VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[vox1]

Many of us who've been at this for enough years have had more than our share
of 'em-- the proverbial Session From Hell; (in this case, Nashville).

They are thankfully few and far between for me, as the vast majority of experienced producers i am fortunate to work with, have an understanding that a good session relies as much on good and experienced Direction, as it does the talent they've chosen, to create and maintain an atmosphere of comfort and understanding in order to achieve a successful result.

I pipe up on this after one of the most ineptly directed sessions in my 30-year career this week.

Many of us can relate to the inherent challenge of dealing with
production-by-committee or ...'too much directing going on around here..' in
the classic words of Orson Welles and his infamous commercial outtakes.

In my case, during an ISDN, a gang of 3 or 4 were on board, and reminded me
of virtually all the classic examples of how NOT to Direct in a positive and
constructive way...and, how to methodically suck the life out of, and destroy what could otherwise have been a "breezy" (subtle product reference LOL).... and more than satisfactory performance and, end-result.

Among the highlights... a CD/director who enters a session from the get-go
with a pissed disposition for no apparent reason (tho'it may just be his 'normal' everyday temperament)..and proceeds to bruskly bark direction, that doesn't remotely match his copywriter read-back of the way "he hears it."

With the personality of a potato bug, the next step was to break each
sentence down into individual word-by-word inflection analysis, so that the
Talent is distracted from the overarching thought and instead led to "think"
about "up" and "down" inflection, broken out literally to the level of individual syllables...(oh, and be sure to keep the artificial pressure amped up with an air of urgency to get this whole thing done fast...even though no critical deadline is looming...)

Then, to deter the talent's effort to regroup and regain perspective on the 'big picture' of the copy, don't suggest a break but rather, proceed to obsess on articulation...and ask the engineer for playback of a certain take segment over and over, (thereby allowing the talent to hear absolutely none of the imaginary deficiencies in clarity of said articulation ; )

All the while, be terse, and convey irritability... to make the talent feel like a
million, until your tedious and tactless Producing prowess effectively
breaks the spirit and thought process of the talent to the point of
exhaustion so that you ultimately create enough delicious melodrama to
warrant recasting the spot.

If the work was crap, that's one thing, and yeah, it's a subjective thing.

However, when a seasoned engineer and talent walk away from a session
saying, "what the F was THAT all about?.....and the notion that a team of Creatives from a major market agency-- - seem to have no idea what they're doing in such a setting...it's a sad reminder of how easily a quality VO by a well-seasoned and very capable talent, can be micro-managed into the ground in no time flat.

It's always important to bear in mind, that good direction takes skill...and is
just as important a component as a talent with an ability to take direction
well.

<EOR>(end of rant)

PS: It was at least some consolation that the 'different' talent chosen for
this client...a solid and seasoned performer as well, had to endure the same 'hoop-jumping and no less than 40+ takes... to finally win this creative braintrust's approval.

My sympathy in advance to any fellow talents who wind up having to deal with
this particular crew. (The closest I've ever come to hanging up on a client
just on principle).

((hm, guess i had a little more rant in me; ))

Cheers,

MikeInMich.

[Deirdre]

I'm sorry to hear this story.

People who behave like that are like radio consultants-- the frustrated wannabes in positions of authority.

My latest high-pressure session included gales of laughter, applause, a tea break and crackers.
I'm sorry yours was anything less.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

[Bruce]

My condolences on your recent personal cataclysm. I feel your pain.

You brought to mind one of my more memorable sessions (but one tenth as frustrating as yours I believe). It was for a PSA, and a particularly lame one. It was one of those things that if it ran at all it would run from midnight to 6 a.m. on the lowest rated stations in town. The agency gave the directing duties to the newest of their writers, fresh out of college. It was a three minute session turned into 45 minutes of line readings, word by word explication and diagnosis. This twerp was a control freak/dictator in training and I was one of his first victims.

