Recent E-Learning Voiceovers

I've just completed the last of three e-learning voiceovers for online2learn.com from Point Productions. In the past month we've done three projects together with a combined 85 pages of script. One project was a highly technical piece on Fiber Optics, the second was a fun virtual game show about HR policies inspired by the classic To Tell the Truth, and the third was for encouraging the development of Corporate Performance Management Goals.

The Fiber Optics piece was the longest, which made it the most challenging in so far as making sure that I maintained consistent tone and energy throughout while still keeping it interesting. Dr. Sally Ride was the other voice in this program, offering expert opinion at the head of each module. While I didn't record with her (all my parts were done in my home studio) it was an honor to be giving the complementary voiceover.

To Tell the Truth was enjoyable, because I had to give it an engaging game-show voice that wasn't over-the-top as well as the hushed, monotone "golf announcer" voice when the supposed identities of the contestants were being introduced.

The Performance Management Goals may have seemed like a straightforward corporate piece, but bringing subtle characteristics to a voice can be one of the hardest tasks. I was given very good direction from Michael Henry of Point Productions to be professional and enthusiastic: to imagine that I am a co-worker mentoring others. I really envisioned while I was recording that I was in a small conference room going over policies with three colleagues, at times pointing to imaginary charts and powerpoint slides for references. This was also the first longer piece that I've recorded with the Heil PR40, and the the client and I were both very satisfied with the results.

While I've done numerous longer narration voiceovers, this is the most I've done in one month (especially for the same client). Today on one of the voiceover talent message boards, a European talent I respect asked if he should accept a lower than normal per-word rate for a 7,000 word voiceover (he had never done a piece that long before). I'm normally very much against talent low-balling themselves, but the experience of completing these longer script voiceover marathons are very rewarding. It definitely makes you a better talent, and if you complete the task with open and efficient communication with your clients it makes you a better professional as well. posted by Lance Blair @ 7:20 PM 0 Comments

Heil PR40 Dynamic Microphone for Fully Portable Remote Voiceover Recording Setup

I just bought the new Heil Sound PR40 Dynamic microphone, and I'm glad I did. I sounds far richer than my old Sennheiser MD421 mkII and I might prefer it when compared to RE20s (plenty of resonance, but not enough sizzle) and SM7bs (a little too flat - perfect if you've got a world-beating studio behind it though).

Since I do plenty of remote voiceovers on location, at clients' offices, or VOG reads at trade shows and corporate events, a dynamic microphone makes far more sense than a condenser microphone which captures too much of the ambient noise in a non-acoustically-treated environment. I now have a completely portable VO rig thanks to the small size of my True Systems P-Solo preamp. I can now record anywhere, and everything fits into a single briefcase.

The great thing about the Heil PR40, is that it has the character of a good condenser microphone, and sounds better than a lot of so-so condensers. When I take the Heil PR40 and run it through some tube emulation, flattering compression, and a little creative EQ (mostly softening things around 3kHz), the Heil PR40 sounds fantastic.

Scott Pollack on WABE; SAVOA.org

Congratulations to Atlanta voiceover talent Scott Pollack: he will be voicing the liners for sponsors and underwriters of Atlanta's NPR affiliate WABE 90.1 (the home of Atlanta's 'Classic Rock' featuring Haydn, Debussy, and Bach)

In a world where the shoddy ethics of the internet and the noble profession of voiceovers collide, one brave band of brothers stands tall against the forces of cheap clients and those disreputable announcer wannabees who would enable them. That brotherhood is known as... http://www.savoa.org .