Kim Handysides-Award Winning Female Voice Over Artist-Logo

514-803-2296

kim@kimhandysidesvoiceover.com

Voiceover Styles

Voiceover Narration for Non-profit Organizations

Voiceover Styles

Voiceover Narration for Non-profit Organizations

I’d like to dispel a poor bit of “advice” that keeps surfacing in the VO world: to shy away from voiceover for non-profit organizations. This guidance is, in part, because the remuneration is often low or lower than corporate work or commercial voice over work. But there are several reasons narrating for nonprofits can be beneficial. By avoiding non-profit organizations, you may be missing out on voice-over narration that can be extremely rewarding, occasionally financially, but more often the reward is measured in other ways. Before you write them off your marketing plans, check out other benefits this work offers.

Why You Want To Narrate For Nonprofit Organizations

Rates

It is generally true that nonprofit organizations try to keep their video communication budgets as low as possible to be able to put the money they accrue to further their agenda. In the union world a public service announcement, for example, might pay out half the rate of a regular commercial or narration. However, not all of the work pays low rates. You can always bid for this kind of work at your regular rate. If you are exactly what they are looking for or they’ve been given a healthy budget and need to disburse funds accordingly, your rate may not be compromised. There may also be benefits in providing pro-bono narration work that can be reported as a donation on your taxes, talk to your accountant and see if you can get a charitable tax receipt in lieu of payment for work done.

Experience

For better or worse, there will be fewer people competing for this work because the price offered is generally lower. This means you may have a better chance of booking the work since the talent pool vying for it is smaller. And because less competition, also means more opportunity to build a relationship with these organizations with your marketing. Working with nonprofits can open opportunities for referral business as well.  The universe of non-profit organizations is smaller than the general corporate population and often as part of their mandates, they spend time building relationships with other non-profits and corporations. Being a trusted resource in this arena can be a very good way to build your client list.

Association

An important asset to any business, but especially in non-profit work is relationship building. And developing partnerships in a B2B2NPO (business to business to non-profit organization) may yield big benefits. For example, you may be doing a favour for an agency when you narrate for a non-profit. Chances are the agency is also doing a part or all of the work pro bono. If they ask you to participate, you have an opportunity to be seen as part of their team and benefit from that association.

You also get the benefit of being associated with the nonprofit itself. A few of the more recognized charitable organizations I have done voiceover narration work for include the American Red Cross, Easter Seals, United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, B’nai Brith, Americares, the Nature Conservancy, Patient Access Network Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rotary International, Smithsonian Institution. 

Purpose

“Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.” Socrates may not have been specifically referencing non-profit narration, but there is a definite value to aligning what you care about with what you do. He also said, “Let him who would move the world, first move himself” and finding non-profit organizations that align with your values to narrate for can give your voice over work an extra dollop of purpose. You may not be able to afford giving a donation, but this may be a way you can contribute. Being a part of something larger than your own business and doing good in the world is a benefit that shouldn’t be undervalued. At the beginning of the covid 19 pandemic, a lot of people became very stressed very quickly. A narrator on multiple mediation apps, I created and narrated a couple free guided meditations for friends, family members and people in my business community to help ease the anxiety. Although not aligned with a non-profit, this offering brought me an extra sense of giving back

Work/Life Balance

There’s a great deal of satisfaction that can be gained from helping out your fellow man (or animals, or the environment, or fighting social injustice, etc..) While you’re spending time building out your voice over career, you may not have time to volunteer at the food bank, but you could offer to voice their Thanksgiving or Xmas spots as a donation. You can also align your VO business brand with a particular charity or branch of work where non-profits exist (i.e. healthcare or cancer or working with kids). This will not only benefit you in doing-good vibes, but also boost your brand recognition with other for profit corporations in the same space.

How Voice Actors Do Dubbing and How to Break Into It

Voiceover Styles

The first time I saw a rythmo band crawl across the top of a cartoon with words matched in time to the little animated mouth flaps, I was mesmerized, and a little scared. The script scrawled in a racing cursive with weird curlicues and indecipherable symbols which flowed past a black bar on the left. An actor stood at a wooden bar, gesticulating wildly, spewing out words in a kooky voice in perfect time to the running script and to the action on screen. It was challenging. It was technical. It was creative. And I was hooked, I wanted in. 

