Stephanie Stephens

Voice Over Talent

Voice Over Blog

The Conversational Read for Commercial Voice Over

Voice Over Blog

The conversational read for commercial voice over remains the “darling” of the voice over business. Let’s look at how this impacts both client and talent, both in pursuit of the perfect read.

Why Clients Want a Conversational Read

If you seek a conversational read for your next commercial voice over, you’re not alone among voice over clients. This perennially popular style involves no shouting or “pushing” that copy. For sure, it does not sound forced or stiff—quite the opposite. No yelling about that super sale on a car right now.

You want your next commercial to resonate, so you want a conversational read for commercial voice over when you produce that message. You’ve made it clear in the specs for your product or service that you don’t want anything to sound “announcery.” You want it to be real, informal, relaxed, relatable, and anything over the top just won’t cut it for this voice over project.

You know you’ve got that perfect conversational read when the voice sounds believable, and really connects with the listener, like you. It comes across like a good friend talking to another friend, and although it may not sound super-professional or “perfect,” that’s fine because we humans don’t always speak perfectly, do we?

This voice sounds smooth, delivering words at a pace that doesn’t include lots of pauses that shouldn’t be there anyway. It can be authoritative, and a voice of experience, but not preachy or bossy. the voice doesn’t “talk at” the person but “talks to” them without forcing it. It makes the listener think, “I want this person to tell me more.”

Voice Over Talent Delivers a Conversational Read

If you’re a voice over talent, the conversational read for commercial voice over keeps appearing on almost every script you audition these days. And it helps you so much if the script has been written well, enabling you to deliver that read.

You read the copy through a few times, but maybe you think, “I just don’t have this yet, and I need to get it NOW.”

Let’s ask a few questions and come up with the answers to help you master this conversational voice over read.

Who are you in the commercial read?

If you’ve taken acting or improv classes, good for you! You can apply some of the same principles you used in assessing a theatrical script or improv assignment. And yes, voice over acting is acting, so get yourself “into character.”

Start by thinking about “who” you should emulate in this script. Why is this person there and what should they do? What is their motivation? And what is their connection or relationship to the audience?

Although space is tight, use your hands as you would in a conversation. Just don’t bang the mic! Do what you need to do, including making noises a nd faces, to get into that character mode.

Who is your audience?

So, there you are, squished into a tight studio booth, and you’re alone, with no “Atta’ girl!” or applause. Turn on that active imagination and let it flow. Who’s listening and why do they care? Better yet, how do you, as a voice over talent, engage them and get them to care?

Who was the script writer thinking of as their target when the writer penned the masterpiece you get to voice? Can you envision a relative or friend as the one who will listen? Maybe it’s a celebrity or VIP or someone else who inspires you, or otherwise affects you.

Who do you know who feels like the target of the script? You will tell this person the story in the script and tell it like you mean it. If you get too “announcery,” this person would consider it a huge turn-off, right, and call you out?

How do you structure the read?

Put a pause, or put a breath, where it occurs naturally in the copy. You’d do this in a “normal conversation.” Maybe you want to add a contraction because the copy sounds too stilted. Most directors don’t mind this, but they don’t want you going too far off-script. That remains a no-no in any session as it seems disrespectful to the copy.

Show your magnetic personality, while adhering to that delivery that talks to your “person.” Don’t feel like you have to shout or use a loud voice. That can happen in front of the mic. Think “one-on-one,” sitting next to your “person” in their living room, talking intently and sincerely about something.

Where can you find help?

If developing a conversational read for commercial voice over feels like a high hurdle, get some help. Choose from the many experienced, talented voice over coaches available to help you, within your budget. But don’t rely on someone to do the work for you. Read, record, and listen. And do it again. Practice really does make perfect, and today’s super-successful voice over talents have read thousands of scripts.

You can do it. Just don’t over think it. And practice. More.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iconic Female Voice Over Artists

Voice Over Blog

With thousands of female voice artists, it might seem challenging to make a list of “the most iconic female voice artists,” right? So, you ask, what distinguishes one from another? It’s their sound. And their success.

