By John Kovacevich
Several years back, I wrote some audition tips for my on-camera actor friends. (Here and here.) As a creative director in the advertising business, I’ve watched and listened to a LOT of commercial auditions, including thousands of VO recordings. Here are a few tips.
Everything that follows is, of course, just one man’s opinion. (BTW, I am that man.) But it can be helpful to know what’s happening on the other side of the casting process.
Your audition can be over before you read the first word of the script. This may not be fair, but it’s just the way it is.
Your slate is the first thing we hear so if your slate voice is very different from what we’re looking for, I have to immediately overcome my first impression of you and then evaluate how you read the script “in character.” (Harsh truth: I don’t care about the “real” you, I just want to know if you’re what I want/need for the commercial.)
When casting, I may have several hundred VO auditions to listen to in a single evening. There’s usually no time to listen to every audition all the way through. You get a gut impression of somebody right away. If you like what you hear, you listen to more.
For VO work, auditions are usually first reviewed by the copywriter that wrote the script. That writer also writes the casting spec so it is your best window into his/her brain and what he/she is looking for.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written “not announcer-y” … and got auditions that sound like they were right off the nightly newscast.
There are almost always clues in the script too.
What’s the tone of the spot? More naturalistic or over the top? Sales-y or slice-of-life? Is it a character piece or an “everyman” sort of thing? There are a million different flavors of “mom,” what is the context for this one. Is she the heroine of the spot or a supporting player?
Finally, if you want to take a “different spin” on it than the casting spec, my advice is to save that for a second or third take.
Review the spec. Study the script. Give yourself the best chance to deliver what we’re looking for.
If you don’t know how to pronounce something, ask. Or look it up. Especially the product name. Get that wrong, and it’s unlikely your audition will ever make it in front of a client.
Names of cities and countries are often mispronounced. Street names or businesses or areas of town (especially for spots in a region where you do not live) often get mangled. Spend a few minutes looking them up if you are unsure.
Beyond pronunciation, look for performance clues in the script itself.
If words are italicized or underlined or bolded or capitalized…the writer may be trying to tell you to put a little mustard on ’em. Be smart.
And finally, read the spot as close to time as possible. If you take 31 seconds for a 30-second spot, it’s not the end of the world. But if you take 45 seconds? Then you’re not doing it at the pace it will need to be done and you’re not going to book it.
Honestly, 95 percent of auditions, I don’t make it through the first take much less the second.
But if you ARE on the short-list and I like your voice, I may be looking for some performance variations to help sell you to the client. If there’s a second take that’s a slight variation (but not in a wildly different voice) I have something to play with.
If I’ve only got one take, I may not have the options I need to cut your voice together for the scratch track. (For example, you may have read something a split-second faster on the second take and that’s what I need for timing purposes.)
There are many, many cases of “demo love” where an audition track gets put on a rough cut and that actor eventually books the job. Give me some options so that if I like you, I can cut the best audition performance together.
You don’t have to record your audition in a professional studio, but it needs to be good enough so that the producer and ad creatives who are listening to the audition can’t tell the difference.
The threshold is, “can I send this recording to the clients will they be able to imagine it on their spot?”
Yes, I’ve put iPhone auditions on picture as scratch tracks before, but they were very clean, not something recorded in an airport. (Yes, I’ve gotten those too.)
If the quality is such that I can’t put it against picture and send it to a client, then don’t send it. I have plenty of other options that ARE that quality. Make sure yours is the same.
We hear a ton of people. Many are great, but only one books the job.
Once you “get past” the ad agency copywriter, then you go on a short-list that’s reviewed by a creative director who thins the field even further.
From there, a few selects are usually put against picture (in the case of TV, film, games, etc.) or perhaps cut together with some effects (in the case of radio.)
Ultimately, a few options (more than one, less than five) are shared with the client who makes the final selection. There are often multiple people on the client side that have to review and approve your audition.
In other words, there are a whole bunch of different people who have to agree that you are “the one” before you’re offered a part.
Of course, there’s absolutely NOTHING you can do about all this, so there’s really no reason to worry about it. Do your audition and let it go. If you’re the right person for the job, the creative team will fight for you and work to make sure you’re the one hired.
Like what you just read? Join John next Monday at our upcoming Professional Invitational, 11/18/19 - 6:30-9:30pm
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Sep 26-Oct 2) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Sep 19-25) and what's coming your way next week.
Insight and advice from Kaitlyn Robrock, the voice Of Minnie Mouse, for voice actors
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Sep 12-18) and what's coming your way next week.
Interviews with this phenomenal voice actor and teacher
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Sep 6-11) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Aug 29-Sep 4) and what's coming your way next week.
Helpful Insights from Working Voice Over Actors and Creatives
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Aug 22-28) and what's coming your way next week.
Check out our highlight reel of the 2022 Summer Fast Track program!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Aug 15-21) and what's coming your way next week.
Erika sits down with Shelley and Angeli to discuss marketing tips on how to grow your voice-over career and their upcoming classes focused on LinkedIn Marketing for Voiceover and Booking International Work.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Aug 8-14) and what's coming your way next week.
