5/25/2014

Breaking Into Voice Over Commercials

By Marci Glover


Advertising entails many aspects that are never considered by the majority of the audience. People's attention may be easily captured by great visuals and catchy jingles but it is often the speaking parts that sticks with them. Working in voice over commercials is an exciting career choice, though it is one that requires one to utilize both persistence and patience.

One big misconception is that all a person needs to make it in this business is to sound appealing when speaking naturally. However, along with that pleasant timbre, one should also be able to use proper diction, enunciate clearly and have the capability to act through vocal expression. A big part of the job is using inflection and timing to create a believable and sincere narrative.

This is a talent that is used for many things such as movies, cartoons, audio books, documentaries, video games and many multimedia formats. Advertisements for television, radio and the internet are some of the most often heard outlets for this field of work. They are so common that many people do not even realize just how many ads they are exposed to on a daily basis.

There are three basic categories in this type of advertising work. At the local level, possible jobs may include car dealerships, small businesses and civic announcements. Regional ads will be those that cover chains and companies that are only active in a particular area, while the national spots will be the more top level brands and events.

Unfortunately, a large portion of the national tier advertisements are voiced by celebrities or seasoned vocal actors, mainly because their sound is recognizable to the masses. This does not mean that one should underestimate the power, influence and profitability of ads done on the regional and local levels. There is no way a handful of veteran performers can handle every job that comes along, so opportunities will present themselves in all categories.

Simply having an appealing sound is rarely enough to take one instantly to the top of the field. This is a talent that needs to be honed through a process designed to increase one's marketability and make it easier to gain the desired success. The journey begins by pairing with a vocal coach that can help improve both acting and speaking skills, honing individual techniques for optimum results.

The next step is taking what has been learned and using it to have a demo tape professionally produced to serve as an audio audition. Copies should be sent to multiple advertising agencies, talent brokers and production companies within one's target working area. As with most job applications, following up on a mailed resume' with a phone call or two may be necessary.

With a bit of patience combined with a degree of persistence, it is possible for one to build a satisfying career in this field. Aiming for national ads is a respectable goal, though one should not expect to immediately start working on that level. Gaining experience through performing on a number of local and regional assignment is a tried and true way to hone the craft, build experience and become versatile enough to actually become competitive at the top tier.




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