Making this list feels like making a list for your favorite food, vacation, piece of clothing, TV show, but in this case, we’re looking for the best and most lauded iconic female voice artists. We’ve assembled a few names here that may be familiar, and some that may not. Read on for voice over inspiration, whether you’re looking for a female voice talent or you are one.

My, how the times change. Whew. A much higher demand for female voice over talent exists than for male, and the trend shows no signs of abating.

Here’s a short list of who I think comprise the most iconic female voice talents.

  1. June Foray

We’ll roll back the voice over way-back machine to 1917, when Foray was born in Springfield Massachusetts. She started doing voice at age 12, and in the 1930s to the 1950s, was heard constantly on radio.

She became an in-demand cartoon or animation voice over talent in the 1940s and came to the attention of Disney—a company any voice talent would want to notice them. You may not have been around then, but June voiced for “Cinderella,” “Tweety and Sylvester,” “The Woody Woodpecker Show,” “The Bullwinkle Show,” “Hoppity Hooper,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and later took on on-camera gigs with “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Foray, perhaps a godmother of VO, died at age 99 in 2017. Many female voice artists think of her as “the first” of what would become a long line of phenomenal female voices.

  1. Tress MacNeille

MacNeille was born in 1951 and actually worked in—Dare we say it?—radio, before finding her successful way in voice over with training and great support. Her film credits include “My Little Pony,” “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark,” “Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers to the Rescue,” ‘The Rugrats Movie,” several “Mickey” films including “Magical Christmas,” and “House of Villains.” MacNeille had multiple roles in “The Simpsons Movie,” and in “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” films, and starred as Wilma in “The Flintstones & WWE.”

She has performed hundreds of roles in animated TV series, including “The Smurfs,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Rugrats,” “Pinky and the Brain,” “Road Rovers,” “House of Mouse,” “Duck Tales,” and several Mickey Mouse specials. Her voice was also heard in theme parks and in many video games.

Her list of credits is long and impressive, and she sets the bar high for other female voice talents.

  1. Tara Strong

Let’s get a bit more current here with Tara Strong. She’s amassed more than 600 credits that include Harley Quinn, Batgirl and Raven—an iconic female voice talent. She admits to loving cartoons from an early age, and she certainly made her mark in them. She’s voiced more than 1,300 character roles.

From Toronto, Strong started acting when she was 13, performed with Toronto’s Second City theater company, then moved to Los Angeles where her career took off quickly. Tara’s credits include hundreds of animation projects, such as “DC Super Hero Girls,” and multiple, repeat series for Disney, and also “Rugrats,” “The Powerpuff Girls,” and “Transformers.” She has approximately 100 direct-to-video movies to her credit, at least forty films, a long list of TV specials, several hundred video games…and even more.

Strong is current and relatable, super-active on Twitter, shares lots of fan moments, and doesn’t hold back about what she believes in. She’s a one-of-a-kind iconic female voice over artist.

  1. Keri Tombazian

I’ve got to include Tombazian in here, because when I moved to Los Angeles in the late ‘90s, her voice was literally “everywhere. It was the one that voice coaches and agents alike said was the one to emulate. Of course, therein lies the challenge since it’s tough to duplicate an iconic voice like hers. She possesses such depth, tone, and authority in such a unique way. Honestly, it’s no wonder we’ve heard her on so many commercials, promos, on narration, announcing major awards shows, and video games.

Her career which includes acting and producing, carries many firsts. She was the first female to guest host for Casey Kasem’s American Top 40. She was first to voice promos for major networks. No, women weren’t always heard in the places they are now.

Some casting pros frown on voice talent from radio (I came from radio). Tombazian knocked ‘em dead on Los Angeles power stations KEARTH 101 and 94.7 THE WAVE. Her acting training, and her ability to literally transform copy shine through on all her voice work. Consider her voice for “The View,” on promos for NBC, CBS, and so many more huge forces in entertainment. She also coaches us voice over talent a couple of times a year, and it’s a stellar learning experience.

If you’re considering a voice over career, I hope these iconic female voice over artists inspire you! And that my female voice talent does, too!

