Ever wondered what the best way to find a voice talent is? Watch our 1 minute video featuring Ad Man and Voice Girl.

Ever wondered what the co-founders of Voices.com do in their spare time?

They work!

Watch the video on Casting Voices or click through to YouTube to watch and rate the movie there.

So, what do you think?

If you like what you see, let us know and we'll make more of these videos.

Stephanie

P.S. If you're working on a team to get your project done, you can share the video with your team mates to better explain how to make Voices.com work for you.

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Is it your first time working with a voice talent? Are you confused by industry jargon and want to get to the heart of it all? If so, help is here in the form of a voice over glossary, quite possibly the most extensive and comprehensive voice over glossary on the planet, let alone the Internet.

We're pleased to present you with this amazing voiceover glossary created by Marc Cashman of Cashman Commercials!

This glossary of terms used in the field of voice-over, or voice acting, could be one of the most comprehensive compilations of terms available.

It has been distilled from many sources (see bibliography) and is fairly up-to-date.

A few words and phrases may be arcane, but Marc wanted the glossary be as inclusive as possible. If you find some definitions lacking in scope and/or specificity, or if you feel that some terms have been left out, we encourage you to email suggestions or suggested revisions. If they help clarify the definition they will be incorporated into this glossary.

And if you have any specific questions about any of these terms, you can Ask the Voice Cat.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN VOICEOVER

AFTRA: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. A union for Radio and TV actors and voice actors.

account: An advertiser, also referred to as a client.

account executive: The person at the ad agency who serves as a liaison between the agency and the client.

ADR: Automated Dialogue Replacement in a film. A process where actors replace dialogue in a film or video.

ad lib: A spontaneous spoken addition or alteration to a written script.

agent: A person or group of people who represent talent and bring them into their facility to audition, or arrange for an actor to audition for casting directors and producers.

air: Also known as airtime, it’s the media time slotted for a commercial, hence on the air.

air check: A recorded portion of a radio program for demonstration purposes.

ambience: The continuous SFX behind voice-over suggesting the monologue or dialogue in a specific setting, like a hospital, restaurant, retail store, gas station, etc.

analog: The old way of processing and recording sound on tape.

animatic: A rough version of a TV spot, usually with storyboard images set to music and voice-over, for client presentation of a concept.

announcement: A commercial or non-commercial message. Also referred to as a spot.

announcer: The role assigned to a voice-actor that usually has non-character copy. Abbreviated as ANN or ANNC on scripts.

articulation: Clear enunciation.

attitude: How the character feels about a certain product, or how an actor comes across in general.

audio: Transmission, reception or reproduction of sound.

audition: A non-paying, trial performance for voice talent where voice-over copy is read. Usually takes place at an agent’s office, an ad agency, a casting director’s office, or a production company’s studio, and usually the best actor is selected for the final job…usually.

availability: Literally, the time an actor is available for a session. Advertisers or producers will call an agent to find out about an actor’s availability.

back bed: The instrumental end of a jingle, usually reserved for location, phone numbers, legal disclaimers, or any other information the advertiser needs to add.

background: Known also as background noise, it’s what’s placed behind the voice-over. Mainly music or sound effects.

balls: A deep, resonant sound.

bed: The music or SFX behind or under an announcer’s voice.

billboard: The emphasis given a certain word or phrase in a script. Usually, a rectangle, or “billboard” is drawn around the client name and/or product.

bleed: Noise from the headphones being picked up by the microphone or from other ambient sources, like other tracks.

board: The audio console from which the engineer operates. The audio engineer has faders that adjust the volume and mix the various elements in a Radio spot. Also known as a console.

booking: A decision and commitment on the advertiser’s part to hire you for a session. The client calls the actor or actor’s agent to book an actor for a job. Your agent would say, “You have a booking at 1PM tomorrow.”

boom: An overhead mic stand.

booth: An enclosed, soundproofed room where voice talent usually works.

branching: Recording one part of a sentence with variables within that sentence as a means of customizing a response. Often recorded for multimedia games and voice mail systems. Also known as concatenation.

break up: When vocal audio becomes distorted and unstable, usually caused by equipment problems or telephone line interference.

bump: Either to remove a person from a casting list, or as an additional amount of studio time in a session. Also known as a bumper.

butt-cut: When sound files are placed together tightly, particularly for a V-O demo.

button: A single scripted or improvised word, phrase or sentence at the end of a spot that clinches the commercial without introducing additional copy points. See sting.

buy: As in “That’s a buy.” Also known as a keeper. It’s the take the client selects as the best. Buy also refers to the amount of money spent on the media time for a commercial spot or campaign.

buy-out: A one-time fee paid for voice-over services on a commercial. Common in many non-union situations and industrials, as well as CD ROMs, dubbing, looping and A.D.R. work.

cadence: How breaks are placed between words.

call-back: A second shot at an audition. One step closer to booking the spot.

call letters: The letters assigned to a Radio station by the FCC. Stations east of the Mississippi River have call letters starting with W, while stations that are west of the Mississippi have names starting with K.

call time: The time scheduled for an audition.

cans: Another word for headphones.

cattle call: An audition where hundreds of people try out for a part on a first-come-first-served basis.

