Santa Clarita Magazine readers continue to send in pertinent questions about the voice-acting business. This is the third part of my answer regarding voice-over demos:
Q: I’ve voiced a number of commercials, and think I’m ready to make a demo. But do I really need to? Any suggestions as to how to go about it? – Roberta K., Santa Clarita, CA
A: There are many things to consider and remember before plunging into the project that will be your audio calling card, help you find an agent, introduce you to casting directors and producers, and help get you work – providing you have achieved proficiency in voice acting. Here are a few more to ensure a successful outcome:
Some actors I know have recorded the demo in two different studios. The theory behind this is that your performances will vary, giving you a slightly different sound. If that’s not possible budget-wise, have the engineer put varied amounts of equalization (EQ) on your segments. This will make it sound like you’ve recorded different spots at different studios. But don’t obsess over these production techniques. Agents and clients are listening to your voiceprint and performance, not the technical nuances.
Make sure that your demo shows off your signature voice or your money voice, so listeners can get a reference as to what you really sound like. Your demo should showcase various shades of you, not different character voices. Save those for your animation demo.
Select radio or television copy that shows some range, and pick copy for products and services that match your age, i.e., young people shouldn’t be doing products and services for much older people and vice versa. And don’t string together a bunch of tag lines – it doesn’t showcase your acting abilities. It’s much easier to sell something you believe in than something you don’t. And using copy from magazines is iffy – that copy was written for print, not broadcast.
I hope this information helps. I’ll have more tips next month. Good luck!
Marc Cashman creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, California. He can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website, www.cashmancommercials.com.