VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Lee Gordon

The comments that accompanied the audition request included the following: "We're looking for a VO actor to deliver a read that is slow and natural, yet has gravitas and importance. Think more conversational in tone, as opposed to a typical radio or TV ad."
That's actually a pretty detailed description, so you'd think you had a pretty good idea of what he wanted.
Then, as an example, he posted a link to -- wait for it -- the Paul Harvey "God Made a Farmer" commercial. Explode

What could be more "natural" and "conversational" than that!
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

DeadDillo · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:13 am Post subject:

I don't.....know.................what YOU are talking about.
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Foog

Lee! I saw that one, too! I was all excited by the description and figured I'd take a stab at auditioning for it. Then I clicked the link for their example only to find the Paul Harvey bit. Then I deleted the audition. (then I wept for humanity)
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Andrew Fogarasi

Frank F · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:13 pm Post subject:

"and then, (pause)...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................(pause)........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................(pause)..................................................................................................................................................... God made the farmer."

And please do this in less than :30 seconds.

FF
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Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

Inevitably when you get a detailed directive, they are trying to describe a specific voice in their head, that they feel will work with their copy.. They interpret a Paul Harvey delivery to be conversational. Whatever

The other voice a lot of them hear in their heads is the guy doing the Chrysler/ Detroit spots. As soon as I hear "slightly raspy". I know exactly what they want
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Lee Kanne
www.leekanne.com

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I saw that one too. I agree, Paul Harvey was great but he was the classic announcer. Though he was very good IMO at "conversational announcer"

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

They are looking for a storyteller. Someone in the moment and connected. When you see Paul Harvey, Kevin Yon(Chrysler), Clint Eastwood, and the like, they mean storyteller. Not to be confused with a narrator who guides the listener and connects the dots.

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Good point. What was confusing to me was that assuming they listened to the reference audio they posted, is that really the ****sound****that they wanted?

At any rate, my audition was more in line with their written description and not an attempt to emulate Paul Harvey.

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

Something to keep in your back pocket:

Announcer = To proclaim
Storyteller = To share an experience
Narrator = To guide

Each has its own style and skill set.

Also, Harvey was a storyteller whose medium was a radio broadcast, much like Garrison Keillor. No one would call either a disc jockey or an announcer.

And that's the rest of the story.

Kim Fuller · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that, Dan. Good definitions.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:24 pm Post subject:

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

Foog · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 11:10 am Post subject:

The disjunct in the instructions is not between "announcer" and "non announcer". It is between the example they provide (Harvey) and their stated goal of a "conversational" read. Sure, Paul Harvey doesn't have an "announcer" delivery. The problem is that he also doesn't have a "conversational" delivery. Hence the ole cognitive dissonance and weeping and gnashing of teeth over oxymoronic instructions.
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Andrew Fogarasi

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

He has a very conversational delivery given that he was addressing a large convention crowd when reading this piece. His connection with the script and to the farmers he was addressing is why it stands the test of time.

But that's not the point. You have to see the bigger picture with directions like these and when you do there isn't a problem, only the challenge of finding the voice of the writer/character within yourself.

Foog · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:30 pm Post subject:

Dan, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. Not about his connection to the script nor whether it stands the test of time. It's just that I hear it as a great example of oratory. To my mind part of what makes it a great read is that it sounds EXACTLY like he is addressing a large crowd. "Storyteller", sure, but still telling that story to a large audience. Kinda the opposite of "conversational". (but I'm probably just being obstinate in my nit picking. I can't think of a single example that combines talking to a crowd and being conversational, no matter how folksy and warm the delivery.)
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Andrew Fogarasi