CD-ROM: Compact Disc-Read Only Memory.

character: The person an actor is cast as in a spot.

Class A: National network commercial usage.

cold read: An audition where an actor is given no time to rehearse.

color: Subtle speech nuances that give texture and shading to words to make them interesting and meaningful.

commercial: Also referred to as a spot, it is a pre-recorded message which advertises a product or service. Sometimes abbreviated as COMML.

compression: Reduces the dynamic range of an actor’s voice. Engineers apply compression to cut through background music and sound effects.

conflict: Doing two commercials for the same kind of product. An agent will clarify with the client whether doing a specific spot would put an actor in conflict.

console: A large desk-like piece of equipment where the audio engineer monitors, records and mixes a voice-over session.

control room: Where the engineer and producer (and many times, the client) are located. This is usually a separate room from the booth.

copy: Also known as the script. It’s the text of a spot.

copy points: The specific benefits of a product or service, placed throughout the script by the copywriter.

Creative Director: The person at the ad agency responsible for the work of all the other creatives.

cross talk: When copy spoken into one actor’s microphone is picked up by another mic. The sound is said to spill over or bleed into the other actor’s mic.

cue: An electronic or physical signal given to an actor to begin performing.

cue up: Matching to time and speed, lining up an actor’s voice to the visuals or music.

cut: A specific segment of the voice-over recording, usually referred to during editing.

cut and paste: The act of assembling different takes into a composite, edited whole.

cutting through: When a voice “slices through,” or doesn’t get drowned out by music and sound effects.

DAT: An abbreviation for digital audiotape, high-quality audiotape used in sound studios.

dead air: When a voice-over pause is too long.

decibel: A unit for measuring the intensity of sound. 0 would be no sound, 130 would cause acute aural pain.

de-esser: A piece of equipment used to remove excess sibilance.

demo: A demonstration of an actor’s voice talent. A 3-D calling card, representing the actor when they cannot be present physically. Also, a format used by ad agencies to present an idea to a client. An actor is paid a demo rate to perform a demo session. These demos are usually not broadcast, but if they are accepted as is, the demo is upgraded to a session fee.

demographics: The components that describe the target audience. This is done by age, sex, income, education, etc.

dialogue: A script calling for two people talking to each other.

digital recording: A process where sound is converted into numbers and stored on a DAT or computer hard drive.

director: The person responsible for giving an actor voice-over direction in an audition, session or class.

distortion: Fuzziness in the sound quality of a recorded piece.

donut: A section of a spot that will usually feature another voice, usually an announcer. Many times it’s the section of a jingle that showcases an announcement.

double: A term for a two-person spot, or dialogue.

drive time: The most frequently listened to times on the Radio. Morning drive refers to the hours between 6AM and 10AM, evening drive refers to the slot between 3PM and 7PM.

drop off: Not ending strong at the end of a word or phrase.

drop out: A minute moment of silence inside a recorded word or phrase.

dry mouth: A condition where your mouth has little or no saliva.

dub: Also called a dupe (as in duplicate), it’s copy of a spot or spots on cassette, DAT or CD. The verb to dub, or dubbing is the process of transferring recorded material from one source to another.

dubbing: This dubbing is the process of dialogue replacement in a foreign film, as in dubbing a French voice into English.

earphones: Also known as cans, headphones or headsets. Worn during the session to hear your own voice as well as cues and directions from the engineer or producer. Also used to converse with the client during an ISDN or phone-patch session.

echo: A repetition of sound.

editing: The removal, addition or re-arrangement of recorded material. Voice elements can be spread apart, slowed down, speeded up, clipped, eliminated, etc. to achieve the final take.

EFX: Effects. Another term for SFX.

ellipsis: Three periods in a row that usually signify a pause…

engineer: The person who operates the audio equipment during the voice-over session.

equalization: Also known as EQ, it is used to stress certain frequencies, which can alter the sound of a voice.

eye-brain-mouth coordination: What every good voice actor has to have. It is the ability to “lift” the words off a page effortlessly, without omitting, adding or stumbling.

FCC: The Federal Communications Commission. Created in 1944 to regulate all interstate and foreign communications by Radio and TV.

fade: To increase or decrease the volume of sound.

fade in/fade out: When you turn your head away from the mic or towards it.

false start: Situation where a talent makes a mistake within the first line or two of copy. The take is usually stopped and sometimes re-slated.

feedback: A distorted, high pitched sound, usually emanating from headphones or speakers. Many times caused by problems with the console or headphones getting too close to the microphone.

filter: What engineers put on a mic to make an actor sound clearer.

fish-bowl effect: When the actor in the booth cannot hear what the engineer or producer is saying, or vice-versa.

fluctuation: How often a voice goes up or down, also known as inflection.

