Voice-over talent aims to be genuinely connected to the material assigned to them. The audience can tell if they conveyed an authentic or false emotion or when a voice-over talent is fully present in the world of their script or not. As I shared with you in our previous blog, voice-over talent should be connected with the character they are giving life with. Connecting with a given role, its audience, and the intended message is what makes a voice-over talent truly awesome.
Voice-over talent uses different techniques to stay connected to their script and deliver an authentic and believable performance. Here are some:
- READ YOUR SCRIPT
If you get the script beforehand, you should read it a few times before the recording session. Read the script you’re working on and read it line by line. What this will do is further connect you to the circumstances and make it feel more true and familiar to you.
Every line you speak has a reason for being there. Reading the full script through before recording can ensure that you aren’t caught by surprise, and you can create a believable performance.
- KNOW YOUR CHARACTER
In order to bring real life to any character is to connect not just to the character’s description but its heart. You must see and feel yourself as the character. Find out all you can about your character in order to give the most believable performance. Understand who your character is, for example, if your character is someone who lived in the past, then research people who lived at that time to get a clearer picture of who your character is. If your character is an old man and you are still young, mingle yourself with old people and study their voices and actions and try to mimic them. Part of creating particular characters with specific vocal patterns is performing the necessary research and exploration. Once you have a good sense of who your character is, you can practice speaking and delivering your lines.
- HIRE A VOICE-OVER COACH/ TAKE ACTING CLASSES
Voice acting isn’t just reading words on a page. It requires acting skills. If you are a beginner, it’s advisable to hire a voice-acting coach who will help you harness your acting abilities and improve them. Acting coaches will also help you increase your confidence level and become a great performer. Voice-acting coaches also help voice-over talent when it comes to breathing, pronunciation, articulation, and delivery to know how to perform each line as best as possible. Taking lessons with an acting coach can help direct and refine your abilities, making you a more confident and believable performer.
- PRACTICE
Remember that “Practice makes Perfect”. Professional voice-over talent has their own recording studio for them to practice and listen to their recording. If you still do not own your home recording studio, you can practice speaking in character when talking to someone you are close to or other people. Practicing regularly will nurture your normal voice into your character voice.
