Readers of The Magazine of Santa Clarita are always sending me terrific questions about the voice-acting business. This is the seventh 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’ll be your audio calling card, help you find an agent, introduce you to casting directors and producers, and help get you work—providing you’ve achieved proficiency in voice acting. Here are a few things to avoid in order to ensure a successful outcome:
Don’t:
• Make a homemade demo—it sounds cheap and amateurish, and no one will hire you based on that sound. If you want to make a rough demo for your ears only, in order to hear the flow of the segments, fine.
• Record a dialogue with a person who’s the same sex, e.g., if you’re a woman, perform your dialogue segment with a man, and vice versa, and make sure you have the lion’s share of dialogue. The only exception to this rule is if you perform the segment with a young child or an exceptionally older-sounding person.
• Try to perform copy that’s way outside your range. For instance, don’t try to mimic a deep, intoning announcer if you don’t have the pipes or resonance—you just won’t sound convincing—or be competitive.
• Try to fake older if you have a young sound. Conversely, if you have a mature sound, don’t try to sound like a kid—you just won’t sound believable—unless you’re going for an animated character.
I hope this information helps.
Cashman Commercials © 2013
Marc Cashman creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards and named one of the Best Voices of the Year—three times—by AudioFile Magazine, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA and also teaches voiceover at California Institute of the Arts and Vibe Performing Arts Academy. He can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website, www.cashmancommercials.com.