Foley: Also known in the business as a Foley Stage, this is a special sound stage used for source sound effects. Used to record up-close sound effects for film or video, where the Foley artists match sound with picture, such as walking, running, doors opening or closing, glass breaking, shots firing, etc.

franchised: Term applied to talent agents who adopt AFTRA guidelines.

front bed: The opposite of the back bed, where the announce is at the beginning of a jingle.

gain: The volume of a voice, or a fader on the console.

gig: A job. A sig gig is a union job.

gobos: Portable partitions positioned around the actor to absorb or reflect sound, or to isolate the actor from another on-mic actor.

good pipes: Description of a talent with vocal strength, authority and resonance.

go up for: To audition or to be considered for a job. “I’m up for a Ford national,” means that an actor is in contention for a national network commercial for Ford.

hard sell: Approach used for high volume retail clients. One producer refers to hard sell as: “I’ll stop shouting when you start buying!”

harmonizer: Also referred to as a Munchkiniser, it’s a piece of equipment designed to change the pitch of the voice—usually upward.

headset: A set of headphones. See cans.

high speed dub: A copy of a tape or CD made at several times normal speed.

highs: The high frequency sound of a voice.

hold: When a potential client likes an audition enough to hold some of an actor’s time for a possible booking--a step before the booking. Usually the client is deciding between a couple of voice-acting candidates and wants to cover their bets.

holding fee: The money an actor receives if the client wants to hold a spot for airing at a later date.

hook: Starting out on a high note on the first word of a spot to grab attention and immediately dipping down. Also used to describe the chorus section of a song.

hot: Term used to describe a mic that’s on.

house demo: An agency’s demo, the condensed version (each actor has only a one minute demo) of their roster of male and female talent.

in-house: A production produced for the client in the client’s own facilities.

in the can: A phrase connoting that a part of the copy or the entire spot is acceptable and done.

inflection: The raising or lowering of voice pitch—a way of reinforcing the meaning of a word by changing the way it is said. See also fluctuation.

ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network. Special high-quality lines that allow voice recording to be digitally transmitted from one recording facility to another.

jingle: A musical commercial.

laundry list: A string of copy points--adjectives or prices and items in the copy. Sometimes a list of benefits of the product or service. The object for the talent is to read them with various emphasis so they don’t sound like a list.

lay it down: Another phrase meaning “let’s record.”

lay out: Don’t speak, as in “Lay out while the music plays in this section.”

level: To set a voice at the optimal point. When the engineer says, “Let’s get a level,” the actor will start reading the copy at the level they’ll be speaking throughout the spot.

library music: Pre-recorded music that producers use when the budget doesn’t allow original music. Each piece of music requires a fee to be paid, usually on an annual basis.

lines: The copy that’s read by the voice talent. To run lines is to rehearse a dialogue with another actor.

line reading: When a producer explains to a voice talent how they want a line read by reading it themselves.

live mic: The mic is on and can pick up everything said in the booth. That means everyone in the control room. See hot.

live tag: The copy delivered at the end of a spot, usually by a staff announcer at the Radio station.

local: Refers to the union in a particular locale. Usually accompanied by a number, i.e., AFTRA Local 47.

looping: The older technology of recording background sound effects and noises for TV or film. Done in post-production after the show is recorded.

lows: The low frequency of a voice.

major markets: Refers to the “Big Three”: New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. These markets pay the most in voice-over work.

marking copy: Placing different marks above, below, around, in between and circling words on a script. Best done in pencil, because direction or emphasis may change.

master: The original recording that all dubs are made from.

mic: A common form of the word mike, as in microphone.

milking: Stretching words out and giving them as much emphasis as possible, as in “Milk it.”

mix: The blending of voice, sound effects, music, etc. Final mix usually refers to the finished product.

monitors: The loudspeakers in the control room.

monologue: One-person copy. Also referred to as a single.

mouth noise: The clicks and pops a microphone picks up from a dry mouth.

MP3: The name of the file extension and also the name of the type of file for MPEG, audio layer 3. Layer 3 is one of three coding schemes (layer 1, layer 2 and layer 3) for the compression of audio signals. Layer 3 uses perceptual audio coding and psycho acoustic compression to remove all superfluous information (more specifically, the redundant and irrelevant parts of a sound signal. The stuff the human ear doesn't hear anyway. The result in real terms is layer 3 shrinks the original sound data from a CD (with a bit rate of 1411.2 kilobits per one second of stereo music) by a factor of 12 (down to 112-128kbps) without sacrificing sound quality.

multiple: Refers to script with three or more characters in it.

multitrack: A machine capable of recording and replaying several different tracks at the same time.

music bed: The soundtrack that will be placed behind the copy, or mixed in with it.

non-union: A voice-over job that is paid off the books, under the table—not through the union. A non-union shop is one that is not a signatory to SAG or AFTRA.

off-camera: A part where an actor supplies only their voice to a TV spot or video presentation.

on mic/off mic: Either speaking or not speaking directly into the microphone. An actor is always on mic when recording, unless shouting, and then turns his head slightly to speak off mic.

outtake: A previous take that hasn’t been approved and accepted.

overlapping: When an actor starts his or her line a moment before another actor finishes theirs.

over scale: Any amount paid over the minimum wage set by AFTRA or SAG.

