VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Philip Banks]

It’s Friday morning, 10 ‘clock and I’m sat watching television in a dressing room. There’s a knock on the door.

“Come in”

“Philip, they need you in the studio”, it’s John the assistant floor manager. I follow him along corridors, down stairs and into the mayhem that is a TV game show being prepped for recording in around 10 hours time. Rule one - When working in a TV studio you need to be aware of everything and everyone but ignore everything and everyone unless it concerns you or the person addresses you directly.

Behind the glitz and glamour of the set is a table, a mic (for sad techies it was a Neumann U87), headphones and a talkback unit with lots of lovely flashing lights and buttons. Jim from sound comes to check my mic and says he’ll talk to me from the gallery to set levels and ensure I am able to hear any one of about 5 people who are likely to be wittering into my headphones.

Floor manager shouts for quiet in the studio. RUN VT – I launch into my “Wow What a fabby prize” read. As I read I am glancing at the pictures to find transitions and cue points. Levels are fine and I know where I’m going.

“Philip, did you get a chance to look over the scripts for these inserts?” asks Jo the Series Producer.

“No, I’ve just been handed them.” I have a 100% track record in this response.

“Happy to go for a take?”

“Sure”

Floor manager shouts for quiet in the studio. RUN VT – 30 seconds or so later and the insert for the top prize is in the bag. One down, two more to go.

Out of the corner of my eye I see someone waiting to talk to me. It’s the director. We shake hands, pass the time of day and then he heads off to his chair in the gallery. About one minute later he checks his talkback to me, all is right with the world.

All done, it’s time for me to head back to my dressing room. All done for the time being.

I settle down in front of the television to watch the news. Just before 10.30am I am collected, again. Back on the studio floor for a camera rehearsal then a run through the show. Our lovely blonde, pouting and beautiful presenter is tired and at the end of a cold but copes well using stand-ins as contestants. Ready to go people?

Quiet please. In 5-4-3-2-1 RUN VT. Music. Applause. Cue Philip. Why?

“Philip? Are you ok?” it’s Richard the director
“Fine thanks. Was there something you wanted?”


“Philip, do you have a copy of the yellow technical script?” Debbie the producer arrives and hands me a 100 page document.

“Debbie to Richard. Sorry Philip didn’t have it. Just handed it to him.”

Quiet please. In 5-4-3-2-1 RUN VT. Music. Applause. Cue Philip.

I’m loud, enthusiastic and bright as a button. Introduce the idea of the show, the prizes then they run the main titles. My out words cue our presenter to take to the stage. Applause.

“Fantastic. Love it. Thank you Philip” the reassuring words of Jo in my headphones.

Until lunchtime it was clunk, clank, stall, start, crash, bang. Lots of things for people in the studio to do, problems to solve, things to change and somewhere in the middle of this chaos was me sitting and watching other people work very hard. When contestants were selected I introduced them, very enthusiastically of course. There were a few problems with sound and scripts but ……….. Rule Two - When working in a TV studio all you have to do is apologise, say it’s your fault even when it isn’t and let the production move forward. Technical problems do not add that much to production time, Drama Queens, hissy fits, arguments and blame shifting do.

LUNCH EVERYONE BACK AT 2.30pm PLEASE.

I go to the restaurant and get a sandwich, something to drink and return to my dressing room. I’m sharing with Stuart, the audience warm-up man. We share war stories and have a light bit to eat. 14.35 we are collected.

Everyone ready. All the way through, from the top.

“Philip, are you there?” asks Richard

“Yes.”

Quiet please. In 5-4-3-2-1 RUN VT. Music. Applause …….. Mmm, time for me to shout…again.

“Fantastic, thanks Philip” once more it’s Jo in my headphones. She doesn’t mean it, it’s her job to say things like that. Does the full “from top to bottom” go well? Not really, no one expected it to but it worked where it worked and we could see where there would be potential problems.

1730. A little light supper anyone? EVERYONE BACK AT 1830 PLEASE.

1835 I wander down to the studio. Stuart is doing his warm up bit as the audience arrives. A runner hands me a bottle of water …just in case and then I take my seat.
Debbie the producer comes towards me followed by a very smart looking lady.
“Philip, this is my mum, Nancy. Mum this is Philip our voice over”. We have a little chat then Debbie takes her mum to be seated.

