial and reading it back and trying to be conversational with it and giving different skills to allow that to happen and she kept saying, Oh, but I just want to keep reading it like it's a commercial and not conversational because remember conversational reads are exactly what this industry is all about these days.
But when she kept saying I just want to read it like a commercial, I had to keep stopping her and go, Whoa, whoa, no, no, no, no, um, You're, you're not understanding that a commercial today is read very conversationally. That's the whole point. You know, back, I remember being a kid and like growing up in the 80s and 90s and, you know, I remember watching Nickelodeon, I can very much remember this, I don't know why, uh, but, you know, just kind of running around the living room in circles as the commercials were on, um, and it was very much a yell kind of delivery, it was very much that big booming announcer voice, and it made sense.
for whatever reason, and I guess it was just, it grabbed our attention. There was no way that it wasn't going to grab my attention at like five years old. That's for sure. If somebody's yelling at me, I'm listening and I'm probably scared about it, honestly. Um, but you know, there's, there's a lot of misconceptions that that is still a thing.
I mean, that's even how radio used to be done in a lot of ways. You heard this like a Neltser voice, and this is just how everybody. Sounded and it wasn't very female friendly because of that. And, um, you know, and I, I, this is me acting. I can't really do it. I, that's not who I am. Um, you know, so when you look at something and, and you go to, to, to do any sort of copy today, it is much more just sounding like you, but I was having a hard time allowing her to understand that, uh, you know, and the, the thing is, is I get it like commercials.
You know, honestly, they are written in this kind of way that a lot of us don't speak, but as voice actors, you do have to remember that word actor is there. So it's like, you know, I might not like what it's talking about, you know, whether it's a food product or a product in general that I just, you know, it's not something that's something I would go and eat or do or whatever, but I can sound like I enjoy it.
You know, that's the whole acting part of this. And when it comes to how something is written, You just have to do your best with it to allow it to sound like you, uh, at the end of the day. So, you know, I had to keep kind of reinstiling that in her throughout this class because it kept coming back to, well, I, it just, you know, I keep wanting to sound like a commercial and I know what she meant.
It was that sound back in the day of like, I need to be talking like this and I need to get every, all this information to you quickly, and it needs to sound like a certain style. But today it is all done. Very, very much like you. And I think that's the hardest thing to. to try to understand right away as you're going ahead and you're learning this new way of reading out loud and new way of doing things.
Um, but you know, there's a lot of people too that I think there's, there's the misconception of How somebody is naturally. I very much remember, I was heading to Boston to work for this radio station. It was my full time opportunity that I had there back in 2017. And as I was going and listening to the station, just to hear how it sounded and how I fit into the mix, I remember listening to the guy who was doing afternoons.
And he very much sounded... Announcery, in a lot of ways. But you know what? It turns out, that's just him. That's literally just his voice. And at the end of the day, because of that, he is being conversational to him. Uh, and I think that's the biggest thing. You've got to understand how you sound. Just like, James Earl Jones is a good example of like, He's got a big, booming announcer voice.
That's just his voice. He's not putting something on. That's not a shtick. That's just him. Um, so, you know, when you start to understand how you sound, uh, I think that's where you start to understand what the differences really are and how, oh, well, maybe I did think a little bit differently about something prior, uh, but it was a misconception.
Um, you know, because hey, had I not met that guy in, in Boston, I would have thought, man, he's just, he's a little out there. What, why is he doing that? That's very old school, but it turns out that's, that's just how my friend Kevin is. And you know that too, as soon as you meet him in person, that is just him.
Uh, but I will admit there are people these days that, you know, if you're looking at a project. There might be a giant part of a commercial that is just you being you and Somebody else just being them, but they might have more of an announcer y type style or that's just again That's just who they are.
So you're being hired For you, they're being hired for them, and it can come across maybe, maybe very announcer y at times, uh, but it doesn't mean that that's what is, is the big selling feature here, and that's what everything should sound like from now on, or that's how a commercial is, um, you know, it's like, you're gonna have these announcers at points, uh, but it's just because of how something is written, I feel like, at the end of the day, rather than how it's presented, uh, you know, there might be a certain style or sound that a casting director or, you know, uh, producer is looking for.
