Reading commercial copy is one of the most basic skills in the voiceover industry. What a better way to hone said skills than at the Abacus Entertainment Open Mic Night!
It takes place every Wednesday night at their NYC studio. There were 16 eager voice talent (mostly new to the professesion) and we got to play!
Everyone got a chance to read. They did two takes which were recorded and sent to them after the session. Everyone was encouraged to give feedback and some wonderful insights were shared by the students.
I want to thank Bruce Kronenberg for letting me facilitate this marvelous session. It was fun and I will be doing it again soon!
TIP OF THE WEEK
Here are some notes that were given about reading commercial copy during the session:
When you make a choice, commit to it. There are no good or bad choices, there are just strong or weak choices.
Don’t be afraid to gesture while reading your copy. It often helps you make a point or stress key words.
Conjure whatever images necessary to get you where you want to go. If you need to imagine you’re kissing a bucket of cheese, do it!
Don’t be afraid to deviate from the specs. You’re auditioning for the spot because somebody thought you fit the specs. Now it’s your job to make the copy come alive. The vast majority of voice talent will sound like the specs. If nothing else, you’ll stand out from the rest because you’re making different (and strong) choices.
Energy, energy, energy! Always bring energy to your read. It’s much easier for them to pull you back than trying to draw an energetic read from you.
Breathe, smile, and have fun!
NEWS AND NOTES
Tuesday, March 20th @7PM EST: Managing both your voiceover and personal finances can be a real challenge. Having trouble setting a budget or building that nest egg? Don’t know the difference between an IRA and an HSA? Learn how to spend, save, and invest like a boss this Tuesday night! At Abacus Entertainment I will teach the seminar ‘Get Your $$$ Going!’ about how to manage your finances, pay your taxes, get insured, and save for the future. Use the promo code TOMSENTME to get 20% off! (in-person only) Click here to sign up.
Thursday, March 22nd @8PM EST: my next Edge Studio “Business and Money 201” webinar topic will be ‘Tax Time!’. We’re going to talk about how to file your taxes this year and get ready for the new tax code next year. Click here to sign up.
Thursday, March 29th @8PM EST: my next Edge Studio “Marketing 201” webinar topic will be ‘What Your Website Says About You’. Click here to sign up.
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Chocolate Caramel Day and Clients Day!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
A struggling Voice Over has a massive ego completely out of control. A successful Voice Over has a massive ego, for the most part, under control. Philip Banks
From my village to yours; this is Tom Dheere, The H is Silent, but I’m Not.
Tom Dheere is a 20+year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a coach at Edge Studio, voiceover business consultant known as the Voice Over Strategist, and is currently producing the comic book “Agent 1.22”.