We're three weeks into Summer Fast Track 2022! Take a peek at how things are going so far.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (Aug 1-7) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 25-31) and what's coming your way next week.
It's week one of Summer Fast Track 2022! Take a peek at how things are going so far.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 18-24) and what's coming your way next week.
**Spoiler Alert** This article discusses a pivotal character from Stranger Things season 4.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 11 - 17) and what's coming your way next week.
Don't miss these three classes to keep your skills (and your audio) sharp this summer!
Curious as to what an average workday for a voice actor looks like? Well, look no further!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (July 4 - July 10) and what's coming your way next week.
The 2022 Fall Schedule is Here!!! Get it while it's hot!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 27 - July 3) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 20 - 26) and what's coming your way next week.
21 Things You Never Knew About Being A Professional Voice Actor, According to Austin Tindle
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 13 - 19) and what's coming your way next week.
How Kristen Schaal became the queen of quirky voice acting
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (June 6 - 12) and what's coming your way next week.
Jennifer Sun Bell of The PGM VO List has an enlightening conversation with Voice One's Danny Scott about global majority voices in the voiceover industry.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 31-June 5) and what's coming your way next week.
Hear advice from Anjali Bhimani, Cissy Jones, and Jennifer Hale as they discuss voice acting for video games from the feminine perspective in this panel from GamesBeat Summit.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 23-29) and what's coming your way next week.
Explore the role dubbing plays at Netflix, with interesting nuggets from the dubbing and subtitling team at Netflix themselves!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 16-22) and what's coming your way next week.
Seventeen's Leah Campano asks Rosalie Chiang questions about the VO industry, her career and more!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 9-15) and what's coming your way next week.
The students of Voice One show their appreciation for #Teacherappreciationweek.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 2-8) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 25-May 1) and what's coming your way next week.
Elley Ray Hennessy shares her wisdom regarding voicing animated characters.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 18-24) and what's coming your way next week.
Part four of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
Let’s tackle big, old, ugly fear. Here are five ways to conquer your fear of trying improv, or anything new.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 4-10) and what's coming your way next week.
From Robin Williams to Tina Fey, here are 25 reasons why improv will not only make you a better actor, but will change your life!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 28-April 3) and what's coming your way next week.
Aaron sits down with Lori Alan to discuss a voice actor's role in animation and up coming class, Talk to the Booth Lady.
If you are a future VO superstar, join our youth Summer program coming up in June 2022! Classes available for students 4th-12th grade!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 21-27) and what's coming your way next week.
Video games have become a sophisticated and immensely popular form of entertainment and recreation, and the voice acting involved keeps evolving.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 14-20) and what's coming your way next week.
Five ways to mitigate the negative consequences that come along with time change.
Part three of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 7-13) and what's coming your way next week.
One of the most highly influential players in voice acting history
Exclusive interviews with 2K Games Casting Manager Tom Celia, E-Learning Entrepreneur Angeli Fitch, MoCap Legend Walt Gray IV, AND workshops starting this weekend!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 28-March 6) and what's coming your way next week.
Part two of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 21-27,) and what's coming your way next week.
Our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
We've created a guide that you can print up and bring with you to your Super Bowl watching party. After the game, upload your answers and compare!
Why are explainer videos on the rise and what does it mean for voice actors?
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 24-30, plus a peek at next week.
In anticipation of her upcoming class on American Accents, Aaron sits down with renowned dialect coach of stage and screen, Lynne Soffer, for a brief interview.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 17-23, plus a peek at next week.
Get out of your own way and own your year in VO by applying this advice.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 10-16, plus a peek at next week.
Aaron meets with Walt Gray IV to discuss the why voice actors should know how to audition through self-tapes.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 3-9, plus a peek at next week.
Sally shares an experience that shifted her perspective on perseverance in voice over.
Aaron finds out what Marika Casteel has to say about acting and voice over
Wishing you happiness and good company as we wind down the year
We felt so inspired after our Professional Invitational with Rowen Wagner from Moose Toys, we just had to write about it!
Aaron asks Gavin a few questions about Commercial VO and his new class at Voice One.
A Tech Tip clarification from our brilliant instructor Jim Edgar
Three steps to stop listening to yourself while performing commercial VO
Take a look at the awesome classes coming your way this month, and join us in-person in San Francisco or online via Zoom.
Many actors are affected by dyslexia, but it isn't talked about enough.
Check out what we have in store for you this month!
Voice Acting is more than just reading, no matter the sales pitch.
Interview and Q&A with Tom Celia - Recording Available!
How the pandemic changed dubbing and what that means for the future
Join us on September 8 and meet Cliff!
“I will quite often come out of the booth drenched in sweat, but those are the things that I live for.”
This weekend only! Save $50 on your class registration!
'Twelve Minutes' required much more time in the booth
A quick look at classes starting this weekend and next week!
Voice actor Kayleigh McKee discusses her experience in voiceover and progress in representation
