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Tips to Get You Started on Becoming a Voice-Over Artist
Years ago, when I was whiling my time away in a hostel, my girl friends’ assorted boyfriends wickedly described my voice as ‘husky’ and ‘sexy’. The sisterhood was expectedly miffed with this response, but I was delighted. Professors smiled benignly, even when I missed project deadlines. My seniors stopped by and sought my views on whether the student body should protest against the canteen samosas and other such issues. And my French lecturer insisted that I abandon my ambitions of being a French translator and target voicing as a career. After a few sundry hosting assignments in college, I’d made up my mind. I wanted to do something with my voice. I honestly did not know how to go about it, but eventually I found my way after blundering through several workshops and spending several thousand rupees on them. I dedicate this piece to all those of you who yearn to be heard but don’t know where to begin. This voice- workshop-in- a-jiffy, will hopefully, open up your mind and enhance your understanding of the world of voice-overs. What is voicing all about? First of all, let me warn you that voicing is not just about a deep baritone or a honeyed pitch. A good vocal presence alone is not enough. The concept of the voice of god is outdated. Executing a script calls for a certain skill. So, what exactly does a voice-over do? A voice artiste or as the current definition goes, a voice actor, lends his voice to the picture you see on television commercials, CD ROMS, presentations and corporate films. You could also include radio commercials, audio books, voice mail systems and multi media. Voicing is the art of bringing to life the written word by presenting an emotion or creating a character entirely through your voice. Unlike stage, television and movie actors who are seen while performing, a voice actor speaks into the mike. The former lot can fall back on costumes, make up, sound effects, music, lighting and what-have-you to better a performance, but not so a voice actor. He or she has to depend solely on the mouth and the mike. Not glamorous enough? Let me assure you that the benefits of voicing are many. No wasting time on endless rehearsals. No futzing around with hair and outfits, or roughing it out at weird locations. And, you can breathe in relief, no jealous co-actors keeping tabs on the number of lines you have. What does it take to be a voice actor? If you are blessed with a great sounding voice, cherish it. But that is not sufficient as you need to possess the talent to understand the script and express the right emotion. Training in acting will hone your emoting skills. Passion, commitment, determination, a strong stomach to handle a few rejections, lots of confidence and a little luck can take you a long way. What are the attributes that make for a good voice? That much bandied word ‘modulation’, for starters. It simply means the musical and variable qualities of a speaking voice. The script dictates the mood and style of what is being said. When you register an emotion, the voice modulates automatically. Your pitch, tempo, pace and tone fall into place naturally. Let’s try a host of exercises for fun. Here is one, for starters. Take a look at these words. Colour them by giving its full sound value.
A voice actor needs to use the imagination to get the feeling of a script right. To strengthen your visual thinking, do this little exercise regularly. Close your eyes and relive different situations in your life. Feel the emotions you experienced at the time the events took place, be it love, anger, sadness, greed, guilt and so on. Here’s another exercise you will enjoy trying. Lie convincingly about something to your friend or parents or siblings or even your boss, if you have the courage. Tell them you saw a white elephant today morning and describe the entire event. Convince someone you won a huge lottery. I hope you like reading. A voice actor must be able to interpret the text and understand the writer’s intention. Of course, the director will guide you too. Read aloud from an array of plays, prose and poetry. Play around with the words. Say it differently each time. Own the words by repeating them a few times. Do leave some room for spontaneity. Above all, have a blast doing so. Make sure you get the pronunciation perfect. Keep your dictionary handy. You don’t want to be hailed as Eliza Doolittle. If you are proficient in more than one language, smile. You hold a distinctive edge. Try these exercises to boost your voice projection. Stand in a relaxed manner, preferably outdoors. Read a passage and while doing so, try to ‘hit’, with your voice, an object ten or fifteen feet away. Please don’t strain your vocal chords while doing so. Stop if you feel the pressure. My earliest voice coach apparently stood on a hill top and declaimed Shakespeare. You could also try reading a passage clenching a pencil with your teeth. Follow this by reading without the pencil. You will notice the difference immediately. Breath control is the motive power of speech. Developing breath control is necessary as you don’t want to run out of steam when you read long passages. Here are a couple of simple breathing exercises which you can try. Exercise 1: Stand relaxed. Breathe in to a count of 3. Hold the breath without breathing in or out for a count of 3. Breathe out to a count of 3. Increase the number gradually to 10. Exercise 2: Develop the strength and flexibility of the diaphragm. Take in a full breath, then pant like a dog, feeling for the movement in the midriff area. All the above mentioned attributes need to come together naturally. This piece is just an overview of the world of voicing. It is NO substitute for in-depth workshops and classes, which have far more challenging assignments and exercises. If I have managed to prod you into seeking a career behind the mike, I suggest you scout for the best voicing teacher in your city, someone who will mentor you right up to the very end and help you cut a good demo, which showcases your range and versatility. The next step would be to market yourself. Project confidence and state your individual strengths when you meet producers. Here’s a statutory warning: Please beware of half-baked teachers who seem to mushroom like lice on this planet. They are injurious to your pocket and mental health. Speaking from experience though, I can say that nothing is more exhilarating than a well-executed voice-over. So, let the fun begin.
Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com). Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in August, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.
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