LEADS AND READS - WEEK OF 7/07 TO 7/13

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

Connie:

Thank you for your input. I tend to agree with you about the 'push'. It's normally a little more than I would give. I was trying to style it after a file that they supplied with the posting:

Attachment provided by the client for download can be found at: http://voice123.com/files/CommercialTV.mp3

It's a different copy, but I'm assuming they wanted a similar delivery. They didn't come right out and say "We want it to sound like this" but it seems to fit. Give the file a play if you care to just for comparison. Thanks again!

Connie Terwilliger · **Voice Talent** Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 409

OK - I listened and didn't heard that style of delivery in your read at all. You had far more "notes" in your read than in the one they provided as a sample. Do you read music? If so, imagine the Treble Clef and try to follow along up and down the scale as you listen to yours played back.

And you also had more staccato and quarter notes than in the sample.

There was a lazy comfortable flow in the sample that isn't present in your audition.

The lesson to learn is not to copy. Understand who you are and who you are talking to. Put yourself in a place at a specific time doing something tangible and really understand the copy. I have to learn this lesson over and over.

Sid Whatley · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008, 20:27 (GMT) Post subject:

You are an excellent critic Connie. Tell what my read on Kroger says....or if it comes across. I certainly thought the copy was excellent.

Lee Gordon · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 1549

I think both David's and Sid's Kroeger spots were very nice, but if they are truly looking to approximate the voice in their example, it would probably be Michael Schoen.

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

Connie:

I get what you're saying about the sample being more relaxed than mine. I did about 5 or 6 takes on this and I settled on the one I submitted because I felt the others were too relaxed, not involved enough. Now I wish I'd saved them for comparison. I also understand about the musical reference although I do hear a fair amount of tone variation in the sample file.

The talent in the sample file is very good. If they wanted the same as him, it makes me wonder why they just don't hire him. Maybe his price is more than they want to pay?

Sid:

If they decide to go for a Grandfather type, you submission would do just fine. There wasn't enough direction here to determine exactly what they wanted. They'll know it when they hear it I guess.

Sid Whatley · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008, 22:28 (GMT) Post subject:

[quote="David Bosco"Sid:

If they decide to go for a Grandfather type, you submission would do just fine. There wasn't enough direction here to determine exactly what they wanted. They'll know it when they hear it I guess.[/quote]

Good. That's kinda what I was trying to convey. But, like you said, they'll know when they hear it.

Thom Wilkins · **Voice Talent** Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 587

OK - Yet another Kroger Smile

. BTW - Good observations and comments Connie...

Sid Whatley · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008, 23:47 (GMT) Post subject:

Thom.....that's about as "National" as you can get. Absolutely excellent. The only problem is, from my standpoint, it's not "different" and there are so many voices that can do the same thing. I'm not being critical.....just my first impression. Please don't take offense because I normally shy away from being a critic. Again......excellent!

Connie Terwilliger · **Voice Talent** Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 409

Given that they sent you to a sample that I am assuming they liked, then Thom probably did the "best" of the three posted here. I'd like to hear the dry read to compare, but it was softer overall - a gentle read that engaged me. And, yes, not very different from the sample.

Sid, your texture is different and finding the same flow and proximity that Thom used would lend a very different sound even if you copied his inflections and pacing exactly. But again, it's not about copying someone else.

I'm tired - in a strange town - and just brought my mom home from two weeks in a rehabilitation facility where she was shaking of the effects of anesthesia and morphine while trying to learn how to stand up in a walker. Her short term memory isn't what it used to be. So I hope I am making sense. Signing off now!

Thom Wilkins · **Voice Talent** Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 587