over-the-top: Direction that makes the copy sound larger than life, requiring the actor to overact.

pace: The speed in which an actor reads copy.

paper noise: Sound that the mic picks up as you move your script. Set it on the mic stand and leave it alone. If you have two pieces of copy and no stand, hold one page in each hand. If you have more than two pages, you may stop, place the next page in front of you, and continue. The engineer will accommodate you, as they don’t want to have to edit out paper noise.

patch: To make an electrical/digital connection for recording and/or broadcast. Also referred to as a phone patch or land patch.

paymaster: A payroll service that handles talent payments for the producer.

phasing: When sound reflects or bounces of certain surfaces and causes a weird, disjointed effect in the recording.

phonemes: The small units of sound used to make words.

phones: A short word for headphones.

pick-up: Re-recording a section of copy at a certain point. 90% of your read may be a in the can, but there may be a phrase, sentence or paragraph that the director feels could be done a bit better, clearer, faster, slower, etc. The director tells you exactly where they want you to “pick-up” your line(s)—where to start from and where to end at. Read a sentence or phrase before the pick-up starting point, as well as the ending point. This is done to help the engineer better edit the pick-up, matching phrasing and levels.

pick-up session: An additional session to complete the original. There may be copy changes or character changes in a spot before it finally airs. This is usually due to the client changing their mind before they commit the spot to air.

pitch: The musical level at which a person speaks.

placement: Where the mic is positioned when an actor is reading.

playback: Listening to what has just been recorded.

plosive: Any consonant or combination of consonants that causes popping.

plus ten: Refers to the contractual agreement in which the producer agrees to add an additional 10% to the actor’s payment for the agent’s commission.

pop: When voice sounds are registering too hard into the mic. Usually caused by plosives.

pop filter: A foam cover enveloping the mic or a nylon windscreen in front of the mic. Mitigates popping. Also known as a pop stopper.

post-production: Also known as post. The work done after the voice-talent has finished recording the session. This includes mixing in SFX and music.

pre-life/pre-scene: The previous history an actor invents for his character.

producer: The person in charge of the voice-over session. Many times the producer is also the director.

promo: A promotional commercial spot used by TV and Radio stations specifically to increase audience awareness of upcoming programming.

protection: Also known as insurance, this is an additional take requested by the producer to insure that they have a back-up of a take they like. Usually phrased as, “One more for protection.”

PSA: Public Service Announcement. Commercials produced to raise awareness of current issues, such as smoking, drug abuse, pollution, pregnancy, etc.

punch: Reading a word or line with more intensity.

punch in: Sometimes referred to as a pick-up, it’s the rejoining or continuation of a piece of copy. The engineer will punch in a pick-up at a certain point in the copy, to help with editing later on.

read: The style of reading an actor presents as a voice talent, or your performance, as in “That was a good read.”

real-time: An event that takes as long as it actually takes, as opposed to high-speed.

released: Being dropped from consideration from a voice-over job. It’s one of two results from being on hold.

residuals: Continuing payments an actor receives every 13-weeks their spot airs. Also referred to as 13 weeks per spot per cycle.

resonance: The full quality of a voice created by vibrations in resonating chambers, such as the mouth and sinus areas.

re-use: What actors are paid when their spot is re-run. It is usually the same amount they received for the first 13-week cycle.

reverb: A variation of echo. It’s an effect added to your voice in post.

room tone: The sound a room makes without anyone in it.

rough mix: The step before the final mix. This is when the producer and engineer fine-tune levels of voice, music and sound effects.

run-through: Rehearsing the copy before recording. Like a dress rehearsal.

SAG: Screen Actors’ Guild. The union for film actors and performers.

safety: This is a re-take that the producer or client wants to make sure that if there’s something technically wrong with the take they like, they have a back up. “Let’s do one more for safety,” is a common phrase. See protection.

S.A.S.E.: Self-addressed stamped envelope.

SFX: Shorthand for sound effects. Also seen as EFX.

scale: The minimum, established wages set by SAG and AFTRA for working talent. Double scale or triple scale refers to these wages times 2 or 3.

scale plus 10: Refers to the extra 10% paid to the actor’s agent on a job.

scratch track: A rough audio or video track that a production company or ad agency may put together for an actor to read to. See animatic.

series of three: Term used to describe a set of wild lines to be recorded, done in a set of three. Each read should be varied slightly.

session: The event where a talent performs a script for recording purposes.

session fee: Payment for the first commercial within the session. If an actor does two spots, they get a session fee plus payment for the other spot. If the same actor does a tag, they get a separate tag fee. And if they record only two tags, they get paid session plus one tag.

shave: To pare down your read, as in, “Can you shave three seconds off that read?”

sibilance: A drawn out or excessive “S” sound during speech. Some sibilance is joined with a whistle. This is a very annoying sound, which some engineers mitigate with a sound tool called a de-esser.

sides: Commercial scripts for video, where the action is in the left column, the dialogue on the right, or animation.

signatory: Someone (usually a producer or ad agency) who has signed a contract with SAG or AFTRA stating that they will only work on union jobs and promise to pay talent union scale.