And that just happens to be this guy who, in your eyes, might be like old school, but it just comes down to, again, that's just them. Um, so it's really, in a lot of ways, understanding the differences, what, what was happening 20, 30 years ago and what really truly is happening now. And if you don't. agree with me.
I challenge you right now. Well, maybe not right now, but when you have time to go ahead and just actually listen to the commercials that are on TV, listen to the commercials that are on the radio and just actually, actually listen to them and understand what's happening. Yeah, you know what? They are really done in a very more, much more conversational manner.
Uh, you know, it does kind of sound like she's just talking to me, or he's just talking to me. Or, you know, I'm just a part of this friendly conversation, rather than, uh, you know, I'm, I'm... listening to somebody yell at me and, and a group of people, you know, this person is literally speaking to me and I feel like now I know and, and can understand what this medicine is about or this product is about or this event.
Um, so that is my little challenge to you today. But, uh, I think, you know, there is a lot of misconception because, you know, we all grew up listening to things in a certain way. And now all of a sudden, uh, we, we haven't paid close enough attention to, to really understand the difference. of how things are presented in 2021 and 2022, uh, but that is my challenge for you.
See through the misconception and go ahead and check out what commercials and, and, and just anything, audio books, anything are really all about in delivery these days and see how that conversational tone is so incredibly prevalent. If you have something you'd like us to discuss here on Voice Coaches Radio, always shoot us an email at info at voicecoaches.
com. Keep being safe and more episodes coming your way very soon. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
Why not? It's five o'clock somewhere. Actually, it's five o'clock right now, if you're listening as the moment it's released. Uh, but, that being said, if you're also listening to this three months from now, seven months from now... year and a half from now. I mean, whatever, you know, wine is available and it is drinkable.
Any day does not matter if it is a national holiday or not. I also don't know if it's really a holiday, but I check out this one calendar that is all about, uh, you know, weird holidays that are celebrated and there's something different every day, just in case you were wondering, but, uh, I hope that you are doing well and Staying warm.
It has been so incredibly frigid here on the East Coast, um, you know, and I, I don't know, I've lived here my entire life, but nothing really prepares you for when it's four degrees outside with a windchill and then it makes it like negative 14. I mean. That's just dumb. Uh, it really is. I am not somebody that is meant to be in weather like that.
So hopefully you are staying warm. If you're like me, I mean, I'm constantly either bundled up, I have a heater, a hat on. Uh, people probably think that I look like a homeless person most of the time, but I can't help it. I mean, it's better to stay warm than to stay, um, fashionable and, and, uh, like that's not what I'm about, you know, I just got to make sure that I am as toasty as possible.
Uh, so. I wanted to chit chat today about misconceptions, right? Because I have a feeling that there's maybe a handful of people, maybe more than that, uh, who believe one thing about certain types of voiceover that are maybe a little bit dated at this point. And I say that because I had a student just a couple of days ago and throughout class here with voice coaches, uh, It was brought up a couple times that, you know, we were going through a commercial and reading it back and trying to be conversational with it and giving different skills to allow that to happen and she kept saying, Oh, but I just want to keep reading it like it's a commercial and not conversational because remember conversational reads are exactly what this industry is all about these days.
But when she kept saying I just want to read it like a commercial, I had to keep stopping her and go, Whoa, whoa, no, no, no, no, um, You're, you're not understanding that a commercial today is read very conversationally. That's the whole point. You know, back, I remember being a kid and like growing up in the 80s and 90s and, you know, I remember watching Nickelodeon, I can very much remember this, I don't know why, uh, but, you know, just kind of running around the living room in circles as the commercials were on, um, and it was very much a yell kind of delivery, it was very much that big booming announcer voice, and it made sense.
for whatever reason, and I guess it was just, it grabbed our attention. There was no way that it wasn't going to grab my attention at like five years old. That's for sure. If somebody's yelling at me, I'm listening and I'm probably scared about it, honestly. Um, but you know, there's, there's a lot of misconceptions that that is still a thing.
I mean, that's even how radio used to be done in a lot of ways. You heard this like a Neltser voice, and this is just how everybody. Sounded and it wasn't very female friendly because of that. And, um, you know, and I, I, this is me acting. I can't really do it. I, that's not who I am. Um, you know, so when you look at something and, and you go to, to, to do any sort of copy today, it is much more just sounding like you, but I was having a hard time allowing her to understand that, uh, you know, and the, the thing is, is I get it like commercials.
