Note From Tongal: “The Weird and Wonderful World of Voiceover” is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
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Have you ever been told you have a great voice? Maybe you’ve always been good at sounding like Alex Trebek or mimicking your great Aunt Ida. Have you ever wondered what it takes to make your favorite animated television series and films come to life? Behind each character you love, each radio commercial, each movie trailer, and each call-to-arms to buy the latest product, is a person who has stepped into a booth, opened their mouth behind a mic, and made magic happen.
Don’t let our silly voices fool you. Voice actors may be hidden away off-screen, but we are still actors in every sense. Acting for television and acting for voiceover go hand-in-hand. Strip us of our vocal stylings and we’re actors just the same and, in a way, we have to be prepared to go above and beyond to be seen even more.
Have you ever wondered how that person on the radio coffee commercial makes you feel like they’re talking to you and you alone? There are tons of techniques we use to make this possible. Some people pull from personal experiences. Others think about whom they’re talking to in that moment—and this can make a huge difference. Think about it: Do you talk to your mom the same way you do with your best friend? My guess is probably not. That same logic applies when trying to sell goods and services with our voices.
“Friendly. Conversational. Genuine. Excited, but not over the top.” These are just a few of the specs one might receive when reading for a commercial or even for animation. Who is your audience? How do you make it feel personal?
With commercial voiceover, one thing plays a huge role: Knowing who you are. What signature notes would you give to your voice? What are signature notes, you ask? These are things that people hear when you read a piece of material. Smartass. Smile. Sincere. Commanding. Powerful. Luxury. The list goes on. Keep in mind, some people will hear the same things and others may hear something different. The key is to know where you fit in.
Do you sound like a bro? Great, tell me more about the new lager from Sam Adams! Do you sound warm and maternal? Bring on the Johnson & Johnson’s. It may sound a little odd to put yourself in a box, but when it comes to commercials, knowing where you stand, vocally speaking, will only help you in the long run.
Animation is a completely different game. You could be one voice or 10 voices — the possibilities are endless. A lot of times you will find shows and video games have actors outside of the main cast, known as additional voices, who can provide everything from background noise to the voices of lesser known characters. If you’ve ever seen an old man in a cartoon who only shows up in one episode and yells for someone to get off of his stoop, chances are that’s someone in additional voices.
Sometimes these actors could also be utility players or actors who provide multiple unique voices for the same show. In animation, the world is as big as your voice. The more variation you can show in your work, the better.
Voice work can take a lot out of you, but it is definitely rewarding. The next time you cue up Red Dead Redemption 2, pay attention to the voices. Each voice tells a story. Each character is a person, if only in that universe. The next time your player goes for the kill shot and you hear someone scream in agony, think of the person who did that in a booth, take after take, until they recorded the perfect one. Give a little more thought to the shows you watch, the ads you hear, and everything in between. We’re here, always recording, ready to put a smile on your face, to tell you about that limited-time sandwich, and to help coax you into that brand new car. No matter your needs, we’ll be there.