I wanted to verbally squash him like a bug then and there, but I've learned too many times that you can keep meeting these same people at lucrative sessions down the line and burnt bridges make a terrible path to success.

May you have a delightful session soon to make up for today's ugliness.

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. .

[Travis]

I find that it's important to attempt to identify with the producer in these situations. Remember, that many inexperienced directors are scared to death that their little masterpiece won't catapult them immediately to "Speilberg" status - so they can't afford to let anyone else mess with thier fantastic "vision".

Best thing to do is not let them get you rattled, which means letting go of everything - including keeping the gig.

Friday, I had that situation. A truly horribly written commercial, for a product that has no chance for success. It was my second session for the client - They needed to change the copy 'cause the first run didn't seem to be working. I read the first sentence with the best read possible. The director then decided that I needed to punch up the word "you". Then, one by one, every other word in the sentence needed to be emphasized. With each take, I politely added the requested emphasis. The director then pointed out that, for some reason, my read was sounding forced and "artificial". I very nicely, without accusation, pointed out that we were now emphasizing every single word in the sentence, except for one ("the"). The client then asked the director to play back my first read. The director said, "Oh, that was perfect!", and we moved on.

If I had at any point, demonstrated frustration, insecurtity, or lack of respect for the director, that wouldn't have happend - we would have been in session for at least another half-hour -- but, I was having fun with the situation - it was a challenge, and I was fully prepared for anything, including being dismissed, which, as a result, was not likely to happen.
_________________
Travis
www.VOTalent.com

[billelder]

DB's right. And look what consultants have done for radio! LOL

(and...I've had good ones and bad ones)

[anthonyVO]

good l0rd!
man - i have yet to have a bar session... long and tiresome w/ some one (maybe two) inexperienced producers, but none w/ attitude like the one you mentioned.

I always think that I would walk out of a session if this happens to me - I wonder what's the worse that can happen if I do that.

-Anthony

[ballenberg]

Travis and all-- If you haven't already heard this one, check out the Bloopers Soap session at this link


http://www.kenrayzor.com/Fun_Zone.htm

[Deirdre]

Hey Billy-- thanks for posting that. that's the first thing that comes to mind while reading Travis's story!
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

[anthonyVO]

LOL - i thought the same thing - great link, Bill!

[Diane Maggipinto]

BLOOPERS soap is real good.
Bloopers SOAP is real good.
Bloopers soap IS real good.
Bloopers soap is REAL good.
Bloopers soap is real GOOD.

This broad is gonna do some supermarket jazz today (since the fridge is empty). Gawd, I love that--let's bring back the words 'broad' and 'dame'!

Thanks for the link! Nice way to start the day
_________________
sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

[Deirdre]

[Bruce]

As in:

"She's a broad where a broad should be broad" ?

-- Oscar Hammerstein II in "Honey Bun", South Pacific
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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. .

[Travis]

Thanks Ballenberg... It's been years since I heard that (before the internet.) It's amazing how many sessions I've done which have been almost exactly the same scenario - and I don't do that many commercials! Life imitates art?
_________________
Travis
www.VOTalent.com

[Dave]

MikeInMich...

Man, I can feel your pain all the way to Texas! I suppose we all get one like this from time to time...I know I have! I think you summed up a session from H#@* quite well.

I had one of these last year for the Houston Performing Arts Theatre production of Jekle and Hyde. The "director" was a first time out of the chute gal... and by the time she said she was "happy" (an hour and a half later for a 30sec TV spot) I was motified with the results...and cringed ever time I heard the spot on the air.

They've never asked me to do another spot form them since. And, I can't really blame them. I stunk the place up... I wished they would have picked someone else!
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. If at first you don't succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn't for you.

[jeffgad]

Been there. Brings to mind one of my favorite engineers who, during one of these annoying sessions, walked out of the room and came back in with a coloring book and crayons. He handed them to the art director who was mucking up the session with nit-picky BS and said, "why don't you just color for awhile while we finish this radio commercial?"

-Gad