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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13023
Location: Camp Cooper
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 Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:21 am Post subject: Dear Copy Writer |
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Dear Copy Writer,
Those helpful numbers on the side of the idiotic template you insist on using aren't gentle suggestions or decoration, they're there to help you STOP WRITING TOO MUCH. Your Template clearly shows 10 lines as the cutoff for a 30-second spot. Your copy is 12 lines INCLUDING A NUMERICAL PHONE NUMBER.
No, I can't just read it faster.
Love,
Deebs
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Kristin Lennox
Flight Attendant
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 858
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:38 am Post subject: |
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Where's the "like" button...? 
We are not auctioneers.
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Dee doo. Dee doot doot doo dee doo.
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6864
Location: West Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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Just reduce the type size from 12 point to 10. That ought to fix it. 
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
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dwpthe3rd
Contributore Level V
Joined: 28 Feb 2010
Posts: 199
Location: Where palm trees meet pines
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:15 am Post subject: |
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| Lee Gordon wrote: | | Just reduce the type size from 12 point to 10. That ought to fix it. |
THAT, sir, sad but true, is the funniest thing I've read in quite some time.
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jasbart
Been Here Awhile
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 293
Location: Gilbertsville, KY
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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I remember once receiving a narration script that was printed out in 8pt (!!!) with margins that were no larger than 1/2 inch. The funny thing was that we hadn't discussed price yet...I guess the client was preparing to offer a "by the page" rate.
Jim
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Barton Voice & Sound
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6864
Location: West Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:30 am Post subject: |
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| dwpthe3rd wrote: | | funniest thing I've read in quite some time. |
I wish I could take credit for this wacky, humorous concept but, unfortunately, it is merely an observation based upon years of experience dealing with idiot radio station sales people whose duties include writing their own commercial copy. Having been a copywriter myself, I understand that this job is difficult enough, even for those of us who are literate.
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Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
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Bruce
Boardmeister
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7978
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:26 am Post subject: |
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I'm sure it's because I'm a voiceoverist, but I keep a general eye on the "word count" number at the bottom of the page as I write. When I'm finished with the first draft I hone it down to about 200 words for a minute of short-worded peppy copy and down to about 160 for a minute of normal speak. And that means 80 words is your ballpark for 30 second spots, oh you writer-only writers. If there's any doubt, out comes the stopwatch and an honest read speed.
But this is a VO site not a copywriters site, so they'll never know, will they? Sigh.
B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. . |
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Charles Nove
Contributor III
Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 98
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:53 pm Post subject: Re: Dear Copy Writer |
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| Deirdre wrote: | | Your copy is 12 lines INCLUDING A NUMERICAL PHONE NUMBER. |
Amazing how few writers seem to "get" that, while 020 7434 4404 might look like three words when laid out on the page, it becomes eleven words when you say it. Or, indeed, that www (yes, we're still beset by people who feel it necessary to preface website addresses thus) is effectively three words. Or that the commas in a list have a small, but significant, timing impact.
In fact ..... nobody understands !!! 
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Charles Nove
Scottish voice-artist, to the world ... and beyond!
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6864
Location: West Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:01 am Post subject: |
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THREE words?!? It's one phone number; most of these knuckleheads regard it as one word.
"WWW" isn't just three words. It's three multisyllabic words (but don't ask them what that means.
And (channeling one of these dimwits) what is this "comma" of which you speak? 
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
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Moe Egan
4 Large
Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Posts: 4339
Location: Live Free or Die
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:51 am Post subject: |
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I am loving this thread, but having one problem with it- I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Such truth is spoken here....'Go faster but make it sound slower- you can do it'. Sure. No Prob. Just make sure the check don't bounce.
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i want to be the voice in your head.
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Bruce
Boardmeister
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7978
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:46 am Post subject: |
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Maybe one of our web gurus will come across this and have an answer: Do you still need to say or advertise the WWW in a web address? I know in the earlier days of Internet it was important to make it part of the URL you entered, but today? I've often convinced clients to drop the WWW as an unnecessary appendage.
B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. . |
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asnively
Triple G
Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 3204
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:56 am Post subject: |
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There is no reason at all to say www anymore.
Is there something we can do about all those people who are saying "dot-com-backslash-special-word"? It's not a back slash; it's a forward slash and should be read "slash." (This is a backslash: \)
Drives. me. mad.
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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13023
Location: Camp Cooper
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Lizden
A Zillion
Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 8864
Location: The dark recesses of my mind
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| asnively wrote: | Is there something we can do about all those people who are saying "dot-com-backslash-special-word"? It's not a back slash; it's a forward slash and should be read "slash." (This is a backslash: \)
Drives. me. mad. |
OMG, Amy! Me too!
Drives me NUTS! 
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Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
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