VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[RayAnime]

Does anyone have a clue as to how one might dip one's toe in the pool of directing (a class, etc)?

I'm not kidding myself into thinking I actually know what I'm doing yet, but all through this whole process of going to voice over classes, etc, I find that 9 times out of 10 (or more), what I'm thinking in my head following someone's read is basically the exact instruction given by the teacher. Then this past week I went to a voice over workout group where I actually got to push the talkback button (wheeee!), and the experience of my suggestions actually improving someone's read & taking it in a good direction was pretty cool.

Anyway, it's something I've been pondering for a while, and I'm just curious to find out more about how one gets into or studies directing if anyone has suggestions . . .

[Lance Blair]

Ray, I know exactly what you mean as an audio engineer. I rarely get to work with a great director who conceives or presents ideas in any way shape or form that transcends what is frankly good taste and common sense.

But here's the trick...knowing what needs to be done is one thing, communicating the direction and dealing with people effectively is another.

Oh, and there's the thing about earning the trust and respect of your colleagues so that you get the gigs...
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Deirdre]

I have taught VO techniques to classes and individuals for a while; before that I directed professional theater for 8 years.

You need the ability to convey information in a way that can be received by your students. That is the hardest thing to learn.
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[Philip Banks]

I once tried to find millionaire classes because while standing behind one in Harrods a few years ago I knew exactly what he was going to buy BEFORE he bought it!

Seriously, directing is an earned right not a learned skill.

"Orson, our director is young and inexperienced"

"Oh good! I missed breakfast!"

[Bruce]

To echo what Deirdre said,
To echo what Deirdre said,

Is there an echo in here?

To be a good director you need to be able to convey to them what they need to do to bring the best or most accurate performance out of themselves. Experienced actors and voice talent probably have that knowledge/experience within them, or know how to find it/replicate it quickly. Newbies are tougher subjects, but with the right coaching they can achieve good things.

I cherish the memories of VO sessions I've had with really good directors. They've brought out all kinds of interesting things from me and my fellow performers.

If you're serious about pursuing this, find a way to sit at the right hand of some good directors for a while (video, film, theater, VO) and you'll pick up a lot.


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. .

[ccpetersen]

FWIW, I learned some of the best directing techniques from VO actors, particularly the ones who were quite engaged in the copy and had a lot of experience with many kinds of copy.
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[Yoda117]

I'd say that experience is going to be one of the best teachers. I mean, as a VO you need to be able to follow direction, but more often than not, to direct yourself to get to where you need to be in a read.

Just attach yourself to Bob Bergen's hip for a few weeks. If he hasn't killed you by then, you'll know how to do it (seemed to work wonders with us).
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Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

[Lizden]

I spent 9 years "behind the glass" directing voice talent in mostly corporate narrations.

The BEST compliment I ever got was from a voice talent who I had worked with (& still do now that I'm on this side of the mic) when he said to another talent "She gets me to make me sound my best"
...the thing is he's a great talent as it is (& I've learned SO much from him for the work I do now!), I was just able to direct him & lead him a bit in the direction I wanted him to go....make sense?

You have to develop your ear and your ability to convey what it is you want the talent to do.

Like everything else takes practice!

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

[Philip Banks]

I'm sure in her dark and rather murky past Liz has sat at the end of an ISDN connection and listened to me or "directed" as you appear to call it over there.

[Lizden]

Only the ONE time...and as I recall...I had NOTHING to say!

EDIT: I believe I got off the line & walked to my desk muttering "DAMN, that guy is goooooooood! ....he'll never work here!"


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

[RayAnime]

Thanks to all who responded!

I just want to clarify that I understand that directing is a talent and a skill, and I don't expect to just "get into it" because I think it sounds like "fun," and in my deluded little world I've had a hunch or two in my head that turned out to be right when a skilled professional was the one actually giving the direction . . . you know, the directing equivalent of the person who says "excuse me mister voice over professional, people tell me I have a 'good voice'--do you think I should make my demo this week or wait till next week, and when should I expect my first million dollars? This year, or next?" I may have some issues to overcome on my road to VO greatness, but over-confidence is certainly not one of them.


Anyway, directing is something I've been thinking about for a long time--a time during which I've been observing some very good people in action. It's also something that I've experienced in other areas of my life--whether it's been working on ad campaigns as an art director in college, helping singer-songwriter friends perfect song arrangements, single-handedly planning and pulling off a wedding-scale party in two weeks while seriously under the weather (I actually went to Tavern on the Green in sweatpants to pick up direction cards at one point), correcting a copy-editor friend's writing, being the person that my very talented graphic/web designer friend always sends his projects to for critique before submitting them, or even somehow ending up giving orders to a room full of people baking dozens and dozens of cookies, I consistently seem to "fall into" or gravitate towards some sort of direction or critique role. Perhaps it's a sensitivity to detail and a penchant for pulling things together. In any case, it's something that's cropped up in basically every aspect of my life in some way, and I think eventually that's the kind of thing that you need to at least explore, even if it doesn't work out in the end.

In any case, I'm coming from a place of interest, and of wondering if this is something that I could do one day in the future, and what the possible paths are to get there--not a place of thinking I'm just going to head out and "do it" because I feel like and I'm convinced I'm good at it without ever having had to prove myself in any way.

[Rob Ellis]

Ray,

Since you put it out there, I will give you my two cents.

Let me preface that I don't know a lot about directing other people, other than directing clients voicing their own spots back in my radio days, and then, of course, self-direction.

I am guessing that directing effectively, like most things, is more difficult than it may appear to an observer like yourself. Just keep that in mind as you contemplate this possible change of "direction"

At the same time, you could end up exploring this avenue and turn out to be a VO directing genius!

Either way you'll still probably have to pay taxes and take the trash out about once a week....

[louzucaro]

I understand Philip's point about directing being an earned right, but that doesn't necessarily mean "earned by years of waiting around and garnering the respect of your peers" IMO...it means earned in the sense that, like many things, you have a talent for it and that somebody else thinks so enough to let you do it professionally.

If you're good, you're good. Buddy up to a director pal and ask if you can play along, maybe telling the director what you think without the talent hearing it. See what Ms. or Mr. Director thinks of your mad skillz and do this until you're ready (or asked) to do it for cash money.
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Lou Zucaro
http://www.voicehero.com

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

[RayAnime]

I get that it's not easy.

I'm not saying I want to get into this tomorrow--I just have an interest and figured people here might have some good insights as I don't know much about the process & protocol of how people actually become directors. I just mentioned the thing about having a good idea of what directors were going to say before they said it as a justification for even asking about the field, and that seems to have opened more cans of worms than anything!

Anyway, a friend just told me yesterday that at a recent trip to one of the major LA agencies (we won't name names), his booth director told him she didn't know what direction to give him--that she didn't even know she'd be directing when she got the job, and she just thought sitting back and watching the VO people "do what they do" was so cool. I don't want to be like her, but it certainly makes me unapologetic for showing interest in the field!

[RayAnime]