Bringing scripts to Life - The True Art of Authentic Voiceovers
Over the years in my voiceover work, I’ve learnt that it’s about bringing words to life with intention and nuance. Why? Because people connect to people. Knowing how to make a message resonate, isn’t a skill everyone automatically exhibits. For most it is something you train. The goal is to connect deeply, knowing your delivery won’t reach everyone but striving to leave an impact where it should.
Recently, I had a moment that reinforced this. I was at an airport in NYC. As I was waiting at my gate, I decided to wonder off and visit some stores where you find all sorts of things pertaining to New York. Hats, mugs, pens, pins, even bars of chocolate with the New York Skyline on it.
On arrival back home, I received a script in my homestudio from one of my clients. It was a script for a radio commercial that mentioned a trip to New York!
Thoughts are things I suppose.
Being able to recall the energy I felt in the US and in the stores at the airport, really helped shape my recording and make it sound exciting. The fact I had just been there, still resonated in me. As a result I was able to deliver the client a read from ‘experience’, so to speak, and they loved it.
That for me, is the power of genuine connection.
I could feel the spirit of the car itself, smootH, powerful and always controlled
One of the most memorable projects I worked on was a voiceover for the launch of the Aspark Owl, one of the world’s fastest electric cars. You can see the video on my home page. The client wanted a tone that was mysterious and quietly powerful, qualities that would resonate with the high-profile audience at an elite exhibition in the Middle East. And since the script was in English, not my native Dutch, I knew preparation would be key to making sure I got the nuances right.
To capture that calm, almost mesmerising effect that draws you closer to the screen, I recorded the script late at night, when the quiet helped me get into that mood. I remember I literally noticed how quiet it was outside whilst I was in my booth. It was just ‘dead quiet’. During the day that feels different for some reason. I could feel the spirit of the car itself, smooth, powerful and always controlled. It was one of those moments where the voiceover resonated deeply within me, and it translated perfectly into the final product.
A few months later, at the SOVAS Voice Arts Awards which was held in New York City, the Aspark Owl video was nominated in the category ‘Outstanding National Commercial Campaign – Best Voiceover’.
I was flabbergasted to say the least!
This nomination was a huge honour, even more so because it was in my second language. And then to be categorised with such world class talent, I was absolutely blown away!
It made me realise how important it is to create the right environment, in order to deliver a voiceover session that sounds as authentic as possible.
Of course, not every script is naturally captivating. Sometimes, the material doesn’t sparkle as the one with the Owl, but that is where my job becomes a bit like detective work. In these cases, I dive into the topic, watch videos, do some research and I try to find out what the client wants to say and how they want to make the connection with their customers.
This is not a day job, but essential nevertheless, because ultimately, my goal is to be the person who knows about it and is able to deliver the read with confidence and clarity.
a voice actor’s job is to bring colour to the script, to paint the picture