Just before 1900 the talkback is full of “good luck, hey it’ll be great, hugs n kisses”.

1900 – This time we do it for real.

Quiet please. In 5-4-3-2-1 RUN VT. Music. Applause.

“Cue Philip”. I do my thing. “Stop, stop!”

“We can’t hear anything on the floor. I need to hear the voice over” says our presenter.

“Ok. Running back. Happy sound?” asks Richard. My mic is live but I press the talkback button to find out if they need level from me. Broadcast to the entire studio is my question, in very intimate tones.

“Would you like me to talk to you?” Gallery fill with laughter, our presenter blushes and laughs, the studio audience woot and Ooooooo with delight. That set the fun mood for the evening.

Quiet please. In 5-4-3-2-1 RUN VT. Music. Applause.

“Cue Philip”. I do my thang y’all.

“Love it!” ….That’ll be Jo in my headphones again.

It was start- stop through until 2130 and then it was all over.

“Philip, go to the Green Room and get a drink” says John the assistant floor manager. I go and sip something for a few minutes then go and change. Lots of “goodbye and thank you” precede my departure. ETA Portgordon 0300 Saturday.

Early next week we’ll do an ISDN session to pick-up in a few places. When it’s all stuck together it’ll be fine.

What was it I did? Oh yes, I remember. Watch a lot of people work very hard and read out loud once or twice.

[Hart]

Philip, thank you very much for sharing. What a wonderful and very well detailed account.
_________________
Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[Moe Egan]

Thanks for sharing Banksey. What a cool way to spend the day
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

[allensco]

I'm soooo jealous Philip!

Great writing...love the detail. You the best

A

[louzucaro]

Fun story indeed. Thanks!
_________________
Lou Zucaro
http://www.voicehero.com

"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!"

[Lizden]

Wow, Philip!
That sounded like fun!
Thanks for the run-down...and I STILL hope you get the gig!!!

Don't we have the best job?

Liz
_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

[paddyo]

Great story. Thanks for that. And unlike Jo, I meant that!!!

Paddyo

[dhouston67]

Great thing about that story is the POV. We get to look at the whole experience as if Philip's got a camera mounted on his head.

In fact, that sounds like something I'd watch. (I ask only for a producer's credit should you bring it to fruition. )
_________________
Great Voice. Great Choice. For Voice Talking and stuff.
http://davidhoustonvoice.com
Do That Voice! - The DHV Blog

[bobsouer]

Philip,

Great fun to read this story this afternoon. Thank you. I do so hope you get this gig.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
ISDN, Source Connect, phone patch

[imaginator]

that is EXACTLY the world of video, from my own experience on camera and off. and it's just makes me love radio and voicework all the more.

a perfect job of capturing it in words, sir.
_________________
rowell gormon
www.voices2go.com
"Mr. Warm & Friendly Voice...with Character!"
Rowell Gormon's Clogged Blog - http://voices2go.com/blog

[TheVoiceOfBob]

Philip,
Thanks so much for the interesting summary of your day. It's great to get an idea of what goes on behind the scenes. I've been on the other end of a game show (contestant on The Weakest Link). Amazing all that goes on to put together something like that.

Please keep us informed!
_________________
Try to imagine a world where there is no such thing as hypothetical situations.

The Voice of Bob

[Deirdre]

The fine art of apologizing for something that's not your fault!

Such a grand way to pour oil on troubled waters. Makes no difference to you, and makes everyone else feel like something good has happened.

Thank you as always for the Banksey's-Eye View.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

[Bailey]

Great story about your busy day... and it's nice to see your peace in the midst of the storm.
_________________
"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[Audiogal]

Thanks for the look behind the scenes, Banksey.
_________________
Mary

[roger]

Mr. Banks,
If this budding voice career of yours doesn't pan out, I believe you have a chance at a writing gig. Love your stuff, sir.
I'm a TV audio tech, by trade, and learned the "my bad" thing (warranted or not) a long time ago. Productions go much faster and easier and nobody really keeps a score card, if all goes smoothly.
Sounds like a mad , but fun gig.
-roger
_________________
Roger Tremaine
www.MyFavoriteVoice.com
http://rogertremaine.voices.com/
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. AESOP (The Lion and the Mouse)