VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[kkuhlken]

It has been almost a year since I have posted in this forum asking for feedback. My eyebrows were so singed the first time, I wanted to wait until they grew back. The critique I received then was very helpful and set me straight on many things. I have been working for a year, keeping those in mind. I would just like some further mid-course corrections.

Please take a listen to the narration on this g-belt video and let me know where I can stand to improve, in your opinion. If it's everything...please give me the top 5 egregious errors.

Clicky Here


Thanky
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My full name is Karl Kuhlken (think Macauly Culkin...it rhymes)

Suave, debonair, a ladies man. Sophisticated, urbane, well heeled....no, wait...that's not me

[Bob Bergen]

Hi Karl!

Is this a real job?? If it is, was the buyer happy? Honestly, that's the most important thing.

"What needs improvement" is such a subjective thing. One person's "brilliant" is another person's "eh, just so-so." I myself am rarely if ever satisfied with my work. I don't see half the cartoons I voice because I cringe. But that's just because I'm a perfectionist. I think most successful artists are.

Now, back to your video. If this is a real job, not being able to see the specs make it a problem for me to critique. What I may not like about the read might just be the producer's intent for your performance. If it were me directing this belt session, I'da asked for a less ready/warmer, more conversational read. But that's just me. Again, you might have given them exactly what they wanted.

I'm most impressed with the fact that you continue to work and improve. All of us continue to learn and improve throughout our career. I'm doing this over 30 years, and I learn new stuff all the time. It's pretty exciting!! I participated in a documentary called "I Know That Voice" where almost every working animation voice actor was interviewed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiSPvsTP02A I got to attend a rough cut of the film late last year, and I cannot tell you how much I learned from watching my fellow actors discuss their techniques, their experiences, etc. The common denominator amongst everyone was, EVERYONE wanted this more than everyone else. And everyone was willing to study, work, and do whatever it took to make it. No excuses!! It should come out later this year. I highly recommend it!
B

[kkuhlken]

Thank you for the feedback. Yes, it was a real job, and yes the check cashed just fine, thankyaveddymuch! I understand that aspect, and rejoice everytime it happens! As for happy, I don't know - there was no cmmunication afterward, they just sent the payment, then used my audio - so would assume so. I'm not completely happy with it, though I can't put my finger on just why yet. It may be this "perfectionism" you speak of.

They had listened to a sample of mine which was a muted tag for the American Cancer Society. When they asked me to do this read, the instructions I received were "...so perhaps something like your sample, a little more ominous but not "dark" if that makes sense."

Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot coming from you. I knew of your name before getting involved into the VO business. I worked for the Disney Store for 10 years, so I started paying attention to the voices on our side (Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor, Bill Farmer, Jim Cummings, Sterling Holloway, etc.) As I developed more interest, I learned your name and others who do what I would love to do eventually.

I will continue to develop and grow - learning more about what makes a good VO and how to make it work. I look forward to seeing "I Know That Voice" when it comes out.

Thanks again for taking the time to post.
_________________
My full name is Karl Kuhlken (think Macauly Culkin...it rhymes)

Suave, debonair, a ladies man. Sophisticated, urbane, well heeled....no, wait...that's not me

[Oddio]

Hi Karl,
I'm wondering if the thing that is gnawing at you might be some of the upward inflection on various words. When you do that it takes away your "authority" and kind of sounds like the narrator is questioning things. (In a very subtle nuanced way...but the listener still hears it.)

And thank you Bob Bergen! I can't wait to see that YouTube you posted. You are such a gift! (You critiqued my demo a year or so ago within MINUTES of me requesting one. Frankly...that startled me that you not only responded...but did so instantaneously!)

All the best to you Karl, and thank you for inspiring me to wear a G-Belt when doing voiceovers!
Scott
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Scott Burns
scott@bookscottburns.com
www.bookscottburns.com

[melissa eX]

Hey Karl,

If the check cashes and they use it, it's a sign you gave them what they wanted.

That said, it sounds a bit... cautious to me. Like you're concentrating on measuring your words and making sure your enunciation is perfect, instead of simply telling it.

[Rick Riley]

I rarely, and I mean RARELY, critique. If I were to critique and I am now, I would go with Bob and Mellissa, re warmth and conversational.

But at the risk of being insensitive, in order to evaluate, I would want to ask for the budget of this project. The fact is Karl, you're not a seasoned pro. And please, there's nothing wrong with that. We all have to learn to snowplow before we can parallel down a Black Diamond. If you're not a skier, 'paddle before we can surf'.

I do a lot of sports commercials and sports narration. I've done everything from the Michael Phelps Swim Spa to projects for NFL Films. I ask the budget because it's obviously a low cost production. Nice film work but I would think there would be some production values like a music bed, sound effects, something to add drama to the belt coming off and he goes on to do the first two minute mile. So if they settled for no production values to keep costs down, including the VO, then on a low budget production, they're going to be more forgiving. In other words, they might be expecting less of you than you might be expecting of you.

I'm just surmising here OK. But the fact is, you're not Mike Rowe. And they didn't pay for Mike Rowe. They hired Karl for the job Karl could do and you gave them that. Don't second guess what heard or wanted. Rarely will the take I think they're going to use, get used. Their ears are not your ears. Watch other videos of that nature, and watch yours. Learn from it. The beauty is, with no music, you can do the VO over and over again for your own benefit and play it next to the video to see what makes it better.

I'll close with the fact that it might be a high dollar production, they paid you a fortune and my comments regarding budget helping to dictate performance, could mean nothing. Regardless, take the video, play with it, practice with it and come up with something that will make you more pleased with your performance. It's a long road. Pace yourself and keep training along the way.
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Never do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the Paramedics

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[Lance Blair]

Five 'errors' (really, just things to work on).

1.) The short sentences/phrases are too slow - well, I should say they're too slow for a national audience. What comes off as conversational/likeable is much quicker, with bigger gaps in between. This is tricky without any backing music.

2.) The longer sentences are rushed - when you talk about the guy who developed it, for example. Not rushed in tempo, but more glossed over.

3.) The 'uptalk' on the word "foam"

4.) There's a general neglecting of verbs. I used to do this for years. It's all about the verbs. Sorry, I meant to say it is all about the verbs. Imagine if you started with "Victory is important...you'll do anything to improve." Giving more attention to verbs might help you in the 'picking up the pace/energy' department.

5.) I can't imagine the expression on your face when you read this. It sounds like your trying to make the words work with your voice, but it's better to lead with your facial expressions and then your voice will follow. When we talk to people we make constant adjustments to our facial expressions. That activity needs to be there even though we're looking at a script. It's difficult because our brains are wired to naturally do this when we see faces, so that's the whole 'voice acting' thing.

Good luck!
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[kkuhlken]

Thank you, gentlemen and lady, for the critique. I printed this out and continue to work with the suggestions you give me. I'm not there yet, but still at it.

Thank you!
_________________
My full name is Karl Kuhlken (think Macauly Culkin...it rhymes)

Suave, debonair, a ladies man. Sophisticated, urbane, well heeled....no, wait...that's not me