Welcome! Thanks for signing up and I hope you all decide to stay. There are a few things to understand and do before we get started on learning the basics of Voiceover Acting. Please ask me individual questions if you want to discuss how any of the following comments/requirements might prevent you from benefiting from this class.
1) This is a performance class. That means attendance is critical in assessing your grade. Attendance, submitting assignments on time, being ready when called and participating with a smile on your face and your ego checked at the door: if you do these things you will do well in the class.
2) If you are not a native English speaker/reader: There is a great deal of spontaneity required in voiceovers. If you first have to translate the words into your native language in order to understand the meaning of the words and then back into English before you are able to read it aloud, you may feel frustrated at times during class participation. You will still benefit from the class. If you feel that you fall into this category, please let me know.
3) Please fill out the CLASS PROFILE for Monday, Feb 1: this information will help me know what you know and if you have any experience we may all be able to learn from during the course of the semester. Print neatly and fill in as much information as you can. The more I know about you, what you do, and what you like to do, the more I can offer you as an individual.
4) You will need a method of recording your homework. Because you will have to record on your own for playback in class, you need to have a recording device – standard or micro cassette, mini-disk, CD, digital recorder. Plus, we will record what you do during class on a standard-sized cassette recorder. If you are using something OTHER than a standard sized cassette please come see me after class.
5) Buy the book and my workbook: “There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is” (enlarged second edition) by Elaine Clark. If it is not in the bookstore, you can buy it from my website at: www.voiceover-talent.com/voinfo.htm. The bookstore will have the Workbook.
6) You will NOT have a professional voiceover demo at the end of the class: You will have a better idea of where you might fit in the world of voiceovers and you will develop skills to help you in the eventual creation of a demo tape, if and when you are ready to do so. Besides being an Introduction to Voiceover Acting, the size of the class and the limitations of the equipment would prevent any usable demo from being developed during this class.
HOMEWORK FOR MONDAY: Fill out the Class Profile. Details on any particular area of expertise would be good to know.
Go Online and Listen to Voiceover Demos: www.videovoicebank.net is good. Click on Demos/Clients. Then Talent Agency – Union and/or Talent Agency – Non-union. Listen critically. Think about the voices you are hearing. (You could also listen to demos on nearly any talent agency website.) You need to know your competition and what kinds of voices are doing the work. Concentrate on the commercial demos. You also need to start pinpointing your general sound. So listen until you find one or two “voices” that have a similar pitch and quality as your voice. Write down the Name of the talent and the Agency where you found the demo and describe the voice you are hearing. This will be turned in on Monday when I return.