Accent.....or No Accent

David Bosco · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 281

Hey Everybody,

I need The Pros on this one!

Attached is a recently submitted audition for your rewiew. It's pretty much my natural voice applied to the particular task.

I am trying to determine if there is anything in my voice (Accent, etc) that would keep me from getting most VO work. Although it's not Baaahstin or Southern Twangy, I just want to be sure that it is an 'accent free' Modern North American English. It appears to me that it is, but that's to my own ears.

I'm a big boy, so give it to me straight. Tell me what works in this audition and what doesn't along with you opinion on the trace of an accent.

Thanks,

David Bosco

Robert Jadah · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 2627

Nope; I hear no regionalism there, David.
But then again, I'm not the best judge, since I hear no Canadian in my reads whereas everybody else does.

In this posted clip, however, you do sound as if you're reading. I do not get any 'engagement' from your delivery.
More than any concerns about accent, you may want to focus on improving that little flaw.
I did take the time to check out your V123 site, and enjoyed listening to your demos.
The only little 'tone thing' that jumped out and smacked me repeatedly was a sometime tendency to drop the volume at the end of some of your phrases.
This, of course, makes you sound very bored and absolutely disengaged at times.

You'll be fine. Pretty good stuff.

Voice On!

Philip Banks · **Voice Talent** Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 404

The sound is that of a regional TV news reporter. If you added to the script "This reporter noticed" and "K-WINS news is unable to confirm at this time..." you'll see what I mean.

For the Northern Scot, in Portgordon, I'm Philip Banks.

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007, 19:03 (GMT) Post subject: little bit.

I hear a very light amount of East Coast. There is a tiny bit of nazilness on a few words and a general cadence that is often associated with the Northeast. It definitely doesn't sound midwestern to me. I don't think there is anything really to be concerned about; your tone and timbre are fine for that type of read.
Now, I know this wasn't part of what you asked, but the read didn't do it for me and the question might be what you need to do to get to the point where you can read clearly and cleanly, yet not be so preoccupied with the sound, so as to be able to deliver an evocative and fully present read.

Best of Luck,

j.s.