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Planning your voice over demo but feeling overwhelmed?

What voice over copy should you use?

How do you produce a voice over demo that will get you noticed?

What do agents, producers and casting directors really want in a voice over demo?

Here’s how to help you get the job done right, simply remember my three favorite words: Levity, Clarity and Honesty.

1. LEVITY: Choose humorous copy whenever possible. You want to make people feel good when they listen. If you can get them to crack a smile or even laugh out loud, you’re well on your way. If you’re not naturally funny, try your hand at dry, wry humor. This deadpan, even sarcastic, style is extremely popular in advertising today. Big voiced announcer types should choose at least one piece of copy where you show you can make fun of yourself and aren’t taking yourself so seriously.

2. CLARITY: Be clear and be real. It used to be that radio and television announcers needed perfect diction and speak a flawless standard American dialect. This is no longer the case. We are hearing more and more spots where voice actors speak the way people actually talk…sort of. In real life people mumble, stutter and often have heavy accents. This won’t work in voice-over. After all, we have to understand what you are saying in order to buy the product. Today’s standards are a little looser, a little more casual, but you still must speak clearly. And you have to speak cleanly too, free from excessive mouth noise, slurps, heavy breathing and other distractions.

3. HONESTY: No slick announcers needed. Producers, casting directors and agents all have finely tuned “B.S.” detectors. And the audience does too. When you voice a spot, you’ve got to sound totally convincing like you really mean what you are saying. If you sound too announcer-y, they will probably pass you by in favor of a more believable sound.

Copyright 2011, The Great Voice Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Susan Berkley is a top voice over artist and founder of The Great Voice Company, a company devoted to teaching great voices around the world how to become successful voice over actors. The Great Voice Company is an international leader in voice over training and in providing top quality voice over recordings in all languages to discerning businesses and marketers. For additional information visit www.greatvoice.com.

Planning your voice over demo.