I want to share a handful of techniques that may appear to be trivial voiceover requirements.

But understanding how they work, will actually make a huge difference to your reads.

 

To do that, I’ve created an audio lesson which begins part way through this blog.  And is the best way to explain these techniques.

The other thing is, I’ll be reading the lesson from a script.  This one.

And just as in all voiceover work, I’m converting ‘written word’ to ‘spoken work’,  to make it sound as though I’m just making it up as I go along.

This is the secret to becoming a proficient voice actor, who gets booked time and time again.

So, pay some attention to that aspect, as well as the lesson 😉 because the techniques I’m talking about mostly come naturally to us all in conversational speak, but a problem can arise when we have difficulty making our reading of someone else’s text ‘sound natural’.

The first one is about the ‘the’ ‘thee’ rule.  You didn’t know there was such a thing, right?

Click on the audio when you’re ready.

 

 

The ‘the/thee Rule

The word t.h.e. is how we spell it.

The word ‘thee’ is sometimes how we need to say it.

It’s a rhythm thing.  Let me explain the rule.

When the word ‘t.h.e.’ precedes a word beginning with a consonant, you say ‘the’.  As in ‘the ball, the calculator, the fire, or the money.   Get it?  Smooth, right?

When the word ‘t.h.e.’ precedes a word beginning with a vowel.  That’s  a,e,i,o,u, you always use the long thee.  As in thee apple, thee egg, thee incident, etc.

Instead of ‘the’ apple, ‘the’ egg, the incident.

Can you hear how you actually have to stop when you use a short ‘the’ before a word beginning with a vowel?  

Creating the long ‘ee’ sound and connecting it to the word that follows it, simply creates a smoother sound; ‘the’ apple, ‘the’ egg, the incident.

Of course, you’re still able to use the short ‘the’ preceding a word beginning with a consonant, if it fits the character.

I once narrated a 1^st person audiobook, called ‘Wolf Island’ by Lucy Treloar, and gave this convention to my main character.

VoiceOver is all about finding the right rhythm for the language in any script or text.

So, whether you use the rule or not, you need to understand that it exists…and be able to make a clear decision about when and how to use ‘the’/‘thee’, based on what the script requires.  On to the next section

 

Let’s Look at Over-Pronouncing Words

This is sometimes caused by a reading habit, that has you sounding out each whole word, before moving on to the next and sounding that out to.

Here’s an example of what that sounds like right now.

I’m sure you’d agree it sounds like I’m reading it.  In fact, I sound like a bad AI.  I’m almost pronouncing every letter.

It certainly doesn’t sound like I’m connecting with the language in any authentic, conversational way.

So, what do you need to do to help the language sound connected?

You need to run the words together.

I call it ‘sliding’ and I talk more about that in the next paragraph.

So, let’s try that line again.  This time I’m going to deliver it the clunky way first, then repeat using the conversational version.

You’ll hear in the first read that I’m leaning on every vowel at the beginning of a word and every consonant that completes a word.

Clunky:  Here’s an example of what that sounds like right now.

In the next, I’m running all the words together, like they’re one long web address.  It’s the way we speak naturally.  The way I’m speaking just now.  It just sounds more authentic.  More human.

Conversational: Here’s an example of what that sounds like right now

Now let’s talk more about ‘sliding’.

 

Sliding Through the Little Words 

I want to give you a technique to help you avoid making small unimportant words sound important. 

You may already know this:  Every script is full of words, but only some of the language in the script is about what it’s about.  Once you’ve ‘worked out’ what it’s about and where those words are, you’re about a quarter of the way there.

I created a blog a while ago that will give you the techniques for finding and favouring those words in.  So if you want to build your VO skills, you’ll find more info in this blog 

But let’s get back to the ‘little’ words.

Over-articulating smaller words can take away from a natural, engaging read that’s connected to the topic and the audience.  

Here’s a section from a script to explain. I’ll read it first giving value to all the words in the sentence.

The internet has changed the way we live – from shopping and banking, to connecting with friends, and catching up with the news.

It just doesn’t connect, does it?  There’s no natural rhythm.  And it doesn’t allow you, the listener to focus on the story in the language.

And the thing is, there are a few words in there that don’t actually have any real value.  That is, those words are not what the message is all about.  They merely link the words that are.

In this text those words are ‘has’, ‘from’, ‘and’, and the phrase ‘with the’.

Of course, all these words need to be there, or the sentence will fall over.

But they’re not as important as what your message is.

Now I’ll read it using the technique I call ‘sliding’ to create a more natural, conversational reading of the line.

You literally slide through two or more words, connecting them, once again, like they’re one long web address.  Like this:

The internet has changed the way we live – from shopping and banking, to connecting with friends, and catching up with the news.

Let’s break it down further to show you what I mean by sliding.  To do that, I’m going to write it phonetically.

And apologies if it makes your head explode when you look at it 🥴  It’s weird!

The interneterschanged the way we live – frumshoppingnbanking, taconnectingwithfriends, ncatchingupwithernews.

Still with me?  Let’s break it down to understand why this works.

The interneterschanged the way we live.  Do you hear that the word ‘has’ has disappeared?  And next:  frumshoppingnbanking.

Can you hear how ‘from’ has become ‘frum’.  It sounds more authentic to the ear to soften the ‘o’.  The ‘and’ has become a simple ‘n’.  But we hear the ‘and’.

Next:  taconnectingwithfriends.  The word ‘to’ has become ta, but it does connect the meaning better.

Then the last: ncatchingupwithernews.  The word ‘and’ is often much better buried.  You don’t have to sound out the word ‘and’ for us to know it’s there.  And ‘with the news’, become withernews.

Looks weird.  Sounds right though.  Right?

Pause the audio for a few moment and try it yourself, to see how that feels.

And I’m not saying it needs to be ‘written’ this way.  I’m saying you need to ‘see’ it this way and ‘say it’ this way.

I may have shrunk and slid through those problematic words, ‘has’, ‘from’, ‘and’ and ‘with the’.  But we still hear those little words.  Don’t we?

An additional note.  ‘Sliding’ is a brilliant way to shave time off your read. And on to may last tip.

 

Shrinking Words

In this section I’ll talk about how to create a ‘contraction’,

A contraction is the abbreviation of two words into one, by adding an apostrophe.  Words like ‘we will’ contracted to ‘we’ll.  ‘I have’ contracted to ‘I’ve.  ‘Could have’ to ‘could’ve.

In many scripts this allows you to sound natural and put your focus on the words that follow, that are bound to be more interesting…and about the message.

But, if the script does require you to stick to the words as written, you need to find a way to get through those words smoothly.

Let’s look at some choices you can make to help that happen.  Here’s a line from a non-commercial script. 

Welcome to RDC Investments Group, where we are revolutionising the world of business.

Where ‘we are’ does sound clunky.  Unfortunately, the client wants ‘we are’ said as written…two words.

These two little words can get a little stuck in the mouth, and distract from the message, which is that they claim to be revolutionising the world of business.

So, you need to find a way to say those two words, so they support the message line; revolutionising the world of business.

Try it this way.  Welcome to RDC Investments Group, where we arerevolutionising the world of business.   When you can’t shrink the words, try sliding the words.

You emphasise the word ‘we’ in this case, because you, as the messenger, are the voice of the business.  Read it, as though it’s your business.  Add pride to your read.

 

So, in wrapping this up, I will say that finding the correct meaning for the language in your script, and a rhythm for your read, that fits the intention, is what will grow your profile and guarantee you’re always working.

Happy voiceovering!!!