Dubbing. A form of voice acting not for the faint of heart, dubbing, or versioning, is a whole different world of voice over.  So what is it?  A simple definition of dubbing is the process of adding new dialogue or other sounds to the soundtrack of a motion picture or animation that has already been shot. It requires an actor to “follow the flap” (watch the mouth movements of the animated or live-action character) and provide the dialogue such that it matches the rhythm and cadence and mouth movements of the character speaking – no small feat for dubbing in the original language and even more difficult when dealing with translated dialogue!

A Very Brief History of Dubbing and Its Uses

A brief jaunt down history lane tells us that dubbing is generally considered to have been created in the 1930s in New York when an enterprising Georgian-born filmmaker named Rouben Mamoulian wanted to add audio effects to his film Applause, one of the early “sound films”. Mamoulian experimented with editing all the sound on two interlocked 35mm tracks and thus beginning the standard film tracklaying/dubbing practice. Later, to achieve ‘unreal’ sounds in his 1931 film Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, he experimented with a number of photographic techniques creating ‘sound’ directly onto the optical negative.

This synchronization was extremely limited by the number of tracks that could be used and it is remarkable the achievement of those early sound films in dubbing additional audio.  Essentially what today can be accomplished with a powerful laptop, a Source Connect session, and an adept sound engineer wasn’t as easy in the 30s.

 

Voice Dubbing For Live-Action Film (and now streaming) 

Less expensive and troublesome than synchronized filming (voice and picture recorded together), voice dubbing for live-action film today is employed in the original-language version of a soundtrack for many reasons. Defects that arise from synchronized filming can be remedied, dialogue that is unclear, muffled, overwhelmed by ambient sounds or lack of concealable microphones can be dubbed to overlay high-quality audio, regardless of the conditions while shooting.  

It is also used to replace a voice with another – as in the case with foreign language films being dubbed into other languages, or when poor singers are dubbed with a more pleasing voice.  New York Dub, a production house that specializes in dubbing has a pretty good montage of samples of live-action dubbing. 

The key takeaway for the voice actor when dubbing live-action film is that it relies heavily on the ACTING part of voice acting.  Time is of the essence – not only for sync but also for production costs. So the actor needs to be able to dial into the character, understand the choices the original actor made and match the emotion, intensity, and intent while paying attention to the art of obeying the technical rules of being in sync while also conveying the dialogue in a convincing manner consistent with what is on screen. And they need to do it on the first (or second) take. Again, not for the faint of heart.

A game changing tool which is now used in pretty much all the ADR studios in LA is VoiceQ. A subscription based DAW-less dubbing tool, (that syncs with ProTools and is bound to iLok) it makes the process easier for all involved. As actor/producer/studio owner Marc Graue says, “many times the client sends us a QT movie with mirrored Time Code on our version and theirs which allows them (or us) to control beeps, transport etc.” In Marc’s studio, they’ve also used Zoom to connect (talent, director, sound engineer, etc) remotely. “It can be a little difficult to synch,” he says. “So we’ll do a loop….move it around, compress or expand to make it match lips flap then move on to the next… it’s a little cumbersome but works great!”

 

Versioning – Voice Dubbing for Foreign Language Replacement or Regionalisms, Accents, and Dialects

Versioning is another term for dubbing that is used more in reference to projects where the live-action or animation project was originally written in a different language and the voice actor is brought in to provide foreign language dialogue replacement.  Sometimes, it can refer to projects that are not translated, but rather require a character to have a regionalism, accent, or dialogue and find that it needs to be adjusted or replaced post-filming.  Here too, the voice actor has to focus on acting and syncing and now they have the added joy of doing it in a language that likely doesn’t follow the original flap.  Not easy.

 

Voice Dubbing in Animation – A Character Actor’s Dream

Another popular use of voice dubbing is for animation projects. A character actor’s dream, voice talent are often hired to provide more than one character in an animation dubbing project.  There is still an emphasis on acting, and here consistency is going to be key, especially if the character needs a character voice or vocal “mannerism” that the actor needs to keep consistent while dubbing. Anime, such as Pokemon, is a popular style of animation that is dubbed into English and voicing not only the dialogue but all of the vocal efforts (grunts, gasps, sighs) is done as well.  Following the flap in animation can sometimes be harder if not all normal mouth moves are accounted for in the animation, or if the translation means that extra sounds in the language need to be added or removed to make the dialogue fit the mouth movements (this is true in live action, but can be easier to match).

Can I Do This From My Home Studio?  What Are The Rates for Dubbing?

Dubbing rates, as with other styles of voice over can vary by project, studio, and even country of your client.  Dubbing work is almost always paid in studio hours, however. Using the GVAA Rate Guide for a general guideline, a typical non-union session can be anywhere from $75-$200/hour with a 2-hour minimum and the Union Rate is $64.25/hour.

Though some studios like Zoo Digital are starting to work with some voice talent remotely and Source Connect allows for remote voice to picture work, the majority of dubbing work is still done in studios.  In the new Covid-19 world, it will be interesting to see what happens in this VO space.

 

How to Be Successful As A Dubbing Actor

In order to really succeed as a voice actor in dubbing, as the saying goes, practice, practice, practice.  Above all, your acting has to be top-notch, and being able to find and embody a character quickly with some depth and complexity where required is going to set you apart in this field.  VoiceQ has a voice actor subscription plan and comes with a demo project you can try out. (But it’s just one project) You could also see if you could apprentice or work part time in an ADR studio to observe any chance you might get. A better option is to sign up for one of the many classes you can take that will help you develop your eye/mouth coordination and allow you to spend some time getting used to looking at a screen and a script all while speaking accurately, acting and fitting words often into a mouth not speaking the same language.  It’s not something you can do cold.  But it is a skill you can develop, and if you’re like me, you’ll be hooked and want to get in on it.

 

How to Nail the Best Voice Overs for Advertising Case Studies

Narration Voice Over, Uncategorized, Voiceover Styles

Best Voice Overs for Advertising Case StudiesHow do advertising agencies sell their services? They create case studies. Meant to gain clients before selling to their clients, (or afterward for followup campaigns) advertising case studies demonstrate how an ad agency or a media company helped meet their marketing objectives, how they overcame problems, and achieved successful results. Case studies are some of my favorite voiceovers to do. Often they are presentations that say “hey, we did this really cool thing that we’re really proud of, and here’s our awesome result.” Regularly, marketing teams  put together case study videos for industry awards or to be shown on websites or at presentations or press conferences. They rely on the psychology of “cool” – showing audiences their work in clever and unique ways without directly pitching for work. Case studies let audiences see campaigns and their results and decide whether they want that for themselves.

The Impact of Voice Over On Persuasive Storytelling

So how does voice over impact an ad case study?  A case study is essentially a story of a project or campaign’s life. And good stories need good storytellers. All good stories include a beginning (the conflict or problem the campaign or project was solving), a middle (the explanation of what happened), and an ending (the resolution explaining how the company solved or improved on something). Great case study stories often include research and stats to back up points made about a project’s results.   

A compelling case study is a powerful strategy for showcasing an agency’s capabilities and attracting future customers. A case study presented by a voice over actor who understands advertising and the nuances of persuasive storytelling builds trust and showcases an agency’s credibility and effectiveness without being heavy-handed or overtly sales-y.  They need a pro who is well-versed and flexible in the styles needed to win over the audience.

Crush Your Case Studies With These 7 Voice Over Styles

Because the overall goal of the “humblebrag” or case study is to engage the audience on a human level, the styles of voice over lean away from the announcer-y, high-energy promo styles you might hear in a retail pitch, the professorial styles of e-learning or the professional corporate tones. These voice over styles must connect and inspire. You can crush your case studies with these seven.  

“Conversational”

When a case study needs to converse with the audience, the voice over needs a casual delivery.  Perfecting the illusion of not trying to sell, but tell, lends a “just between you and me” vibe to the case study. No hype, a very subtle polish, a conversational voice over style still accomplishes the selling, by simply sharing with clients about a campaign’s effectiveness which (hopefully) keeps them coming back to the agency for more or may lead to referrals for future prospects.

“Real person”

Like an extreme close up vs a long shot, or a voice-inside-your-head virtual reality character vs an actor playing to a 10K audience-holding theatre, this style of voice over is very real and authentic. Perhaps your voice over actor makes it sound a bit raw or unpolished, but they still come across very much as the subject matter expert in this type of case study presentation. The feeling? The audience gets a glimpse inside the minds of the creators.

“Matter of Fact”

Some have called this style the “millennial” read, although I call it “matter-of-fact” because it gets right to the point without any fluff. This delivery veers toward a blunt, “this is the way it is” attitude and often a slight bravado or sometimes even a low-level sass infusing the voice over (though it doesn’t always). It’s very much a “let the story speak for itself” kind of presentation. Done well, by getting out the way, it hits all the notes the case study needs for demonstrating how impressive and successful the project or campaign was. 

“Confident”

Confidence sells and is a popular style of voice over for case studies for food and beverage campaigns, retail or other everyday products. This “we are killing it out there” excitement and surety draws people in. It asserts power and authority and demonstrates leadership.

“Believable”

Often big financial firms create campaigns without self-aggrandizing fanfare. Their enthusiasm is grounded, with no fancy lights or glitter.  They rely on believable deliveries underscored with competence and reliability.  The same style is reflected in case studies of their campaigns – delivering facts without hype, just the truth as it happened expressed with an understated authority that inspires trust.  

“Caring”

When the project or campaign is focused on work done in healthcare, education, or charities and NGOs, the tone needs to match.  This is where empathetic, calm, heartfelt voice overs with quiet deliveries can underscore the pathos and heartstrings reflected in the work.  

“Inspiring”

A sidestep from the caring read, without tugging on warm heartstrings, projects and campaigns centering around products or movements perceived as benefiting the greater good can be inspiring.  Technology, AI, bioengineering are often areas where an inspirational style underscores the ingenuity of the field.  Innovations that benefit the environment or stories of sacrifice often also employ inspiring voice over.

 

How to Approach Voice Over for Family Friendly Commercials

Voiceover Styles

Summer time and the living is full of family friendly get-togethers and outings and commercials offering advice on what to do to keep everyone happy and how to save money doing it. To be able to serve Mom, Dad, the kids, Grandma and the clients as well, we as the voice over actors have a few things to keep in mind regarding how to approach these enticing little packets of advertising invitation and fun for all in 30 seconds or less.

Family Friendly Activity Ads

Whether roller coasters or science centers, museums or events, family friendly activity ads seek to entice the gang to come together for some sort of way to spend time and make great memories together. From a voice over perspective the approach can go a couple of ways. Joyous, raucous, good time fun or slightly wry amusement at the antics the gang will get into. It’s a lot easier to stay in the moment with these kinds of spots if you can see the visuals at the same time. For most of us recording remote, that’s not possible and of course, that never happens in radio, so here’s where you get to pull in your imagination and see in your mind’s eye the gang running toward the entrance, pointing upward in awe or getting more ice cream on their faces than in their bellies. Building imaginary visuals makes it real, keeps you in the moment and makes your voice over performance spectacular. Here’s a lively ad I did for the Birmingham Zoo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_tRrm9B1DQ

Fun in Your own Backyard Commercials

Fun in your own back yard commercials are centered on smaller budget enjoying time together every day time. So, picnics and pools, pup tents and barbeque, playgrounds and slip and slides, even gardening and lawnmowers. These spots roam from the Dad’s Day and Mother’s Day territory through Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. While occasionally high-energy (think slip and slide) commercials in this family friendly realm are often a little more pulled back. Relaxed fun, warm n’ cozy. Obviously the script will reveal which direction to sink into and you’ll bring your own choices to the table. This is a chance to really pull out your storytelling voice over skills.

Voice Over for Family Friendly Destination Vacation Ads

I don’t know about you, but many of the best memories of my life are centered on trips taken and shared with family. We particularly love visiting National & State parks and spots for these wilderness & adventure areas fall in this category. So do some tourist board and airline ads. But mostly this is the domain of the week or two at Disney or the all-inclusive fun-cations at Club Med and other companies or on cruises. Draw on your own experiences (or perhaps the ones you wish you had or want to have) to voice this kind of ad. Sharing relax time, adventure and the delight of discovery with my kids, husband, cousins, siblings and/or parents have been just the best. That’s what to keep in mind when doing voice over for family friendly destination vacation ads. (like this one I did for Club Med)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSkYlQq8xfM

Voice Over for Family Friendly Retail Commercials

The voice over for successful family friendly retail ads is welcoming, approachable, smart and understanding. You know that $30 in savings this week on bathroom tissue and sundries or that 25% off on back-to-school items will make a big difference to the (one) person you’re talking to. Maybe the difference between having extra money to take the kids out for pizza or maybe the difference between having to put in extra shifts to make ends meet that week or being able to stay home with their kids. I always find the way to make these commercials pop is building back story for the person I’m talking to. A back story I personally care about (or can relate to) and then, sharing the excitement of getting to be the one to help make a difference in their day to day lives. Retail ads encompass everything from groceries and pharmacies to hardware and clothing. Our everyday essentials and little extravagances. Even healthcare – check out my Texas Children’s Hospital Plan ad here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6HhSwtfyCQ

Voiceovers where the Ad is aimed at Kids

Three kinds of style choices when voicing ads aimed directly at kids are very effective. There’s what I call the camp counsellor or scout leader style. Where you’re rallying the kids together on a fun adventure. You’re a little older than them and you’re in a relaxed position of authority but you talk directly to them and get them pumped for next activity or game you’ve got planned. The second is where you are either one of the kids yourself or you’re playing with the kids. Think toy ads, cereal, snacks and merch based on cartoons and movies. Remember when you were over the top excited and having the time of your life all because of a toy, and Saturday mornings and after school times were the best ever because of that cereal or snack? That’s the direction. The third choice is the character approach. Much the same as animations, these voiceovers where the ad is aimed at kids are driven by character choices as wide as the world. Fairies and princes and zombies and unicorns and dragons and fish. Anything under the sun and stars. This ad I did for the Virginia Air & Space Center combines the energy and rallying call of a family friendly activity ad with the cartoon fun of talking directly to the kids through their “shopping list” of activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibWJajkWEp8

As well as voicing tons of family friendly commercials myself, I offer voice over performance coaching on commercials, narrations and eLearning. If you ever need either, contact me.

Best Voice Over: Spotlight on Health Care Ads

Voiceover Styles

Health care ads are a mainstay in advertising and the best voice over chosen to present medical messages is a critical part of creative choice. Healthcare commercials achieve their goals through a few specific avenues in terms of vocal tone and direction: sentimental – those that tug at heart strings, inspirational – through sharing success stories or great track records, and solution – matter of fact – as in, you’ve got a problem? We’ve got the solution. Which one do you think is at the heart of this health care ad I voiced for the Texas Children’s Health Plan?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6HhSwtfyCQ

The hallmark of healthcare ads no matter the end-goal is motivating people to take action toward taking good care of themselves. Easier said than done. Consumers aren’t generally interested in healthcare messages and place their own health at the lower end of their list of priorities unless they or a loved one is embroiled in the middle of a health problem. Challenging people to make connections between behavior change and well-being is not easy. Done well, it’s presented through stories that resonate with target markets. But many healthcare ads have the added constriction of tight FDA controls over what can and cannot be said about procedures, methods and the places and people we turn to for ideas of where to go to and what to do when we want to improve or take care of our health.

Behind the Message in Voicing Health Care Ads

Voice actors can get clues on how to better deliver the messages behind health care ads by gaining insight into how consumers react to certain word choices that may be in the healthcare script. Becker’s Hospital Review had some interesting insights into power words to lean in to in terms of performance. Words like “knowledgeable” “trust-worthy” and “cost-effective” gained top marks in terms of inspiring customer loyalty. “Sincere,” “authentic,” and “safe” are other words that resonated well with the consumers surveyed in this report. For voice actors, keeping these ideal messaging words uppermost in our minds when we approach how to perform our voice over narrations for these ads, whether they appear in the copy or not, enhances our delivery.

Personal Approach in Voicing Health Care Ads

To break past the vast divide of anonymity and reams of red tape people may feel when thinking about hospitals and health insurance, the actor voicing health care ads needs to remember to take a personal approach. Health care is ultimately very personal. Our interactions whether on the giving or receiving end are one person to one person at a time. Remembering that and bringing our voice over delivery to the one-on-one level helps humanize the message. Health care ad agencies know the best way to reach their audience is through creating an emotional connection. One that garners trust. In order to vocalize that, we voice actors have to be as authentic and genuine as possible in delivering the copy. Our ability to be sincere on behalf of our clients (i.e. the hospitals, health insurance companies for which we speak) can mean the difference between their client making a decision in their favor or not.

Voice Over on Behalf of Doctors and Clinics

Smiling Doctor holding Healthcare Ads sign
Source: Koeppel Direct

Though smaller than hospitals and insurance companies, commercial voice over on behalf of doctors and health care clinics are another important part of the mix of health care commercials. Showcasing physicians may be a choice made by some hospitals, like how Mount Sinai made their docs (and themselves as a result) seem more interesting and accomplished in promoting their musical side. Whether the marketing venture has a bigger or smaller lens, the successful voice over for doctor and clinic ads will be one that’s compelling and relatable. We need to spark emotion and curiosity and not forget the most important tool in our voice actor’s toolkit: the ability to storytell.

DTC Pharmaceutical Ad Voice Overs

Now, I can hear you saying, Kim, this is all well and good for branding messages but how can a voice actor riff away at a DTC (direct-to-consumer) pharmaceutical ad in a conversational, storytelling voice over manner? Especially when most of them are chock full of medical and legal terminology longer than Apollo’s journey to the moon and back. In a word, finesse. You work those $50 words until they roll off your tongue as easily as your grocery list and you imagine you’re sharing that info with your best friend – who’s life could just happen to become a whole lot better by taking said medication. I once had a client ask me to read a product monograph in a conversational way. A product monograph! That’s the little insert full of clinical trials and p values inside the medication box. Yup, it took a lot of imagining and world building, but I’m happy to say, it can be done. Happily, in spite of all the legalise and FDA restrictions put upon pharma ads, they do help people solve problems. They invite consumers to start conversations with doctors. So the artful voice over artist must self-direct to spin the words in, you guessed it, a compelling, authentic and genuine manner by focusing on the people, the pain of the problem and the hope and joy of the solution.

The Huge Role of Emotion in Health Care Ads

Whether voice over or action on screen, the myriad of emotions played in a health care ad are what ultimately make them successful, because our health is inextricably linked with our emotional state. Unwell, we are unable to interact socially with friends, family and loved ones at the same level. The stress of ill health unleashes a storm of emotional burden, whether we or a member of our close circle are the ones affected. Docs, HCPs and other health care providers also bring in incredible emotion in their passion for healing and finding cures and compassion for patients and caregivers. How do we as actors and voice artists pay tribute to the huge role emotion plays in health care ads in an honest, engaging way? We do it by breaking the fourth wall. By interacting directly (in our artist mind’s eye) with the person who could most benefit from the message we deliver.

Where Health Care Ads are Going in the Future

Health care and related industries are highly competitive and to succeed must stay on top of marketing trends. This not only includes pre-roll ads, banners and social media spots, it includes updating websites with patient portals and other tools to make it easier for patients to connect with docs and their services online. Mobile marketing, digital marketing and social media advertising has seen massive growth and will continue to grow. However offline advertising such as TV, radio, cable and print will continue to hold its own for years to come.

Being Award Announcer at the WTA Grand Slam of Voice Over

My Voiceovers, Voiceover Styles

WTA Awards Kim Handysides is Gala AnnouncerOne of the things I love about being a voice over announcer are the places and jobs it takes me vicariously or in person. This October, one of the biggest events in the female tennis world was held in Singapore. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals Gala Evening. And though I wasn’t there myself, I was there in voice… performing the award announcements and spinning the stories behind each player. This high profile gig was uber fun. I worked with the WTA team both in the US and UK. 

As it was an event highlighting the best of women in the world, personally I thought it was a great choice to hire a woman to voice the awards.  Announcing awards requires a different focus and mindset to most other voice over jobs. It’s a celebration, and we’re all here to have a good time!

Elite Voice Over

elite female standing out from crowdIf you’re familiar at all with tennis, you know the WTA Finals Gala Evening is the big one. It’s a night filled with the creme de la creme of the women’s tennis world, and people travel from all over the planet to be there. I was proud to be a part of it professionally.

Held in Singapore in October of this year, the international event saw many big names and players in attendance. The one thing all of these players had in common is their stories of overcoming obstacles, of strength of spirit and mind, of determination and focus – this is where I, as their Award announcer came into play. As each award nominee was announced before the winning player made her way to the stage, their stories, achievements, and accolades were told. Whether they won an award that evening or not, this night was special. It may have been the highlight of their careers and lives, being lauded among peers, or one in a string of more to come.  

Without heavy namedropping, the WTA gave me the opportunity to announce some extremely high profile names in the industry. And the best part of the whole affair was that the team was so happy with my performance this time around, they’ve pre-booked me for next year’s awards. Needless to say, I’m tickled pink.

Girls Rule… And So Do Our Voices

ladies at Award show announcerHappily, female voice overs in award announcements are growing.  Once, totally a male dominated slice of the industry, advantages of the female voice at events include (still) standing out and grabbing attention. Elements of a great voice for award announcer include warmth, depth and clarity. The delivery must come across as in-tone with the overall evening, and add grace and dignity to the event.

The step away from male voice in Award announcer, may be a step away from the traditional. But it is a step toward more visibility and more representation. This year Danica Patrick became the first female ever to host the ESPN ESPY Awards. While there have been a handful of female Oscar co-hosts (including Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn) there have only been two female Oscar hosts: Whoopi Goldberg (4 times) and Elen deGeneres (2 times). Happily, my colleague and friend Randy Thomas has donned heels and strappy black dress numerous times to be the live announcer of the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Tonys, showing a deep, pleasant, stand-out female voice over has the capability to cut through the clutter and calm any possible chaos during an awards show. 

This aspect of the voice over industry differs from others. Unlike much of the voice-over work I do, at award shows, the audience is not just one person. The Award Announcer is talking to a crowd of people. This approach requires a different focus and mindset.

As well as sounding more formal than regular speech, one needs to think bigger in order to sound bigger. At the same time, strike that balance between warmth and professionalism. My voice is there to be clear and articulate, but also captivate and hold people’s attention. To calm and relax nerves, but also amp up the excitement appropriately. 

A Celebration of Stories

The key to announcing awards is that while it is a formal event, it’s also an exciting event. It’s a celebration. Announcing the awards for the WTA was very much stylized voice over storytelling. Capturing the attention of everyone in the room and bringing them along for the ride to celebrate the most elite female tennis players in the world.

Many of the players become known in the media for loud or strange grunting noises or what they’re wearing on the court. But during an awards event, the voice-over helps to showcase their achievements, struggles and who they are as a person. As a professional female voice over artist, Award announcing holds a special place among the work I do. It’s an honor to be hired to venerate people, corporations and organizations who’ve gone above and beyond.

Awards Announcing is a Workout

Performing as an award announcer requires a lot of energy. These formal, exciting events are quite the workout. It requires vocal care: good hydration, great storytelling technique and excellent diaphragm control to bring authority and charisma without blowing out your vocal chords. 

While the WTA may be one of the highest profile organizations I’ve announced awards for, it’s not the only one. I’ve been the pre-recorded awards voice for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, industry alliances and associations, and everything in between. In every instance, whether it’s red carpet, black ties, sparkles and champagne, or town halls lauding the heroes of the community. I am cognizant of the part I play in bringing it together. Vocally, I represent the brand, the event, and the people behind it – and that’s what I love about working with awards.

If you’re looking for a professional female voice-over artist for your own awards event, please get in touch. I’d love to discuss working together!