VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD! Forum Index VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!
Where A.I. is a four-letter word.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Would Love Some Feedback

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Critique
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:00 pm    Post subject: Would Love Some Feedback Reply with quote

Hi Guys,

New poster but I've been lurking for a while. I recently finished my voice demos and would like to get some feedback on them. I have let friends and family listen, but we all know that they are biased.

So if you could take a moment and listen to these and let me know what you think I would certainly appreciate it.

http://www.richgates.com/demos

Thanks,

Rich
Back to top
Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the sound of your voice, that helps a lot. I hear the work of the copywriters but no influences on your performance.

Am I right in thinking that the demos are all your own work. You voiced, recorded, directed and produced yourself?

Having a really nice voice is a great place to start(not implying you're a beginner) but it's a bit like the handsome or pretty partner. Ever known someone really handsome or pretty get divorced? Same with "Great pipes" (revolting expression), the novelty wears off very quickly. After a while people look for all sorts of subtleties and they include - The ability to take direction, the character of the voice, the ability to make a pile of sh*t sound good, can this person make people pay attention, is it all about the voice or all about the subject?

The demos are good but to really hook producers and directors you need to play around with the subtleties. If you're earning more than $120,000 per year from voice over work what I've written don't mean diddley-squat.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Philip,

thank you so much for the very thoughtful and honest assessment. I did not produce these myself. In fact the only thing I was responsible for was the voicing.

I am curious what subtleties you are referring to. If I am understanding you correctly, I would assume you mean that while my voice is nice, the performance isn't. Smile

Even if I were making a ton of money from voice work it is still good to get the opinions of unbiased people. I finally stopped playing it for friends and family once I realized that they weren't going to say anything negative. Smile

Anyway thanks again Philip. It gives me something to go on.

Banksey wrote:
I like the sound of your voice, that helps a lot. I hear the work of the copywriters but no influences on your performance.

Am I right in thinking that the demos are all your own work. You voiced, recorded, directed and produced yourself?

The demos are good but to really hook producers and directors you need to play around with the subtleties. If you're earning more than $120,000 per year from voice over work what I've written don't mean diddley-squat.
Back to top
Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nothing wrong with your performance while at the same time there's nothing "ZAP KERPOW" right with it and it's the latter you need.

Rather than take a number of pieces of copy it may be worth finding one piece you really like and playing with your performance, the subtleties.

Imagine a director saying to you that although you're a deep voiced adult male he needs you to come across like an excited child. It's obviously not the sound the director seeks, just the attitude. Same piece of copy, be dismissive of everything except the last 3 words. Find moods, styles, subtleties that require you to forget your voice.

Here's a male voice over problem shared by many. I wanna be Don La Fontaine, I wanna be a movie trailer voice over guy...... Listen I can even do the voice!!! What's the problem with that? If Don's career, spanning over 632 years (estimate) relied solely on his voice it would've lasted about a dozen movie trailers at most. The voice is there, what sells time and time again is the performance. The voice over needs to add to the attraction not become a distraction.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perfect, that's exactly what I was looking for. I wasn't sure I understand your first message but now it's clear. Thanks again.

Banksey wrote:
Nothing wrong with your performance while at the same time there's nothing "ZAP KERPOW" right with it and it's the latter you need.

Rather than take a number of pieces of copy it may be worth finding one piece you really like and playing with your performance, the subtleties.
The voice is there, what sells time and time again is the performance. The voice over needs to add to the attraction not become a distraction.
Back to top
BenWils
The Thirteenth Floor


Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 1324
Location: In a Flyover State

PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think you could get a better critique than what Banksey said. I agree with him totally. Very nice voice.....learn to move around mood-wise in that voice you have without loosing your signature sound. Very, very hard thing to do.

One thing I noticed....cuss me out if you must......your voice sounds like John Tesh a bit to me. Just an observation.
_________________
Ben


"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BenWils wrote:
I don't think you could get a better critique than what Banksey said. I agree with him totally. Very nice voice.....learn to move around mood-wise in that voice you have without loosing your signature sound. Very, very hard thing to do.

One thing I noticed....cuss me out if you must......your voice sounds like John Tesh a bit to me. Just an observation.


Thanks for the feedback Ben. As much as I hate to admit it, you aren't the first person to notice a resemblance to John Tesh (I hope this doesn't hinder me Smile. I also heard David Hartman (used to be on Good Morning America eons ago).
Back to top
COURVO
Even Taller Than He Seems On TV


Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 1569
Location: Vegas, Baby!

PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ditto.

Very nice voice quality, good diction and pacing... but there was a sameness that prevented me from listening much past :45. I kept expecting you to break out with something that would make me say: "That's the same guy?...amazing!" Also, the segments were much the same length. Short, long, medium. I look for a mix.

My two-cents (and it's undervalued)

Dave C
_________________
Dave Courvoisier - Las Vegas, NV
http://www.CourVO.com
CourVO@CourVO.com
Courvo's "Voice Acting in Vegas" Blog: http://www.CourVO.biz
on your phone at courvo.mobi
702.610.6288
"I'm not a news anchor, but I play one on TV."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

COURVO wrote:
Ditto.

Very nice voice quality, good diction and pacing... but there was a sameness that prevented me from listening much past :45. I kept expecting you to break out with something that would make me say: "That's the same guy?...amazing!" Also, the segments were much the same length. Short, long, medium. I look for a mix.

My two-cents (and it's undervalued)

Dave C


Thanks for the feedback Dave. I appreciate your comments. It seems to be common at least according to my producer that demos in L.A. are like this with regard to length of each spot. As for each spot sounding the same, I will give it another critical listen and will look for ways to spice it up.
Back to top
Rob Ellis
M&M


Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good, solid demo in my opinion. Could use maybe a little more range of emotion, but the signature voice (which in your case I would estimate constitutes about 75% of the demo) has definite appeal.
Nice website too. Welcome!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
richgates
Guest





PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rellis wrote:
Good, solid demo in my opinion. Could use maybe a little more range of emotion, but the signature voice (which in your case I would estimate constitutes about 75% of the demo) has definite appeal.
Nice website too. Welcome!


Thanks Rob much appreciated. Smile
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Critique All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group