Corporate Narration for Professional Branding

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Corporate narration can build your brand even stronger. In the wide world of voice over, this extensive category fills a myriad of purposes for the client and provides plenty of opportunities for voice over talent. With the use of corporate narration for professional branding, companies can find “the right voice” to interpret and deliver “the right message” to achieve marketing and branding goals—to increase visibility and sales, and ultimately, revenue. It’s just good business!

Narration differs from commercials by the length of copy, which can be hundreds of words. It’s not for first timers.

A commercial, on the other hand, is typically :15, :30, or :60 seconds. Corporate narration voice talent requires vocal stamina and excellent breath control. There’s a certain discipline that comes with reading longer copy. Some voice artists, such as Stephanie Stephens, relish the opportunity to showcase lots of experience in corporate narration.

Corporate Narration Enhances Branding

Corporate narration can enhance corporate branding for customers when used in an external-facing manner. Maybe the voiceover must explain how things work or what the benefits are of “X” product or “Y” product.

Internally, corporate narration is ideal for communicating training policies, or delivering instructions to employees and staff. It can be used at meetings, events, forums, conferences, online, and more. Maybe it’s needed for recruitment, or it contains product information, or it’s a “how to do this” video.

Remember that corporate narration is NOT commercials, audiobooks, podcasts, or eLearning.

If you’re considering using corporate narration to strengthen your corporate message, they think, “Ah, that’s World’s Best Company.”

Think of your corporate narration voiceover as an extension of your graphics, logo, colors and “look,” but in this case, it’s your sound.

Qualities of a Corporate Narration Voice Talent

The voice over talent you choose for your internal projects should be approachable and friendly, yet skilled in delivering technical or complex information. And that voice should be able to command and retain the listener’s attention. Some companies require employees to watch a certain number of internal videos each year. That means you must ensure they’re “listenable” and that those listeners understand and retain key messages is so important.

Maybe your company is creating videos that include creative and entertaining graphics or animation. They need just the right voice so that video correctly reaches the audience it’s designed for. It’s important to choose a voice talent with the education and experience to narrate specific terminology. If needed, they’ll read those longer sentences that exactly communicate your chosen message.

Having a great corporate voice over puts the responsibility of adjusting tone and style of your copy and the read to “sound like” your brand.

Generally, that means hiring a voice talent with lots of experience, to essentially join your “corporate communications” team. And this can be for a small or large company.

Don’t Skimp on Corporate Narration Voice Talent

Corporate narration for professional branding can really work for your company. Make the investment in a corporate narration professional, instead of using someone on staff who isn’t comfortable on mic but is free. It’s a wise decision that will prove to be a return on investment. When you think “value added,” think professional corporate narration voice talent.

You want that voice talent to deliver your words and message clearly, authentically, and with purpose—sounding like they’re “one of you.” They must be able to think and speak “on their feet,” quickly and accurately, so as not to waste precious studio time.  Expect them to be prepared, articulate, reliable and conversational. This goes such a long way for a successful corporate narration voice talent.

That’s key if the audience is your employees, and if it’s the public, you want them to hear the relatable and knowledgeable voice that sounds so well paired with your message and your branding.

Corporate Narration with Stephanie Stephens

You’d ideally want your voice talent to inform you know if something in the copy went askew: maybe the grammar or sentence construction, or a need for more explanation. That requires more than a few previous rounds in the sound booth. It requires the ability to advise you quickly that “Maybe we should rethink the way this reads…”

Choosing Stephanie Stephens for corporate narration voice talent means you’re choosing someone with years of experience. She works as a “voice” on radio and television and stage, and now as a narrator for your copy. She can self-direct and can edit or connect you with a top U.S. editor for detailed finishing touches.

She’s been a corporate executive, too, and has written the kinds of copy and scripts you want to use for your corporate narration. In fact, as a very experienced writer in general, she’ll write your next corporate narration script for voice over.

If you think corporate narration for professional branding can elevate your brand, reach out to her here. She’ll be happy to return a custom audition or give you a quote today. For Stephanie, there’s nothing more fun and professionally satisfying than completing a project for you and making it “sing.” Listen to her corporate narration demo now here.