signature: The specific quality of a voice that makes it unique.

single: Also known as a monologue, or one-person copy.

slate: Announcing a name and/or a number before a take, usually paired with the character the actor is playing. The slate helps the director and engineer identify and keep track of the actors and the various takes. Most slates are announced by the engineer, but sometimes the actors slates their own name.

spec: Volunteering your services and postponing payment until a project sells. The popular definition is “working for nothing now on the promise of getting more than you deserve later on.”

spokesperson: Also referred to as spokes. A voice actor who is hired on a repeat contractual basis to represent a product or company.

spot: A commercial. Originated from the days when all commercials were performed live, in between songs played on the radio. The performers were “on the spot.”

stair stepping: Having the pitch progressively rise up or down as a means of defining phrases. This technique is especially effective when reading laundry lists.

stand: Where copy is placed in the booth.

station I.D.: A short sound bite where the call letters of the station are announced or sung.

steps: Increasing the energy on a long list of adjectives or superlatives.

storyboard: The art director’s and copywriter’s conception of a TV spot, drawn on a large board for presentation to a client. The talent gets to see what the on-camera actors are doing in the spot. See animatic.

studio: The facility where all recording and mixing for a commercial takes place.

sweeps: The TV and Radio ratings periods when the total viewing or listening audience is estimated, thereby determining advertising rates. These occur in February, May and November.

sync: Matching a voice from a previous take. Also refers to aligning tracks to start or end together.

Taft-Hartley: This labor law protects an actor from having to join the union for their first job. She has to join AFTRA if she’s hired for another union job within 30 days.

tag: Information placed at the end of a commercial containing a date, time, phone number, website address, legal disclaimer, etc. A different announcer sometimes reads the tag.

take: The recording of one specific piece of voice-over copy. All takes are numbered consecutively, usually slated by the engineer.

talent: A broadcast performer, entertainer or voice-over artist.

talkback: Refers to the button connected to the microphone in the engineer’s console. It allows the engineer or director to talk to the talent in the booth.

tease: The introductory line used to promote interest. Promos are sometimes referred to as teasers.

tempo: The speed at which copy is delivered.

tight: Not a lot of time to read, or referring to a script that has a lot of words and not much time to say them in, e.g., “This is a really tight :60.”

time: Literally, the length of a spot. Most Radio spots time in at :60, TV spots at :30.

time code: A digital read-out on the engineer’s console referring to audiotape, videotape positions. Used in film dubbing.

tone: A specific sound or attitude.

track: Either to record, or the actual audio piece. “We’re ready to track,” as opposed to “Listen to this track.”

trailer: A commercial that promotes a film or video release.

undercutting: Dipping down in a sentence and throwing a portion of it away.

units: The number assigned by AFTRA and SAG to cities throughout the U.S. Each city varies in their amount of unit value by their population. This directly affects the amount of money an actor receives in residuals.

use fee: An additional fee paid to the performer when their spot is actually aired.

value added: Refers to words in a script that give the impression you’re getting more than you paid for. Plus, free, new, improved and extra are examples.

voice print: The vocal equivalent of fingerprints. Can be seen on the monitor of any computer using a ProTools® or similar sound tool.

V-O: Short for voice-over. Also seen as AVO (announcer voice-over). It’s the act of providing a voice to a media project, where the voice is usually mixed over the top of music and SFX. Voice-over was the term originally used to describe an announcer’s voice on a television spot, referring to the process as “voice over picture.” The more accurate term now is voice acting, which is the art of using the voice to bring life to written words.

VU meter: A meter on the engineer’s console that indicates the level of sound passing through the board.

walla: The sound of many voices talking at once, used as background sounds for a party or restaurant. Originally, it was thought that saying the words “walla walla” over and over again in the background would simulate good sound ambiance for a crowded scene, but the prevailing view now is that actors doing walla should converse in the way they would normally do so in that situation.

wet: A voice or sound with reverb added to it.

wild line: A single line from a script that is reread several times in succession until the perfect read is achieved. It’s considered wild because it is read separately from the entire script. Often performed in a series of three, where the actor reads the line three times in a row without interruption. Each line is read slightly differently, unless otherwise directed.

wild spot: A flat fee for a spot that airs for an indeterminate number of times within a 13-week cycle. Can be local, regional or national.

windscreen: A pop filter, or pop stopper.

woodshed: To rehearse or practice reading copy out loud. From the old days of theater where actors would have to rehearse in a woodshed before going out to perform.

wrap: The end, as in “That’s a wrap.”

Adapted and compiled from the following sources:

• James Alburger, The Art of Voice-Acting; Focal Press (1999)
• Susan Blu & Molly Ann Mullin, Word of Mouth; Revised Edition, Pomegranate Press (1996)
• Terri Apple, Making Money in Voice-Overs; Lone Eagle Publishing Company (1999)
• Alice Whitfield, Take It From The Top; Ring-U-Turkey Press (1992)
• Sandy Thomas, So You Want To Be A Voice-Over Star; In The Clubhouse Publishing (1999)
• Terry Berland & Deborah Ouellette, Breaking Into Commercials; Plume Publishing (1997)
• Chris Douthitt & Tom Wiecks, Putting Your Mouth Where The Money Is; Grey Heron Books (1996)
• Chuck Jones, Making Your Voice Heard; Back Stage Books (1996)
• Bernard Graham Shaw, Voice Overs: A Practical Guide; Routledge Publishing (2000)
• Elaine A. Clark, There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is; Back Stage Books (2000)

MARC CASHMAN creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA.

Cashman Commercials © 2005

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Remember that post about target audiences? Well, this Christmas season, Sears is celebrating the upcoming holidays through the eyes and voiceovers of a mother.

I read an interesting article this morning at KEYT Santa Barbara about Sears and their new holiday campaign targeted at mothers for the holiday season.

KEYT related that according to Sears' customer research, 98 percent of moms take on additional responsibility at Christmas, becoming the primary holiday shopper for their families, and nearly 60 percent do their holiday shopping alone.

The new campaign recognizes and appreciates their keystone role in making the holidays happen.

Featuring mom in commercials is not a new concept, but Sears has found a way to reinvigorate this market with an all-female team from Sears and Y&R Chicago, led by Peggy Jenkins, director of Oscar-winning movie "Monster" and voiceovers recorded by Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live fame.

The campaign, which starts this week, features more than twenty-five 30-second spots scheduled to run nationally on network, cable, and syndicated television. Each spot takes an honest, insightful look at how Mom experiences the kind of real-life situation that moms everywhere face during the holidays.

Each voices Mom's innermost thoughts as she prepares her house, buys gifts, and runs the holiday show, getting her family ready for another Christmas.

"Moms have, of course, always been important to Sears," said Joan Chow, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Sears, "but this year we've chosen to give them special recognition. Our campaign spotlights the pivotal role they play during this busy season by giving everyone a chance to see the holidays from their point of view, and to appreciate the extraordinary way they pull everything together. Moms will recognize their own experiences in these ads, because each was conceived, produced, and directed by women who understand and share their perspective."

With such focused campaigns this season, Sears will likely see an exponential response from moms everywhere.

How are you targeting your audience this year?

Best,

Stephanie

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Announcing the Voices.com Top 100, powered by VoiceRank™ technology, a ranking engine that organizes voice actors by newest, highest rated, and most favored - in other words, more ways for you to find that perfect voice.

There was definitely something missing from the website, and when we pinpointed it, executing the new feature was a blast.

What was missing?

It became clear to us at Voices.com that there needed to be a way for you, the people who use our web service to recommend your favorite voices to each other, thus saving your peers time while rewarding and referring voice actors with whom you have worked.

I'd like to introduce the new VoiceRank™ technology now in use at Voices.com.

What is VoiceRank™ and what does it do?

VoiceRank™ is divided up into three distinct lists that qualify talent for you right off the bat.

First is the "New" list. These are the newest voice talent who have registered at the website. It's a way for them to gain some immediate exposure and have others rate their demos for professionalism.

The second list is called "Top Rated". The Top Rated list is generated by the new VoiceRank™ technology, a ranking engine that's fair, flexible and trustworthy.

VoiceRank™ is based upon a combination of the number of ratings voice actors have received, their overall average rating, and the completeness of their profiles. The current list reflects how voice actors have been rated regarding their auditions as well as former feedback ratings.

Finally, the third list is called "Favorites". People in this list have been most favored by you, our clients. You can 'favorite' voice actors by clicking the "Add to Favorites" link in the search results, via audition submissions or on voice actor websites at Voices.com.

If there's a voice actor you've worked with in the past at Voices.com, you can give them your support by saving them to your Favorites or by rating them and helping to improve their VoiceRank™. These votes of confidence mean a lot to talent who strive to be on the Top 100 lists, whether as top rated or most favored.

Want to see this new feature in action?

Find the top ten voice actors listed in each category at our home page. To view the Top 100 in each category, all you need to do is click through the link that says "Top 100".

Best,

Stephanie

P.S. Any comments on this new feature?

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Need help determining who your target audience is? Spread your message effectively with insight from Adam Fox.

As you are all professional advertisers, business owners, and the like, it is obvious that the key to making the most out of your advertising dollar is knowledge of the target audience.

Day one stuff right?

Well, it would seem so, but there are many dimensions to consider.

First, of course is the obvious question:

Who do we want to reach?

Now, this has as many answers as there are businesses; everyone has a different target to hit.

Second, How do we reach them?

That’s a tough one. People are fickle.

You want to reach the people you’re trying to of course, but how do you make the message stick? How are you going to get those people to go out and pick up that product or use that service you’re trying to bring to them?

Answer: Professional advertising.

Also, a no-brainer right?

Wrong.

Professional Ad agencies are a great way to go, yes, but what are those agencies looking for?

They’re looking for the right voice to represent you.

Sure, many times owners of businesses record their own copy and like to bring that personal feel to their ads, which is great, but not all of them are going to get the results that they might be hoping for.

How many comedy skits are based on parodies of poorly produced and acted commercials? How many impersonators use a “typical” or overused voice as an impression in a comedy act?

Being a “Regular Guy” voice talent and producer of commercials for radio and TV spanning many different types of products and services, I’m seeing a change in the advertising trend.

My partner, Bob Oakman, is one of the most widely recognized voices in the industry having worked for Bill Young Productions for over 7 years and provided that “Concert Guy” voice for every act from Incubus to Willie Nelson and everything in between.

He’s the exclusive voice for monster trucks nationally in the U.S.

His Voice is heard on radio and television all over the country, for artists such as Bon Jovi, Metallica, Kenny Chesney, Bob Dylan, Kid Rock and hundreds more, as well as Boxing, Wrestling, Motor Events, Radio & Television promos and Automobile dealers.

Both of us however in our business, Defiant Digital Productions, are seeing more clients who want a more conversational voice.

One that the client is hoping to bring right into your living room and sit down on the couch, maybe have a glass of lemonade and tell you about the product or service they came to discuss.

How does this affect you?

Well, knowing how to pick that right voice is the key to what we’re all doing here at Voices.com.

Recognizing how the trends in advertising are turning is not only a necessary tool for the ad agencies, but for you as a business owner.

Think carefully about how you want to be represented.

How can you widen your target audience and get not only those people who might immediately pick up your product or service but also those who might try it and tell a friend?

How about those who might sit and have coffee with people at work and bring it up around the water cooler to see what others think as well?

It’s like a pond ripple, the more people you try to reach the wider the rings on the ripple grow.

In a nutshell, understanding the trends will help you to understand target audience.

Understanding target audience will help you to increase your return for your advertising dollar.

Adam Fox
Defiant Digital Productions

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When the traditional announcer just didn't cut it anymore, advertising companies took a swing in a different direction, creating characters that embodied real feelings, interests and desires.

Last week, I was listening to the CBC Radio One program O’Reilly and the Age of Persuasion. Terry, known for his insight into how marketing and advertising have forever permeated our lives, is an expert in the field and well worth listening to on a Saturday afternoon :)

What I have written below is my interpretation of Terry's broadcast last weekend.

When the traditional broadcast announcer just didn't cut it anymore, advertising companies took a swing in a different direction, creating characters that embodied real feelings, interests and desires.

The late 1950s and early 60s marked the end of one-way advertisements that ceased to boost a company's ROI. This decade also brought a host of changes to the way that advertisers started communicating with their audiences.

After a while, no one could relate to the stand-offish announcer, perched on his chair, wearing a tweed suit, and a hand cupped over one ear.

Announcers, who had broken through the proverbial "Fourth Wall" in before, were not performing their function as they had in the past; they were not 'getting through' to the public any more.

You wouldn't envision announcer man coming to your neighborhood BBQ or taking their child to a movie. Announcers were not real in a sense and appeared to be cold, disconnected and impersonal.

This is why advertising geniuses, for example, David Ogilvy, started making advertising more of a personal medium, introducing characters such as Mrs. Olson (Folger's Coffee), Aunt Jemima (Maple syrup and pancakes), Charlie the Tuna (StarKist Tuna), and Madge the Manicurist (Colgate-Palmolive).

You remember Madge, don't you?

TV ACRES describes Madge's courtship with listeners as follows:

The Colgate-Palmolive Company used Madge the Manicurist as their spokesperson in a series of successful television spots from 1966-92. Working in the Salon East Beauty Parlor, Madge pre-soaked all her customer's fingernails in Palmolive's green dish washing detergent and advised them "Palmolive softens hands while you do the dishes." Madge's catchphrase was "You're soaking in it." The campaign was created by the Ted Bates Ad Agency in 1966. The Madge character was popular around the world. The French called her Francoise; the Germans called her Tilly; and the Finnish called her Marissa. The late Jan Miner, who performed the role of Madge, was quoted as saying "When I get off the plane, it's always, 'Madge!'"

Mrs. Olson of Folger's fame was equally as effective, introduced in 1963.

The TV spokeswoman for Folger's Coffee, made by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1963, Mrs. Olson (the late Virginia Christine), was a Swedish woman who seemed to know all the young couples in town whose husband's never asked for a second cup of coffee. Of course, that was her cue to sell them on the idea of Folger's Coffee whose catchphrases were "Mountain Grown." and "It's the richest kind." The commercials ended in 1985.

And of course, who could forget the ever-striving Charlie the Tuna who was just never good enough to be put into a can of StarKist Tuna... How about Tony the Tiger and those Frosted Flakes?

What advertisers realized was that people sell products. Whether on camera or through voice-over, personalities sell.

These characters were relevant, interesting, and often faced with the same challenges of the average person who was listening or viewing the ad.

Now, just how do you achieve the same extraordinary results with a voice actor as with an on-camera actor?

Simple.

Be sure that whoever you hire to voice your commercial has a voice that embodies the brand you are promoting.

Getting a great voice actor on the job does more for you than just get a script read. The voice actor brings that script to life and is a living testament to the brand, using their voice to convey all of the brand qualities and attributes so that the script doesn't have to, saving the copy writer time and making the ad appear more natural, thus, more persuasive.

There is nothing more persuasive than the human voice. There is something innate, primitive and personal about how one human being can affect another. This is why advertising with a person selling a product is far more effective than an announcer or text ad.

Voices can be warm, funny, insightful, authentic, trustworthy, taste, grace, strength, empathy, sincerity, interest, confidence, and so on.

Sometimes, an advertisement featuring a personality can become even more effective, particularly if the character or voice actor promoting the product is a celebrity or has celebrity status.

One of the most memorable and humorous examples Terry used was of Eugene Levy's commercial for the Gershwin musical Crazy For You.

By renaming his daughters Ira and George, hearing only from his wife through lawyers, and losing himself completely in the whole Crazy for You lifestyle, Eugene's performance conveyed that seeing the Gershwin musical would change your life or have a significant impact. His character, Norman, who had changed his name to Norman Gershwin, made all of this clear through the recanting of the incredible lengths he had gone to just because he was crazy for Crazy for You.

If that didn't draw in mammoth sales, I don't know what else could have done better.

Eugene Levy's endorsement along with this performance as the newly christened Norman Gershwin was over the top, funny, and whimsical, the perfect combination for the theatre company to draw a crowd, regardless of if the show was playing on Broadway or at the local community theatre.

After reading this, how do you feel your ads line up?

I hope this topic of conversation is as inspiring to you as it is for me :) Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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With the new save and share options on voice talent websites at Voices.com, you'll be able to contact, organize and help promote voices you like. Want to know more?

Over the weekend, we updated the website to include some new features which are exhibited on all voice talent websites at Voices.com.

Here's a picture displaying the new features:

Let's break it down feature by feature.

RSS Feed

The first one that you see is an orange RSS feed icon. This means that you are able to subscribe to voice talent websites via an RSS feed, essentially sending you email alerts when talents you have subscribed to have updated their voice over demos at Voices.com. You can think of this like receiving a Google News alert or being subscribed to a blog. Every time a change is made or a new demo is added by that talent, you will be notified.

Send an Email

This link is associated with voice talent contact boxes at Voices.com. Any messages sent from you via this form will be delivered to the respective voice talents email address presented as a business inquiry. Talent will receive the email immediately and will recognize that your email was submitted to them through our service.

Add to Favorites

Hear a voice that you like? You can archive voice samples in your Voices.com accounts by saving the talent to your Favorites. Locating talent that you have saved is easy and ensures that you will remember who they are and have a means to contact the voice pros for future work.

Print this Page

This is a handy tool for people who like to organize business activities and prospects both on and offline via filing systems or in portfolios. It's also easy to print off a page and show it to colleagues or project managers as source material.

Add to del.icio.us

Here's how the team at del.icio.us describes their bookmarking tool:

del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website -- the primary use of del.icio.us is to store your bookmarks online, which allows you to access the same bookmarks from any computer and add bookmarks from anywhere, too. On del.icio.us, you can use tags to organize and remember your bookmarks, which is a much more flexible system than folders.

You can also use del.icio.us to see the interesting links that your friends and other people bookmark, and share links with them in return. You can even browse and search del.icio.us to discover the cool and useful bookmarks that everyone else has saved -- which is made easy with tags.

Digg This

Digg, another social bookmarking tool, describes their website as follows:

Digg is all about user powered content. Every article on digg is submitted and voted on by the digg community. Share, discover, bookmark, and promote the news that's important to you!

After you submit content, other digg users read your submission and digg what they like best. If your story rocks and receives enough diggs, it is promoted to the front page for the millions of digg visitors to see.

In essence, your adding a talent to del.icio.us or submitting their website to Digg is a vote of popularity, confidence, and a way to show your appreciation for their work. It's just like a referral, but one that is published for the world to see.

So, there you have it. Imagine the possibilities!

Helping others to help promote their voices online has never been easier, especially when receiving mass promotion on a global scale is possible by utilizing these tools.

If you have any questions, feel free to submit them as comments on the blog. That way, we can address them here and help start a conversation :)

Thanks,

Stephanie

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Recently, Software Development in the Real World posted their Web 2.0 cream of the crop list, recognizing Voices.com as one of the Best of the Best.

We're very excited to announce that we've been recognized as one of the best Web 2.0 websites in the world!

According to the most recent and highly regarded Web 2.0 top-end service providers list, Voices.com is the place to be if you are looking to buy voice over services or to get work as a professional voice talent.

What makes a site a 'Web 2.0' site? According to Software Development in the Real World, Web 2.0 is the bigger, better, second coming of the World Wide Web. In turn, websites that qualify as Web 2.0 caliber embody several unique characteristics such as opportunities for users to contribute to the site, network with each other, organize, and categorize their content.

To put this into perspective, Google, YouTube, and Flickr all qualify as Web 2.0 companies.

Voices.com is a part of this elite circle, trumpeted as the best place where people can find work online in the audio industry, specifically, anything to do with the human voice.

Thank you for helping to make Voices.com the official voice marketplace :)

To your success!

Stephanie

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