Most voiceover professionals read straight out of a copy during recording. This means that a voiceover artist has to be three things all at the same time — a voice actor, a reader, and a speaker. This fine balancing act requires skill, but the good news is that this skill is something any serious voice acting newbie can learn. The following tips on reading voiceover copy can help you multitask to the best of your abilities so you can, read, act, and speak effortlessly, all at the same time!
- Develop keen visual abilities.
Given that you will also be reading while recording, your eyes have to be a priority. It is important that your script be readable and without distractions. If you need to wear spectacles, cleaning them ahead will get rid of dirt and other marks that can distract you once you have started recording. Also, you have to practice on your eye-to-mouth coordination skills. While some people are naturally born with this dexterity, there’s nothing that regular practice cannot improve. Through constant rehearsing, you can easily get used to reading from a script and voice acting at the same time.
- Establish your role, audience, and purpose early on.
The delivery of your script will depend on three things: your role, your audience, and your purpose. By knowing about these ahead of time, voice acting using your copy will be easier compared to tackling things without preparations. Early preparation typically affects interpretation. Once you know ‘who you are’ in the copy, who you’re supposed to be talking to, and why you’re doing it, you can bet your voiceover results will be right on track.
- Connected speech and correct pronunciation.
An excellently-written copy is next to nothing if you fail to pronounce crucial words correctly or emphasize isolated words instead of adopting a natural flow of connected speech. To get the most out of your script, you have to be able to pronounce correctly, adopt the right inflection for certain lines, and deliver impeccably every single time. When inspecting your copy for the first time, try to highlight certain words and lines. This will signal that you need to vary your voice tone or adopt a certain voice acting technique for certain parts of the copy.
To ensure an effective and compelling voiceover result, you need excellent visual abilities, reading and speaking dexterity, and voice acting expertise. Beyond just voice acting, you also have to handle expertly all the materials you need while recording. This includes your copy or your script and other requisite tools especially if you work out of a home studio.
By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll soon be on your way to voice acting and reading voiceover copy like a pro!