I was talking with someone the other day about my work and was running down some of the stuff I have recorded here at SunSpots. When I mentioned a documentary that I had recorded for PBS on Islamic Spain she said “Wow that sounds really boring.”. And normally I would agree with her but in this case voice talent Sam Mercurio did a great job of making a rather dry script very interesting.
This is why in most cases I cringe when I hear a director utter those fatal words “Less Feeling”. Of course that type of direction has it’s place on medical and technical reads but, in my opinion, it’s an overused direction. Give your narration a little boost. Let the talent throw a little of themselves into it. I find that when there is a little give and take from both ends of the session that the read always turns out better.
When voice talent Jim France is in town he comes into SunSpots Asheville and he and I are usually given free range on the direction of his voicing for “Dangerous Game” which is a big game safari hunting show that airs on Versus. This makes a subject that I usually wouldn’t be interested in fun and, well… interesting.
My two cents.
-Bryan
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Historical programs are boring??!! QUE!!?? I’d love to see a doc on the Spanish Islamic culture! When is it on? I’m disagreeing with that one.
Now about that pulled back direction. Yep, I agree that it can be pulled so far back you’d think the voice talent was totally bored with the copy. I always think there should be some sign of life in the read. I heard SunSpots voiceover talent Jaz Adams the other day on tv doing a read for a Disney World TV spot for Blizzard Beach. The voice is so pulled back he seemed slightly disinterested yet the video was rockin’ and splashin’ full of action. Course we only push the buttons and say the words, it’s the director’s vision we bring to life.
Thanks for the post!
T