As a voiceover artist for 40 years, giving life to characters including Chas Finster and Drew Pickles on “Rugrats” and Handy Smurf on The Smurfs,” I’ve delivered my fair share of auditions.
One thing I’ve learned is that your VO audition must capture the casting director’s attention in the first 10 seconds or they will not listen to the rest. They simply don’t have time.
How do you turn a beige read into something more colorful? How do you increase your chances of being heard? Your job is to give “eyes” to the listeners’ ears, so that they begin to see the scene through your voice.
There are three essential basics to compete in the world of voice animation. Your read, along with your imagination and acting chops, must include energy, clarity, and variety.
Energy. Energy means breathing life into the words. It doesn’t mean volume or speed. Use your imagination by putting yourself in the scene. Physicalize the lines. Most beginners stand straight with their hands locked as they deliver lines. Is that what your character is doing in the scene? Probably not. As long as you keep your mouth in front of the mic, you’re free to move the
Leave a Reply