Directed voiceover sessions can help make ads really stand out, because you get to communicate to the voice exactly the kind of delivery you have in mind. And once they’ve grasped your vision, they’ll be able to make it their own – and you’ll hear it in their delivery.

 

Often, in this changing face of media and technology, voiceover talent are sourced off-site and are often left to their own devices to self-direct. 90 percent of the time that’s fine – because when you use great voices, they ‘get’ what you want and can get inside the script. But for the other 10 percent, rather than just settle for ‘it’s close enough’, why not direct the voice in their session?

 

Last week, we supplied the voiceover for an ad produced especially for ABC TV’s Gruen Sweat. Once our client had brainstormed the creative and written the copy, they selected Lenny as the voice.

 

A phone directed session was booked in with the client in Hobart, and the Lenny, an Adelaide-based radio announcer. After explaining the concept to Lenny, and directing him as to the kind of style and feel they were after, he was able to take ‘ownership’ of the ad – and as you’ll hear, the finished product was an absolute cracker (and unanimously voted as the winner!)

 

I don’t think that the end result would have been anything near what was delivered for the final mix, had it not been for the directed session.

And it’s not just the bigger cap-city stations with ISDN links that should do this either – even a simple phone or Skype hookup can work wonders with the voice.

 

So when you’ve written a cracker ad and you have it all mapped out in your head, or you’re casting a voice for production and think it could benefit from a bit of voice direction to nail the concept, then do it!