Get Real!

 What’s in a name?

Specifically – “voiceover artist”, a category that covers a range of sins…er…’talents’?

Among other things --such as drinking a lot -- “voiceover artists” do all sorts of things:

•       store announcements (‘Please do not panic. It is the Great Earthquake. Everyone is going to die.”)             video game characters (Geezers, kids, robots and heroes)
•         English language tapes (This is a peanut—but this is a penis)….
•        taglines for TV commercials (“Slat (pronounced “slut’—the drink for girls who care”)
•          animation (always redubbed in LA so WTF)    
•          movie trailers (Terminator #23) , TV commercial narration (Bleah, bleah, bleah)  
•        TV commercial character voices (skitter, skitter…what does a cockroach sound like?).   
•          the News (oh fuck the teleprompter’s dead)
•         DJs on FM (just relax and listen to my voice …you are in my power…you are in my power…) 
•      PR Video narration (Dildo Incorporated – contributing to the happiness of all mankind and working  to protect the environment  while assuring global peace, makes a wide range of advanced technology vibrating products).

Listen carefully children – the Medium IS the message!

Doing character voices may not be the same for video games as it is for TV commercials .  TV commercial narration is  not the same --as it is for PR video narration (although many “narrators” don’t seem to know that)   News broadcasters have their own (mostly generic) “talk”. As do DJ’s (ditto “generic”).

Yeah, yeah you know that! (Do I hear indignation?)  That’s why your sample tape has all sorts of different styles and voices, you say.

Most voice artists are actors manqué. As a leading man or woman is hugely proud of his/her looks and ability to act , so voice people are proud of their voices – and – yes – also -- their ability to act.

So voice samples show off the voice – and “acting”.

But here’s the irony.

The best actors don’t look like actors when they’re working – they look – and sound like real people.  That’s the thespian art. Looking natural --looking real.  For voice people that’s usually sounding natural, sounding real.

What's the Best Voice?

You will notice that almost all male narrators fall into a certain range between bass and baritone.  Most of the most sought-after voice-over artist’s  voices are distinguished not so much by pitch as by resonance and nasality – which adds a very distinctive quality. 

Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw 

A very clear voice generally sounds “younger”.  A deeper rougher voice sounds older --and more authoritative.  Some narrators, of course, have quite amazing range and  can do both kinds of voices although this is rare. .

 Of course, the pitch of a voice can be altered technologically too, with clever use of the microphone and sound processing. And music often somehow changes the way the voice is heard.  Add to this content – which establishes parameters for mood.     

Inevitably, opinions differ about voices, as they do about physical attractiveness in general.

 What a client instinctively”feels”is the right voice may actually be totally wrong!  This is particularly true of Japanese clients, whose hears are tuned to the distinctive and very different music of the Japanese language - -and all the cultural associations that go with it.

A good voicecasting director can help prevent mistakes – especially when the client is Japanese.  Remember the famous “It’s a Sony” CM.   Many companies tried to produce similar logos with a similar effect.  All such attempts in Japan failed.   – with the exception of “Honda Prelude” perhaps, which I recorded.  I was able to reproduce the effect simply because I understood how it had been done – not to mention the kind of sound processing that was needed for the “right sound”.   

Narration Tests and Rehearsals

Had an interesting phone discussion with a veteran local narrator about “rehearsals” or “tests” (as they call  them in Japanese). 

“I don’t do them” says he.  “Not necessary”.

This, in the context of PR Video voice overs.

“Furthermore, I won’t do them” he continued.  A flat rejection of the whole idea.

Now, I have to admit I don’t like doing “tests” either.  They’re tiring – that’s one thing. I’m not an amateur – and my first take is usually my best.  “Tests” often lead to endless discussions in the studio about the meaning of this or that minor thing in the text. Since the people doing the “discussing” are all Japanese – it is blind men with the elephant -- it all takes time.  And the results?   Oh…never mind…..

On the other hand, if I refused to do these test readings – I would quickly be out of a job. 

People here don’t hire “narrators” ( voice over artists ) just for their voices – although (granted)  that is the main thing in the beginning.  You will notice that some companies stick with a narrator whose voice or reading skills may be so-so mediocre – but who is cooperative.  That’s the thing – PR stuff is a group thing here – and you are expected to sing in tune with the rest. Which maybe is why ad companies just love karaoke.

Japanese directors do “tests” for lots of reasons. They they don’t understand English very well and they can’t intuitively and quickly grasp how the words fit the images until they actually see it done in the studio –or – at the very least –they think they can’t.  There is also the question of not really understanding the script – which is often simply a translation of a Japanese original which wasn’t very well-written in the first place.  I am not saying these people are incompetent – rather, they are doing the best they can in a foreign language.

Think: what if you were the director and you have to do a Japanese video based on an English original you have done?

Yeah, you could simply refuse to do it – and look for a native English/ American director.  But – besides the problem of finding a qualified person you would be a.) giving up your video baby for adoption  b.) not making any money.

In any case, it isn’t just you calling the shots here -- it’s your bosses in the production company, the ad company – and a bunch of middle management people on the Client side, who have just been transferred willy-nilly to their current jobs and don’t know what they are doing.  They are all there in the studio.

So – do “rehearsals”.  As though you were giving the “narrator” a chance to do …um… rehearse? That allows you to checking timing, cue points, etc – and get confirmation from the Sponsor that the script is OK – and to get feedback from the narrator, who is (after all) the only native speaker in the room.  You can hide the real issue – that the script and the narration are in a different language from yours  – and from that of everybody but the guy at the microphone – the lowest guy on the totem pole.

That’s also something to remember.  If you are a narrator in Tokyo – you are just another pretty voice.