VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Depthpersuasion

Not a demo, but a sample of a task I'm taking on. An independent translation of the material. Before I go too far though, would like to know if I need to stop doing it in the way that I have so far.

http://soundcloud.com/depthpersuasion/the-short-death-of-phineas-1

Many thanks for listing, and for your time.

Daniel Pierce
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Richard D. Hall
http://RichardDHallVoiceActor.com

Oddio · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:10 am Post subject:

I would request that you slow it down some. There is a bit of "mumbling" coming through when you hunker down your voice into the character/narrator.
Thus my attention is distracted attempting to grasp what you just said.
Slow it...pace it. Give me (the listener) a chance to absorb it!
Other than that I like your voice(s) and they'll be even more compelling if you take your time with it!
Scott
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Scott Burns
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Depthpersuasion · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:59 pm Post subject:

Completely agree, Scott; and thank you for the compliments on the characters. All this is exactly what I needed to hear to help retain what was good and deliver in much more polished manner.

Many thanks.
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Richard D. Hall
http://RichardDHallVoiceActor.com

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:01 pm Post subject:

Same problem we've told you about before, to no avail: you're reading out of your range. You want to have the voice for this type of work, but toward the end, I can hear the strain it's having, and it begins to sound fake.

That said, this is the best work you've submitted thus far. But I don't see it getting you audiobook work. Try something with a more straight read.
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Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

Depthpersuasion · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:05 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Jeff.
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Richard D. Hall
http://RichardDHallVoiceActor.com

Mandy Nelson · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:01 pm Post subject:

Oh, I have to agree that it's too fast and a bit mumbled. I didn't listen all the way through and I haven't listened to your stuff before but I feel like you started out strong and sure and tapered off. Keep it up, though. I think you have some fine stuff inside that brain!
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:30 pm Post subject:

Audiobooks are all about sustained stamina. Keeping the energy and characters and dynamic going over long periods of time, consistently.

Which is why the sample you're using is so difficult. Very few professional narrators can sustain this level of heightened, fairy tale-esque type of narration (see: Jim Dale), so don't be surprised that you can't.

So if you want to do audiobooks, start a little less grandiose. Pick a sample that's just plain story-telling. Because no matter the script or style, that's what you need to master.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

heyguido · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:58 am Post subject:

Bish · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:33 am Post subject:

I can only reiterate Jeff's points. Most of my routine is based on his observations and good advice. Stamina and self-discipline are the most important factors... both of which are skills I need to hone! My routine is to start recording at around 10am... prior to that my voice is useless, I'm dehydrated and have not built up the required reserves of caffeine, nicotine (sorry) and food (mainly to curb the stomach gyrations). A two hour session will give me enough raw material to spend the rest of the day editing and doing other stuff (auditions, other jobs, paperwork, procrastinating). If schedule dictates (or I'm fed-up with editing), I'll fit in another chapter or two late afternoon or early evening.

As for the main point raised here... what you can do for a "regular" job, or even a short long-form (say 10,000 words) may be impossible (or even damaging) to maintain for the long haul (100,000+ words). This is one of the reasons I sometimes prefer first-person narratives... the voice is the voice of the author, and while character differentiation is important, it is from a single viewpoint. Third-person narratives (in my opinion) need more character development... an area where I need to concentrate my own efforts (hence the acting lessons). I would suggest that anyone venturing into long-form for the first time choose a non-fiction project where clear (albeit animated/interpreted) dissemination of the information is the author's main goal.

Ooops... 10:30am, and I'm procrastinating early today.
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