 

 

How to Choose a Medical Voice Over Talent

Voice Over Blog

Looking for a medical voice over talent? Maybe you work for one of the more than 6,000 hospitals in America. Maybe you aim for  the future phenomenal success of your newest life-changing medical device, or a new pharmaceutical medication. And now you need the very best health or medical narration voice over talent you can find for a video that can help achieve your goals. You want a professional voice talent who’s done this before, many times, and for whom long or difficult words or terms aren’t a challenge.

Why not start—and end—your search with someone who “speaks medical” for the very specific audience that will consider your video? You may have heard a certain voice over artist’s medical narration demo. You like it, but you wonder about a few things, as you should.

Know Health and Medical Industry Categories

You need a strong, experienced, knowledgeable medical narration voice talent, whether you’re seeking it for a:

  • Hospital or health system
  • Pharmaceutical company
  • Medical device developer and manufacturer
  • Health insurance company
  • Research laboratory
  • Health or medical association or organization

Ask Questions of Your Medical Voice Over Talent

  • How much experience do they have?
  • Will the product they deliver to you sound as good as what’s on their demo?
  • Can they read pages (and pages) of long-form copy, or are they better suited to commercial reads?
  • Do they understand this audience? If you’re a hospital or health system, you’re targeting consumers, or maybe you’re producing a training video on safe handling of medical waste. If you’re a medical device company, you may be targeting investors, or buyers including hospitals and physicians’ practices.
  • Does your talent have a quality, professional home studio, or will they need to go elsewhere to record—and you’ll foot the bill?
  • Who will edit your medical voiceover?

Know Your Medical Voice Over Talent’s History

You want someone who shows up in the booth well prepared to do your job. Why not look at the list of clients your talent has shown on their website—they should have a website—and reach out to one of them. You can ask, “How was it to work with this talent?” or “Did they understand your directions well and follow through on them?” Or ask “How was their pricing—was it competitive?”

Consider their time in the voice over industry.

You’ll feel so much more confident with someone who’s been doing voice over—successfully—for a longer time. This is true if you’re giving them medical narration copy. It’s not for beginners. These types of projects can sometimes require updates or changes, several months or a few years from the time of original recording. You want to be sure the talent you work with today, will also be the talent you work with later. You need help now when you need something “right away.”

Pay attention to their preparation.

You don’t want someone who walks in and hasn’t taken time to evaluate and mark the copy. Medical narration is particularly challenging, with multisyllabic words, and often, longer sentences because, well, the terminology is just lengthier, often with repeated complex words in a row. That’s not copy that can easily be delivered perfectly in one take without preparation. Your medical narration voice talent will need to read through the copy several times and be sure of pronunciation and syntax. It’s better to learn the correct way to pronounce now, than to put everyone through frustrating repeated mistakes and edits. A professional medical voice talent won’t be embarrassed to ask about something they don’t know right off the bat.

Think about who’s going to be listening.

Does your audience expect a male or female, someone young, in-between, or mature? Do you want no accent at all, or would a local or regional accent help deliver a more effective read? Do you want a talent with a higher pitch, or someone with a deep, commanding timbre?

Meanwhile, a voice over artist known for comedic reads may not be the best delivery for an audience of MDs or PhDs, for example. Leave that casual style for commercials or animation.

Choose the Best Medical Voice Over Talent

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a seasoned medical voice over talent who also has years of writing for the nation’s top health and medical publications and websites, as well as for hospitals and health systems? Who’s written for pharmaceutical companies, medical device developers and manufacturers? And who’s crafted copy for health insurance companies, research laboratories, and health or medical associations and organizations?

Because she’s written so much about medical careers, as a result, Steph understands the structure of those organizations, who does what and why. Therefore, she understands the specific language that is so definitive of healthcare and medicine in the 21st century. She’s interviewed hundreds of doctors and patients. Steph’s written so many of those longer and complex words and terms. Those may intimidate a less-experienced medical voice over talent.

