VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

HeatherMasters · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 11:35 pm Post subject: Overcoming "the stage"

Hi all, as I mentioned in a previous post, I'm new to the forum. I'm the only VO I know, so I am pretty happy to have found you all.
I was wondering if anyone else had trouble transitioning from a stage background. I seem to do well with audiobooks, which call for a slower, articulate read, but in trying out narration work, I am finding that I cannot seem to speed up my speech. I have years and years of "eeloongaate your Voow-els" and "ar-tic-u-late your words" training stuck in my brain and I find that when I record an audition, I think, "yeah, that was good" and then, I listen to something comparable and realize I'm ridiculously slow and drawn out. I can even hear it in my narration demo.
Ugh.
I was doing a job and I know I was frustrating to the director, so I really want to work this out before I move on.. Any exercises or techniques work for anyone out there? Or should I just play to my strengths and shoot for instructional narration? I would love any advice!
Thanks!
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Heather

www.heathermastersvo.com

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 12:07 am Post subject:

Learn your lines and then talk to me. We do not read, we take people gently by the hand and show them things, share things, nod at something and say "look".

Stage craft is TOO big! You need to make yourself smaller.

Try reading the opening post here http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18246

Over coffee this morning a friend says you look distracted, the text in the post provides your answer. Tell her what's on your mind, it's your story, she's your best friend so you can be honest and tell her.

Bruce · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 11:04 am Post subject:

It looks like we come from different theater backgrounds. The main rules for me were be heard in the back row through volume and diction, but also to talk at natural speeds which could be really fast if it served the drama or comedy of the scene.

Maybe it's time to work on some monologues that work well at higher speed?

Maybe Jabberwocky: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171647

Or this one with video example from Stephen Fry: http://abitoffryandlaurie.co.uk/sketches/fast_monologue

Or if you're feeling musical there's this classic, The Elements, from Tom Leher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPq3SEteEJc

If you can master some reads like these then "regular" speed narration should be a breeze.

B
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Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

The thing about theater for me was that each director of any particular production considered and wanted different things that were important to them from their talent. All had different direction. Be heard, Be emotional, Elongate words, Be natural. Be physical because you are being seen as well as being heard. Speak from the heart and look like you mean it.

Take a pne thing or many of all of what your directors wanted and meld it into a vocal delivery. How do you make emotions or actions "look" right in words? It takes time to translate all that into your own delivery and make it sound right. It's a continuous process.

HeatherMasters · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the post link Philip. What an honor to be voicing for an organization that is doing something that matters.

Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

Deirdre · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:30 pm Post subject:

I also have a pedigree in theater. There's a technique I use (and teach) that I call a "verbal jam" for passages that are dense— and it involves re-writing (not necessarily literally) the sentence or passage.
Improvise, using your own words.
One you can figure out how to parse the sentence structure and what it means, you can go back in and use the words you were given. It works for Shakespeare and it works for a script describing water purification.

The business of narration isn't to become a character, or even to just "bring yourself to the party"— but to be the expert.
No matter what you're saying, you have to sound like you not only know what you're talking about, but that it's flowing fluently from your mind.

edit: better language in 'graph 2
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:18 am Post subject:

HeatherMasters · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:15 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that thought Deirdre. I think I'll put that on my wall as well. This has been so helpful. Up to this point, I have been fortunate enough to pay for everything necessary for starting up my business with money I have earned from jobs. But now I've got a weak narration demo which needs replacing, and I have felt stymied in this branch of VO work. I feel as though all of your helpful ideas have got my juices running again.

Thanks so much!
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Heather

www.heathermastersvo.com

DougVox · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:19 am Post subject:

audio'connell · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:22 pm Post subject:

Among all the sage advice imparted this far, remember the true words for every new actor behind a mic or on a stage - that was told to me by the doctor that showed me the way out on the day I was borned.

"Don't forget to breathe."

You'll do just fine.
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- Peter
audioconnell Voice Over Talent
Your friendly, neighborhood voice over talent

ccpetersen · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:28 pm Post subject:

This may sound a little silly, but I have a stuffed lemur that I often take into the booth with me. I talk to HIM.

Wink

c
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HeatherMasters · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 3:38 pm Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:14 am Post subject:

DougVox · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:31 am Post subject: