We’ve all been touched by the devastating news that continues to come from Haiti. Many lives were lost in the initial earthquake, but many more stand to be lost if the world doesn’t come to Haiti’s aid.
In an effort to speed the process of soliciting donations for this tragedy, a large group of ProComm’s voice talent roster has agreed to lend their voices free of charge for clients who are producing PSAs tied directly to Haitian relief. In addition, ProComm will also donate studio time. If you are a broadcast producer or agency currently working on such a project, or know of anyone who is, please contact ProComm at 866-438-6423 for voice overs.
If you’re interested in donating directly to the cause, several of our clients have relief projects already under way. Just follow the links below.
Providing voice overs for eLearning presentations is nothing new for us here at ProComm. Recently though, we had the chance to work with a client on a series of eLearning projects that not only presented a number of unique challenges, they also gave us the opportunity to provide a service that has great social value as well. Read more about eLearning voice overs >>
The ability to use proper microphone technique to bring out the best in your voice is indicative of a true voice over professional. Learning and utilizing proper microphone technique is incredibly helpful when it comes to editing, mixing and producing great voice overs. For a voice talent, knowing how to: avoid plosives, adjust for dynamics, and “work” the microphone so that it will enhance the emotion of the delivery are essential skills. Expertly applying these skills helps a recorded voice track fit into a mix almost effortlessly. Read more about proper microphone technique >>>
Every now and then a commercial comes along that hits the air and captures everyone’s attention. Right now, it seems like everyone wants to know who provides the southern voice behind that charming-but-a-little-ditzy pothole in the latest GEICO commercial. It turns out it’s Dayci Brookshire, a SAG/AFTRA actress who hails from North Carolina but currently resides in New York.
….love that voice – nicely done. Now, the only question is whether she’ll get an extended 15 minutes of fame like the GEICO Cavemen?
A client came to ProComm the other day with a project that’s becoming more and more commonplace. Fred Baier of Delta T Engineering had created a video in Camtasia to demonstrate his software, which provides temperature monitoring for electrical systems in commercial buildings. The video was a basic screen capture walk-through of the software, which Fred narrated himself to demonstrate the features of the product.
The audio was very low resolution and Fred was interested in having a professional voice over replace his narration to take the piece to the next level and give it a bit more polish. However, the voice still needed to sound conversational and the listener still needed to feel like he was being shown the software by someone with intimate knowledge of how the product worked – in other words, it needed to be Fred… just not Fred. read more about replacing voice overs in a web video ->
As a voiceover artist, it is critical that you choose the right microphone for your voice, your room and your budget. When it comes to determining which microphone is right for you, there is only one good way to go about making this very important decision.
Before buying anything, YOU MUST LISTEN AND COMPARE FOR YOURSELF.
Typically, when voice talent begin their career or begin to invest in a home studio they choose a microphone based on one or more of the following: advice from friends or associates, familiarity with something they’ve used previously (perhaps an Electro-Voice RE20 from a radio station), what the sales person at the music store sells to them, or what they can afford. Although all of these factors should be taken into consideration, they serve as merely a starting point. read more about choosing a voiceover mic...
As an editor of voice overs and a voice over talent, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to voices, and not just the ones in my head. Each and every one has their own unique tonal quality, interpretation style, phrasing patterns, and emotional palettes. But the one thing they all have in common is that they all have to come up for air once in awhile. Shocking, I know – voice talent actually breathe! (more…)
Using testimonials in advertising has long been a tried and true device for creating a relatable and personal message. Hearing a story from the perspective of someone who’s ‘been there’ can be very effective, whether it’s relaying a positive customer service experience, touting how wonderful a product is, or telling a personal story about a company’s merits. If you can bring that true emotion to life you can effectively connect with your audience. However, if you miss the mark, the results can be most uninspiring. In fact, there’s nothing worse than a phony sounding testimonial commercial. (more…)
the following is an article reprinted with permission by Terry Hartzell/JPL Productions www.jplcreative.com
Who wants a movie line?
There’s a line in the movie Jurassic Park that only audio dweebs like me think is funny, or probably even notice. It happens before the wheels fall off the prehistoric cart and the dinosaurs run around eating lawyers. The main characters are about to embark on an automated car tour of the park. Prior to this scene, park creator John Hammond has impressed his guests with top-of-the-line amenities proclaiming, “We spared no expense.” Now, as they climb into the vehicles for the tour, we hear a pre-recorded narrative of the sights they’ll see. Hammond comments, “That’s Richard Kiley. We spared no expense”. (more…)
