Let’s talk about Demos
Let’s talk about DEMOS.
Look, there’s no ad agency, no client in the room, no writer...We can say pretty much say whatever we want on these demos…it’s a creative free-for-all! I always encourage the talent to find their own way of punctuating the copy. It’s your demo after all. You do not want to sound like anyone but yourself, do you? When you get your headshots done, do you ask the hair and make-up person to make you look like someone else…? Ummm, "Liz Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof please….” Nice try.
What we strive for in our demos sessions is to find YOUR SOUND. Your unique vocal signature. It’s like sitting in your own personality….
Listen, you get cast most often for what you sound like NATURALLY. I’m not making that up….it’s 100% true.
And it’s not easy to just be yourself but you can and will get the hang of it…it just takes practice.
Voice Over really is in its own category. It shares some elements with theatre (the expression in the body, face and voice) and the focus of film and tv.
It requires some acting but you don’t have to be an actor. It requires an understanding and experience in taking direction....making adjustments, and marking your script properly to reflect the direction.
You need to have a good grasp of how advertising, marketing and branding works - how often it changes and why - it’ll give you a leg up!
Knowing you own voice.
What’s your vocal range in the world of commercial voice over? Not how old you can sound or how many funny voices you can do....but your actual target range for the current market? Remember - you get cast the most for what you sound like naturally. What do I actually sound like?! Just be natural…be myself…? Not as easy at it sounds. Gah.
It takes time. Be patient with yourself.
Working on mic. It’s not enough just to learn how toprep scripts and talk ‘em through at home in your jammies. You’ve got to actually get dressed and get in a professional booth with headphones with that big piece of glass between you and the engineer, director, agency folks and clients staring at you (while eating sushi) and perform a script....well...without crying.
My point is, you make a demo when you’re ready to actually perform. Not the other way around - you do not make a demo and then get ready to do Voice Over. If you’re in a hurry to get there, you’ll waste your money and potentially make it harder to ‘get in’ to the business. You don’t take a few classes in biology and then become a doctor, do you? Ok, bad example….but you get the picture.
Take your time, practice, take classes from everyone you can....and listen! Listen to advertising!