Find a Medical Script Writer

In addition, while we’re on the subject, if you seek added value with your medical voice over talent, ask Stephanie to write your script because she’s done many. She’s a seasoned writer with 20 years’ experience in this art form, too.

Above all, for her, there’s just something about taking one of your most challenging health or medical scripts, and “knocking it out of the park.” She’ll do it efficiently, correctly, and sounding great, in her next recording session with you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Create Good Voice Over Content 

Voice Over Blog

A website without content is only half done, and it needs to be gripping if you want to keep people on your site. If you have just created a website or have put content up for a while, there is no substitute for quality content. There are many tips and avenues for you to expand your website with copy that people won’t click away. Here are some essential tips on creating good voice over content for your website.

Know Your Audience, Know Your Brand

Before you write anything, you have to know who it’s for. Knowing your audience will inform every piece of content that goes onto your website. Every page or post you make has to tailor to your audience. You have to know exactly who they are and what they want. This helps determine what you write and your brand voice to present it. 

Related to finding your audience is knowing what you want to tell them. The type of product that you are selling, the brand you want to advertise, or the service you want to provide needs to be clearly stated. Sometimes the website might not be product-oriented at all, and you may instead want to attract advertisers or form a social media community. No matter your goal, it needs to be apparent in your web copy.

If you don’t know your audience or are unsure what they like, do some research. Look at the demographic and marketing info that web engines provide to site owners. Studying the competition can also help. Look at what websites in a similar industry to you are posting and the kinds of people they attract. Using Google Trends can also clue you in on what people are searching for to optimize your search engine results. 

Good Voiceover Content is Relevant and Readable 

When it’s time to write your content, you also have to make it relevant. People come to a website for specific information and click away if they don’t find what they are looking for quickly. Whatever webpage you create, put the most meaningful, necessary information upfront or close to the top. The more minor details can go towards the bottom if people are still there after reading the header.

Keeping your text readable is essential. Sentences should be short and to the point. Don’t rely on jargon or industry-specific words unless your audience knows them. The average reading level in the United States is 7th-9th grade, and plenty of programs such as HemmingwayApp can grade your text. 

Visuals Matter

The visual aspect of your site is one of the most important things to focus on. People tend to remember visuals more than anything they read, so you should take advantage of that. Add relevant pictures, charts, or infographics to your pages. Embedded videos for topics that require them are also a great way to support a page with audio and visuals. A catchy photo or attractive thumbnail can often do what an opening sentence can’t.

Another part of visual appeal is the structure of your content. Breaking up your paragraphs with sub-headings or bullet points makes your copy readable and keeps it looking clean. This also goes for placing visuals where they are needed. Too many pictures or not enough pictures can leave a page looking awkward. Balance your pictures and text with blank spaces, so pages don’t appear too empty or overcrowded.

Don’t overlook your font choice when thinking about visuals, either. A visitor to your site shouldn’t worry about whether they can decipher what you’ve written. Fancy fonts for banners or headings can be appropriate depending on your topic, but your body text should always prioritize legibility.

Have a Variety of Pages With the Right Content

A variety of pages on your site is a great way to keep people from leaving too quickly. Your “Home page should be the synopsis of your whole site, showcasing your latest work or news about your industry. It should also have links to other parts of your website or related pages. 

You should also have “About” and “Contact” pages so people can read up on who you are and where to find you. The “About” page is the best way to share your personality and passion for your work while telling a story. The “Contact” page should have all the best ways to reach you, addresses for your office, and links to your social media. Photos of you, your company, or your staff are a surefire way to add personality to these pages.

If relevant, have some type of “Work” page. If you are making a company page, this means a page dedicated to recent projects or a company blog. If you are a freelance professional, it means having links to a portfolio or highlights of your best work. 

Keep Visitors Clicking With Good Voiceover Content

Finally, keeping people on your site means giving them links to click on. Your site and all of its pages should all lead to another page. Include hyperlinks to related posts throughout the text of a blog post or landing page. On the “About” or “Home” pages, have statements like “Sign Up” for upcoming events or mailing lists. If you have videos or audio clips that you want to promote, “Watch” or “Download” links are quick and easy to implement. 

