Ask The Voice Cat

Do Watermarks Hinder Auditions?

Q: Hello Marc,

I listened with interest to your podcast on Voices.com regarding auditioning in a home recording studio. Good information since I began doing voice overs 5 years ago after retiring from stage touring. Although Spokane is a small town, there are a number of good studios that do national work. Of the auditions I do in the studio, I get a very high percentage, yet my voices.com auditions are not yielding what I would call a similar percentage! It has been suggested to me that watermarks are "putting off" potential clients. What is your opinion on using watermarks? If watermarks are not used, should I still read the entire 60 or 30 second script?

Many thanks in advance.

—Andrea Bates, Spokane, WA

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Posted by Marc at 4:03 PM

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How Do I Interpret Scripts When There's No Direction Whatsoever?

Recently, a Voices.com subscriber wrote in asking about direction.

Q: I’m a working voice actor who auditions a lot of different scripts, and I’m not always sure how to deliver the script when direction is provided. Sometimes they’re really explicit in what they want and other times they make no sense at all. I get a lot of copy where they ask for “conversational,” but the copy is all announce-type stuff. It’s very confusing. Also, how do I interpret the script when there’s no direction whatsoever? Any tips?

—Valerie P., Hollywood, CA

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Posted by Marc at 12:53 PM

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Should Voice Actors Edit Punctuation in Scripts if it Doesn't Make Sense?

A pertinent question from a Voices.com subscriber comes in asking about grammar and punctuation.

Q: I’m a working voice actor who’s read hundreds of scripts, and I’ve noticed that copywriters are very inconsistent and confusing with punctuation. Some scripts have words that are all capitalized. Others have directions inserted in the copy. Some scripts seem to have virtually no punctuation, and others have punctuation marks that make no sense. Then, of course, there is the constant, embarrassing misspellings of words or incorrect grammar. Should I change the grammar in these scripts when I audition, or will that piss off the writer? Should I change the punctuation if it doesn’t make any sense?

—Bobby V., Venice, CA

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Posted by Marc at 9:14 AM

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Help! Advice on Pronunciation for Voice Actors

Hope your holidays were happy and healthy. Here’s a recent question from an aspiring voice actor, asking about articulation.

I call this Pro-nunciation.

Q: I’ve been taking voice acting classes for a number of years and am finally starting to get booked for V-O work. Occasionally, though, clients ask me to articulate certain words they say I’m not speaking clearly. They seem to contradict the direction they give me. For instance, when they ask me to be conversational, and I say the word “to,” it comes out sounding like “ta.” When I say the word “for,” it comes out sounding like “fur.” I don’t want to over-articulate, because then I sound “read,” and therefore not conversational. What do I do in these instances? How can I walk that fine line between over-enunciating and under-enunciating? Help!!!

—Janice W., Hollywood, CA

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Posted by Stephanie at 2:48 PM

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Do I have what it takes to do Voiceovers?

Hi Marc,

I'm liking your input into the voice acting industry, along with the many invaluable 'tricks of the trade' in many other articles with Voices.com. I have been a member of Voices.com for the past year or so, performed a number of auditions from my home-based studio - but to no avail.

Giving your expertise, I was wondering if you could have a listen/look at my webpage and tell me what you think. i.e. do you think I have the potential to pursue a part-time career in voice acting?

As you will see, I am particularly interested in animation.

Thanks very much Marc - Happy holidays!

Blair Wilson

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Posted by Marc at 9:05 PM

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Ungrateful People in the Entertainment Biz?

Hi Voice Cat,

Someone solicited me to audition last night, per email. Here's the email:

I am casting for a new, healthy, natural energy drink called (product name withheld). You come highly recommended and I fully understand why, after hearing your amazing demos! It is a 60-second national spot, but it is non-union and a complete buyout. It pays $750 for 3 versions. We need a friendly, yet strong & CREDIBLE voice. If you’re interested, please email back ASAP and we'll gladly send you the script, but we will need you to send your read to us ASAP.

So I reply, ask for sides, get them, cut the audition and send it off. But I asked for an acknowledgment of receipt. No reply. I ask again later on in the day. No reply. What's with that? Is it the etiquette these days to ignore you after they get what they want? Am I being scammed somehow?"

–Scott P., Hollywood, CA

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Posted by Marc at 7:39 PM

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