I would appreciate your opinions on my general demo.

Andrew Montesi Big Voice Productions

Hi all! I've lost a little objectivity in critiquing my own demo, and would like to ask for some help from you. Any suggestions as far as the order of the spots, etc. will be much appreciated. Thank you. Confused

Scott Pollak · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007, 15:00 (GMT) Post subject:

Well, now we know who lands every lead that asks for a "James Earl Jones" voice.

This is some good stuff here. At first I thought you had a killer trailer-type of voice, but possibly very little range, but then the Durango spot came on and convinced me you DO have range.

But you asked for feedback on the demo itself. I'd move the Durango spot further forward. Up to that point you have about 4 or 5 pieces that are all good, but sound an awful lot alike.

If you can't fit in more of the Sam Adams piece on the end, lose it. The 2 or 3 seconds it's in there sounds like a mistake.

The fading in and out bothered me a bit and called attention to itself.

Those are the only nits I can pick, Andrew. You know you have a big-league sound and I have no doubt you've voiced some big-league jobs. A tiny bit of tightening on this demo and it'll be in the same league as your voice.

Robert Jadah · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007, 15:53 (GMT) Post subject:

Yowzer!
You make me sound like Mickey Mouse on helium, Andrew.
So now I'll cross those brassy trailer things off my To Do list, and let's see.... well, that pretty well leaves me with tap-dancing Norwegian elk herder auditions.
I'd lose the Troy Bomb squad. It's drowned out by the music, is too short, and anyway adds nothing. I'd also like to hear a slightly longer straight narrative read a la Morgan Guards as a change of pace, and agree with Scotty that the Sam Adams could be put away.

Which is what one should do with good lager, anyway.

Well done, Big Voice. Look forward to hearing you around.

Voice On!

Lance Blair · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007, 17:22 (GMT) Post subject:

Move the ER/NBC bit closer to the head, and the NBA piece too.

The editing is a little odd. Some spots we get in and out of them, others we're left hanging for a beat or two listening to the production...I just want to hear your voice.

Explore different orders, and then edit them more tightly based around the content of your words.

And absolutely 100% lose the fades.

In a demo, is a director or producer looking for how a talent sounds at low volumes or fading out as people change the channel? Noooooooooo...lose the fades! Smile

James Lorenz · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007, 02:57 (GMT) Post subject:

Your voice sounds great, but there are some lisping problems that might shy away voice seekers.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007, 08:38 (GMT) Post subject:

Man, I think you could use one of these:

Tom Pagnotti · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007, 15:13 (GMT) Post subject:

I have little to add (except rehashing the fades criticism and I’d like to hear more of the Sam Adams too) Awesome stuff Andrew!

And James: you’re kidding right? Seen this guy's resume? Subaru, Discovery Channel, The NBA… sheesh!

Lance Blair · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 04:38 (GMT) Post subject:

James is right.

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 05:25 (GMT) Post subject:

I'm pretty sure what you guys are hearing is just digitally-induced sibilance -- the effect of compressing really brightly recorded audio into these tiny 128kbps mp3 files. What is resonating shimmer in hi-def becomes an annoyingly high level of sibilance and is often mistaken for a lisp.

Not sure I'm explaining my thought correctly, but I think it's too much sound for the file, in a way. Sort of like stuffing 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5 pound bag. Still tasty, but a little hard to contain.

Lance Blair · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 15:02 (GMT) Post subject:

What Melba is describing can often be the case, but I don't think that's the case here. The bottom line is he's a good talent and it's a good demo, but I still agree with James.

Deby Cedars · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 21:26 (GMT) Post subject:

Only heard a lisp on the word guards....and in general I liked that peice

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 21:55 (GMT) Post subject:

Durango is the best piece. The fade-outs bother me and I too hear a lisp. Though there is a big time VO guy named Mitch Phillips that has a lisp in my opinion and he does well.

No shortage of resonence!

Andrew Montesi Big Voice Productions · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007, 23:06 (GMT) Post subject:

I really DO appreciate all your inputs. I have reshuffled my demo on V123 and my own site at www.andrewvoice.com. I cut the fades in and out (where possible) and added length to existing spots, as seems to be the concensus of your opinions. One question, though: For total timing reasons, I took out the NBA spot. Should I put it back in? Is there an obvious place for it? And as far as the "lisp" thing; I definitely don't have a speech impediment type of lisp, but I do have a tendency to land hard on the letter "S". This, coupled with the digital thing Melba explained, has exagerated it to sound like a lisp. I am working on softening it. I don't like using a de-esser. It almost makes the problem worse for me. Thanks again for all your valuable feedback and I welcome any additional comments. Have a GREAT '08!! Razz

Andrew

Sid Whatley · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007, 00:34 (GMT) Post subject:

Lance Blair · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007, 01:07 (GMT) Post subject:

Andrew - the NBA piece could stay if you do a hard cut after "ultimate place for the NBA fan". Listening again, I only hear questionable lispyness in the first half of the demo (through the Bomb Squad piece), and then almost none in the second half.

ER and NBA are still my favorites. Smile