Once you have a good number of pages connecting to each other, ensure all of your links, posts, visuals, and social media alerts are updated. Good content for your site should always be timely, and regular updates to old content help make your website run smoother. 

How Voice Over Strengthens Your Brand

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You might remember when “branding” became a thing. And you suddenly realized that maybe you needed to have a brand, work on it, and make it work for you. You have contemplated all the components that will make your brand highly successful, and now you’re ready to move to the next level. The word “brand” was created from the Old Norse language and refers to the branding you equate with TV Westerns—the ranch’s brand is cattle and horses. (Ouch!) It signified ownership, and in many ways, the current marketing definition of branding is about ownership, standing out, and rising above the fray. Think about differentiation and what you need for that, and how voice over strengthens your brand.

It’s a perfect way to catch the attention of your intended audience, engage and connect with them—and motivate them to “do something,” which, in most cases, is to buy the service or product you’re advertising. The right voice will serve as a call to action; if you use the same voice-over consistently, that voice will become synonymous with your brand. 

Great Voice Over Strengthens Your Brand and Tells a Story

A successful marketing campaign always includes brand storytelling. 

  • Relate to how consumers live. Your campaign reaches out and touches prospective customers and establishes a relationship with your product or service. Your voice over, whether in a radio spot or on a video, can emphasize the benefits you offer. Don’t they?
  • Show them what your product or service does: A video that explains the wonderfulness of what you’re offering will also show consumers how to use it, how much it costs, and why they need it. 
  • Touch their hearts: That perfect voiceover can connect emotionally and touch the listener in ways that spur them to put confidence in your brand—to buy what you’re selling.

Celebrities Lend Power to Brands

When you hear a familiar voice, such as a celebrity’s voice, you automatically think, “Now, who is that?” even though it might take a minute to figure out who the voice really is. Endorsements are big deals, and that’s because they get the job done for the product or service for which they’re voicing.

For example, you have probably heard these voices speak for brands now or in the past:

  • Morgan Freeman for VISA
  • Gary Sinise for the U.S. Army 
  • Julia Roberts for Nationwide Insurance
  • Chris Pine for BMW
  • Will Arnett for Reese’s
  • Sam Elliott for Joe Biden, Coors, Smokey the Bear
  • George Clooney for Budweiser
  • Lisa Kudrow for Yoplait
  • Matt Damon for TD Ameritrade
  • Tim Allen for Pure Michigan
  • Stanley Tucci for AT&T
  • Queen Latifah for Pizza Hut

Maybe you don’t want to bend the budget for an A- or B-list celebrity, but you can affiliate your brand with a voice over who can distinguish your offering by telling your essential story in a crowded and competitive marketplace where you must stand out/

Not Just ‘Any’ Voice for You

Just remember that as much as consumers can connect with the voice over you choose, so, too, can they disconnect if they can’t relate to the voice or just don’t like it. Don’t risk alienating a prospective customer by using the “wrong” voice.

If you’re doing an excellent corporate video or a TV commercial, you probably want to choose your voice before you produce the video. You have a “tone” in mind for this production and the telling of your important story, and it will be cohesive with your brand identity. You also have emotions in mind for your brand, so make a note of them and seek a voice that best represents those emotions with their delivery.

Think about who’ll be listening. For example, a voice for a children’s product will be very different than one selling a luxury car or Medicare. If you’re promoting a national product, it’s a great idea to “test” your voices with a focus group comprised of people whose age matches the prospective buyer demographic for your product or service. 

Your market location matters, too, since a Southern accent on a voice over isn’t going to play so well in Manhattan. You don’t have to hire someone in your location since all voice over artists work remotely from all parts of the world.

Maybe you’ll find the right voice-over online at a talent’s specific website—I’d love to help you with your next project, and you can hear my demos here. Or maybe you’ll go to a major casting platform to select from thousands of voices. The point is that the right talent for your brand can be anywhere in the world, and location is no longer a factor, given the sophistication of current recording technology.

The right voice over is ready to take your brand to the next level.