VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[marcos59]

Hi all,

From previous threads I see that Nancy Wolfson, Marice Tobias and Pat Fraley top the list for commercial coaching and demos. I'm just wondering does the same apply to narration?

[Bish]

As far as I know, Pat's certainly up there with the narration coaches. Look at Paul Ruben (Tribeca Audio), or even our own Johnny Heller who coaches via Edge Studio.

VO is so wide-ranging that you need to look closely at the different services offered. Audiobooks are a different beast when compared to commercial, and the emphasis would be more on character development, story-telling and the mechanics of narrating for hours while locked in a dark, dank dungeon with only a microphone for company.
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[marcos59]

Thanks for the reply Peter. I'd probably be keener on corporate, elearning, and documentaries rather than audiobooks. At 6'7, spending too long in the booth might be bad for my back!

[Yonie]

If you're moving away from audiobooks, it's better to look at Nancy and Marice. I think Bob Souer can fill you in on both of them.

[Rick Riley]

Reading this thread, and what seems to be a lack of response, had me asking one of those 'inner' questions. 'Does one really want a narration coach'. The reason I ask is because, when it came to reading Commercial copy, TV, Radio spots, etc., I was coached by Nancy Wolfson. She showed me a ton and I maintain that I don't read a piece of copy today without incorporating something she's taught me. But I do a lot of narration work, for some of the best in the business, and never had any narration coaching. I was told by one of my agents that I tell a story the way I do because of my life's experiences. The question is, 'can one really teach someone else how to do that?'. Who taught Peter Coyote, or does he just tell a story that way because that's the way he feels it? I've Googled to see if Morgan Freeman had a voice coach and couldn't find where he did.

Personally, I tell stories the way I do because I like to tell stories. I feel compassion for the characters, circumstances, etc. I did a half hour show for NFL Films last week called 'After Sandy'. When they showed me the rough cut, I actually got teary eyed twice. It was my job to bring that emotion to telling that story and I had no problem doing that. I did 29 half hour TV Documentaries in 2012 and a lot of shorter segments as well. I believe I will eclipse that in 2013. Each time, I ask to see the rough cut first. I think you have to feel the story before you can tell it.

I've told stories for almost 30 years on radio, doing a drive time show, and now I tell them in segments in a variety in other venues. My advice would be, if you really want to be a good narrator, to start telling stories. 'Feel' the story as you tell it. Every story comes from someone's heart. If you can have their heart become your heart, most likely, you can tell their story.

I don't know why I got off on this tangent, but I love narration and this thread just got me thinking. Those are my thoughts. Certainly not etched in stone, just speculative, but thought I'd share.
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Never do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the Paramedics

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[heyguido]

Nail, meet head. I think Bob Souer would agree. Storytelling is a rare and special gift. I'm a big fan of your work, Rick. Thanx for the input.
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

[Eddie Eagle]

Some people are just natural born storytellers. Rick has that going for him. If you want to sharpen yourself, this is going to sound funny but make yourself available to the local library and volunteer to read to kids on Weekends. You will figure narrations out very quickly after you have read aloud to an audience, even kids!

[marcos59]

Many thanks for the replies guys, in particular to Rick. +1 on what Don said. Gives me a lot to think about. Thanks again

[Lee Gordon]

I think a good voiceover coach is going to give you insights that can be applied across the spectrum of VO genres.

And by the way, I would add Marc Cashman to that list of top coaches.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Jason Huggins]

+1 on Marc Cashman. He helped me out a lot when I started. I still love listening to the first session...man I sucked.

[Bruce]

Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery, it's the sincerest form of learning. - George Bernard Shaw.

Find the kind(s) of narration you want to do, record it if you can't download a copy, listen critically to it, figure out what they're doing that's right or special, record yourself reading in that style, listen critically, adjust as needed, repeat, repeat, repeat.

If you make a reasonable amount of improvement in your delivery in a reasonable amount of time you might be cut out for this kind of work. If not, you're not. It doesn't mean you're not interesting and brilliant, it's just something you're not meant to do.

No matter your view of her politics, Arianna Huffington is a very smart woman, but why she can't lose that thick Greek accent after 40 years in English speaking countries I'll never know.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[johnnyheller]

I coach both commercial vo and audiobook narration. And I like getting coached in commercial vo and I will continue to learn as much as I can. Sometimes I get on a "dry spell" and a coach can see and hear something I can't. (I actually coach via Edge and Weist Barron and Backstage U but I will continue to take suggestions on great coaches),

If a coach is good, I want to learn from them. But I'm also a firm believer in: if it ain't broke - don't fix it.

There. I think I straddled that fence rather handily.

[bobsouer]

[jsgilbert]

In the old days, many of us getting into voice over were actors, studied acting and improv acting, etc. Peter Coyote and Morgan freeman are both actors. They have and continue to study their craft. They have and continue to benefit from working with directors and other professionals who help provide feedback.

When they are not working, they practice and work at their craft. Ans I can tell you that both ( Coyote and Freeman) enjoy being directed and thrive from feedback and direction.

I don't know what coaches can do for you and as far as I'm concerned I don't give a plugged nickel to most v.o. coaches, but if you can get yourself into a nice little improv workout, spend some time learning the fundamentals of acting, it will certainly help with your narration.
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j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[johnnyheller]

while I enjoy the plugged nickels -- I;ve always been an advocate of improv and scene study. Always.

still -- don't forget to send me nickels.