“Come down from the mountain and talk to someone!”
By Eric Hunt, Production Director, Studio274
These days, there is a greater need for a much wider variety of styles than ever before in the voiceover industry. With the emergence of the Internet and easy-to-use audio editing software, new markets are continually being created and expanded upon.
Commercials, animation, audiobooks, and documentaries have been joined by podcasts, industrial and educational films and videos, videogames, a wide range of telephony, and many others.
But perhaps even more integral to this visible increase in opportunity is that “Voice of God,” as it is known and referred to in the vernacular of the industry, has gone the way of the dodo and been replaced by something different.
The change is rooted in the advertising industry. Combine that with Generation Y’s arrival in the workplace: donning flip-flops, iPod in hand, and checking Facebook every 15 minutes, and it should be no surprise that holding on to the old VO norms of 10 or 20 years ago can only result in stagnant audio that is wasted on the deaf ears of a target audience that has unwittingly been pushed in a different direction.
Two big factors have influenced the advertising industry in recent years, according to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Roy Williams. Internet browsing has trained the public to more quickly disregard empty words and message relevance has become more important than repetition. This has lead to a much greater emphasis on creating a “meaningful message.”
Williams was able to nail down a pattern. He says if you want your ad to succeed, which ultimately means “get noticed,” you’re going to have to:
1. Talk about things your customer actually finds interesting.
2. Write your ads in a style that rings true.
3. Avoid heroic chest thumping, such as “We are the number-one...”
4. Close the loopholes in your ads--ambiguous claims make you seem dishonest.
5. Use specifics. They’re more believable than generalities.
6. Remember that substance is more important than style.
7. Relate to the customer on their own terms.
While all these are important for those who need voice actors to remember, none may be as important as number seven. The idea of relating to the customer on their own terms is what has ultimately driven “Voice of God” out and ushered in the era of the “next-door neighbor.”
These trends have brought about an entirely new set of job requirements for producers and voice actors. First of all, the term “voice actor” has become common. The term itself invokes a certain style change. The new stable of consumers don’t want to be “ordered around by a stern baritone,” says Slate.com’s Seth Stevenson.
That perfect, clear as a bell voice and that carefully honed intonation, Stevenson says are no longer required or even sought out. In fact, “textured,” or even “damaged,” voices have become quite desirable--if you know where to put ‘em!
How do these trends impact other areas of the voiceover industry? After all, commercials only represent about 20% of the entire industry. “Real people” are showing up everywhere.
Audiobook publishers and animation producers are using voice actors; Industrial and educational film producers are seeking out narrators that can talk to their target audiences like peers; even the narrated help menu on the installation CD that comes with your all-in-one printer isn’t likely to feature Don Pardo saying “Press power!”
Instead, the actor sounds like someone else who probably bought that printer and needed a little help getting started...just like you.
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