VOICEOVER ARTISTS FOR COMMERCIALS

by David Kaye

I spend a lot of my day in a booth or a studio, doing a lot of commercial

work. In 25+ years, I've learned a few basic things when approaching

commercial copy.

To be fast at it is a real trick. You need to learn to quickly "get" a piece

of copy. Sometimes you may be reading an audition or going into a

casting for something. Or you may be hired and they bring you in and, the

copy could be completely different.

Your job is to make sure the 18 people behind the glass happy. When

they're all smiling and nodding, that's a good thing.

So get the piece of copy. Go through it quickly and try to figure out what

it is that you're selling. Is it an idea or a product? Or is it a mental state?

Going back to my old radio days, I'd always ask myself, "Who are you

talking to?" Visualize a specific person you're talking to. It's an old

trick and one that always works.

"Selling the sizzle, not the steak." We've heard that for years. But, it's

very, very true.

"Try to sell the smell" is another one I use sometimes.

Sometimes you may be just doing a tag. It may be three words. It may be

six words. It may be 60 seconds of copy. It all has to work.

I like to look at tags -- three seconds, five or six words that end the

commercial with your voice - as similar to a short putt in a golf game. You

can kind of wind up and smack it. And you know for the most part it's out

there. It's not a bad shot. Sometimes you're way off in the rough.

But it's the short little tags at the end that sometimes turn out to be the

best paying spots, when all you might say is, "Xerox". And that's it! One

word.

You have to really picture in your head who you're talking to. You're the

spokesman for the company. You're the spokesman for Xerox or Apple. You're the guy they hired to represent that company. So it's a real big

responsibility. They spend a lot of money on making these commercials.

And you're brought in to put a button on it.

In this business you go through the copy. And if it's not working, you

have to be able to adjust and change…sometimes very quickly. It's just a

skill that comes experience.

One of the big things I get asked is, "What's the toughest thing about the

business?" And I say, "It's being able to change quickly. Or to correct, if

it's not right."

If it's not sounding right, you need to recognize that it doesn't sound

right and then go back and fix it and make it sound better. That's a skill that just comes with doing it over and over and over again

A lot of times when you're in a commercial session, the directors and the

producers and the agency people behind the glass love that. If you're able

to adjust quickly, they know that they can work with you.

We've all heard of the notorious sessions of three or four words that go

on for an hour. That's happened. But it shouldn't happen. You should be

able to give them everything they need in about 10 minutes if it's three

or four words.

So be prepared, but also be prepared to shift and change. And it just

comes with doing it.

So, to recap, interpretation of the copy is very important.

Be willing to change direction on it. The agency may go a different way,

and you must be able to adapt and change with it. Maybe you need to

make your voice sound younger. Or make it older. If they want a 50- to 60-year old, you have to have that person in your head.

And you have to see the person you're talking to when you're selling something.

Wrap all those things into a ball and take this into the session with you.

If you're casting for commercials, know that that's what's going through

the voice of the talent's head.

If you're a voice in the commercial, acquire as many of those skills as you

can. In this industry today, it's especially important to be able to change gears fast. That's what you need to learn.