You know, honestly, they are written in this kind of way that a lot of us don't speak, but as voice actors, you do have to remember that word actor is there. So it's like, you know, I might not like what it's talking about, you know, whether it's a food product or a product in general that I just, you know, it's not something that's something I would go and eat or do or whatever, but I can sound like I enjoy it.
You know, that's the whole acting part of this. And when it comes to how something is written, You just have to do your best with it to allow it to sound like you, uh, at the end of the day. So, you know, I had to keep kind of reinstiling that in her throughout this class because it kept coming back to, well, I, it just, you know, I keep wanting to sound like a commercial and I know what she meant.
It was that sound back in the day of like, I need to be talking like this and I need to get every, all this information to you quickly, and it needs to sound like a certain style. But today it is all done. Very, very much like you. And I think that's the hardest thing to. to try to understand right away as you're going ahead and you're learning this new way of reading out loud and new way of doing things.
Um, but you know, there's a lot of people too that I think there's, there's the misconception of How somebody is naturally. I very much remember, I was heading to Boston to work for this radio station. It was my full time opportunity that I had there back in 2017. And as I was going and listening to the station, just to hear how it sounded and how I fit into the mix, I remember listening to the guy who was doing afternoons.
And he very much sounded... Announcery, in a lot of ways. But you know what? It turns out, that's just him. That's literally just his voice. And at the end of the day, because of that, he is being conversational to him. Uh, and I think that's the biggest thing. You've got to understand how you sound. Just like, James Earl Jones is a good example of like, He's got a big, booming announcer voice.
That's just his voice. He's not putting something on. That's not a shtick. That's just him. Um, so, you know, when you start to understand how you sound, uh, I think that's where you start to understand what the differences really are and how, oh, well, maybe I did think a little bit differently about something prior, uh, but it was a misconception.
Um, you know, because hey, had I not met that guy in, in Boston, I would have thought, man, he's just, he's a little out there. What, why is he doing that? That's very old school, but it turns out that's, that's just how my friend Kevin is. And you know that too, as soon as you meet him in person, that is just him.
Uh, but I will admit there are people these days that, you know, if you're looking at a project. There might be a giant part of a commercial that is just you being you and Somebody else just being them, but they might have more of an announcer y type style or that's just again That's just who they are.
So you're being hired For you, they're being hired for them, and it can come across maybe, maybe very announcer y at times, uh, but it doesn't mean that that's what is, is the big selling feature here, and that's what everything should sound like from now on, or that's how a commercial is, um, you know, it's like, you're gonna have these announcers at points, uh, but it's just because of how something is written, I feel like, at the end of the day, rather than how it's presented, uh, you know, there might be a certain style or sound that a casting director or, you know, uh, producer is looking for.
And that just happens to be this guy who, in your eyes, might be like old school, but it just comes down to, again, that's just them. Um, so it's really, in a lot of ways, understanding the differences, what, what was happening 20, 30 years ago and what really truly is happening now. And if you don't. agree with me.
I challenge you right now. Well, maybe not right now, but when you have time to go ahead and just actually listen to the commercials that are on TV, listen to the commercials that are on the radio and just actually, actually listen to them and understand what's happening. Yeah, you know what? They are really done in a very more, much more conversational manner.
Uh, you know, it does kind of sound like she's just talking to me, or he's just talking to me. Or, you know, I'm just a part of this friendly conversation, rather than, uh, you know, I'm, I'm... listening to somebody yell at me and, and a group of people, you know, this person is literally speaking to me and I feel like now I know and, and can understand what this medicine is about or this product is about or this event.
Um, so that is my little challenge to you today. But, uh, I think, you know, there is a lot of misconception because, you know, we all grew up listening to things in a certain way. And now all of a sudden, uh, we, we haven't paid close enough attention to, to really understand the difference. of how things are presented in 2021 and 2022, uh, but that is my challenge for you.
See through the misconception and go ahead and check out what commercials and, and, and just anything, audio books, anything are really all about in delivery these days and see how that conversational tone is so incredibly prevalent. If you have something you'd like us to discuss here on Voice Coaches Radio, always shoot us an email at info at voicecoaches.
com. Keep being safe and more episodes coming your way very soon. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week we dive into the misconceptions of how things should sound in voice VS what we believe
