When we speak of a highly motivating experience or event, it is usually with a great deal of mental energy, enthusiasm, and certainly focus. We are totally absorbed in the subject and in relating the experience to someone else. The subject could be a trip to Europe, a new car, a strong opinion, a reminiscence—the list is endless. We are seeking a reaction from the listener that mirrors our own feelings about the subject or event we are describing. As we share the event, we are making an effort to persuade the listener to side with us.
When we interpret a script, the process is similar. For the voice over artist, the script is a road map for live, one-on-one communication. It is simply the supply source of message material—a message to be delivered, to be communicated to someone else, and it must be done with a purposeful, conversational focus as if you were looking the listener straight in the eye as you speak. The more intense the subject, the more intense the look.
The process of conveying an impression of spontaneity with a message written by someone other than the speaker is a contrivance. Therefore, the art of voice over interpretation might well be called contrived spontaneity. Since you are working with a message that is essentially someone else’s, you must find a way to make it your message. If there is one ideal goal for the voice over artist, it is to bring together the contrived self and the spontaneous self. With the best voice over artists, these selves are indistinguishable.
