Understanding key read vs. talk considerations with voiceover work helps voice talent transition from mechanical reading to authentic, engaging communication. When we speak of a highly motivating experience or event, it is usually with a great deal of mental energy, enthusiasm, and 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, or a reminiscence, and the list is endless. We seek a reaction from the listener that mirrors our own feelings about the subject or event we are describing. As we share the event, we make an effort to persuade the listener to side with us.
When interpreting a script, the process is similar. For the voice actor, voiceover script delivery serves as a roadmap for live, one-on-one communication. The copy is simply the supply source of message material, a message to be delivered and communicated to someone else. It must be executed with a purposeful, conversational voiceover technique as if you were looking the listener straight in the eye as you speak. The more intense the subject, the more intense that focus must be.
The process of conveying an impression of spontaneity with a message written by someone else is a contrivance. Therefore, effective voice acting interpretation relies on mastering contrived spontaneity. Since you are working with a message that is essentially someone else’s, you must find a way to make it your own. If there is one ideal goal for a performer, it is to bring together the contrived self and the spontaneous self until they become indistinguishable to the audience.
