LEADS AND READS - WEEK OF 12/3 thru 12/8

Colin Campbell

Good Monday morning all!

Erik Sheppard · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007, 17:41 (GMT) Post subject:

Hello?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Scott Pollak · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007, 18:01 (GMT) Post subject:

Well here's an interesting one. This was a job I got here via a private lead about a week or two ago. They wanted two voices, and for it to time out to the music, so I had to read the first part faster than I wanted. It'll be a web piece to promote some high end Myrtle Beach property.

BTW, "Jack" and "Pete" alluded to near the end refer to Jack Nicklaus and some other athlete... Pete Sampras, maybe? I dunno....

Deby Cedars · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007, 19:18 (GMT) Post subject:

That was good. I would not cast you as both the voices though. They are not different voices, just different deliveries. I actually think your normal voice would have been better for either part. You sounded a bit too old, but very friendly in the first one, and a bit too....harsh? .....in the second one. They were both good, but I think your performance was hurt by trying to sound different in each of them. That was a really tough audition though, because it's hard to create totally different voices with out going into a character voice.

Here is a recent audition that required a character voice. They asked me to match the same delivery of a child's recording.

Kim White · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007, 19:53 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott,

Could it be golfer Peter Jacobsen?

Lee Gordon · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007, 23:35 (GMT) Post subject:

Very nice job on both parts, but I have to agree with Deby. It's just a little too easy to tell that the two voices are the same guy. I always get nervous when a client expects me to do multiple voices in a production and the different voices are just "regular guys." If there was an old cowhand or a gangster, it's fairly easy to pull it off, but it's hard to make a normal young guy and a normal old guy and a normal middle aged guy sound like anything besides me at three different stages of life.

As far as Jack and Pete, if there's any significance to the names at all (and the copy really doesn't strongly suggest there is), I'd go with Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007, 01:24 (GMT) Post subject:

I'm in 100% agreement with all of you. I KNOW I can't pull off two different voices without making the older man sound like a caricature. Hopefully the client will realize it and use me for one, or the other, but not both, also.

Deby Cedars · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007, 02:03 (GMT) Post subject:

Well I was only auditioning for the Paris Part, but this was rather hard to pull off. I'm not sure if I was monotoned enough. It's kinda long, but I thought the script was sort of funny.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007, 17:00 (GMT) Post subject:

Deby.... I'm listening to the trains piece right now and I have mixed feelings about it. I've always struggled with adults trying to sound like kids. You did a good job, with the exception of some plosives towards the beginning, but I'm just not convinced it's a kid. Again, you did a decent job, but this client needs to find a REAL 8 year old who can pull this off.

And I try to avoid Paris Hilton like the plague, so I can't comment on the impersonation, but there are some production issues going on here. For one thing your audition sounds muffled. I also heard a car or plane go by in the background at around :15 into it.

I'm attaching a follow up demo to a client who contacted me yesterday. Some of you may have gotten a lead called "Faith Streams". They liked my read, but wanted a secondary demo. I sent them both a dry read as well as this mixed version. BTW, I looked up the pronunciation of Lao Tzu, and this is apparently correct.

Jacob Keebler · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007, 00:14 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's my try at multiple voices on the same spot.
It's a different script. And my ears are biased.
Cheers,
-J

PS.
Thanks Scott. I've always wondered about that pronunciation.

Deby Cedars · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007, 01:47 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott...hmm? I just don't hear the car. I'm on a busy road, but maybe I need to clean my ears...I also don't know why I would sound muffled although I had some sinus issues lately. I thought your faith streams was good. The asian accent wasn't spot on, but it was a good audition and I liked the music too. I got that audition but I didn't read for it....I think I was Christmas shopping.

Jacob....Your voices sounded like different people, but they sounded like different people that were related to one another, like a father, son, and a brother...not bad though.

Here is my latest high energy adult read.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007, 02:03 (GMT) Post subject:

Deby,

Here's an excerpt of the noise. I bumped up your volume a tad on this clip. I'm amazed you're not hearing it. When I first gave it a listen I stopped to be sure it wasn't a car outside of MY house but it's definitely there. Not a big deal and I don't want to make an issue of it, but it did catch my ears (My admittedly semi-deaf ears!)
Wink

Deby Cedars · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007, 02:20 (GMT) Post subject:

ahhh yes.....NOW, I hear it. I guess I need to remember to close those curtains. Embarassed

I think you listen to my stuff louder than any one else!

Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007, 03:31 (GMT) Post subject:

Deby Cedars · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007, 00:20 (GMT) Post subject:

It figures I get a lead for a job worth 2 grand. All I have to do is sing ooohs and ahhhs up the scale for a machine that will then play my voice. There are even royalties involved......and I have mucus issues and Roger is working late at the University.

I also got this nicely priced lead. I wish I knew how to pitch correct myself. schauen

Every year at this time, I dream of a studio on a warm beach near the equator, where mucus is nothing but a memory. sabbern