I try to put myself in “other people’s shoes” in order to understand where they’re coming from. Having worked “both sides of the glass,” I find it’s pretty easy to put myself in the shoes of a producer or casting person. I probably understand their job a little better than many voice over folks, especially relative newcomers to voice-over.
If you’re a producer or casting person who’s never gotten behind a microphone, you might discover some interesting things about formatting copy that will help you get the most out of voice talent. Just slip off your comfy shoes and step into the shoes of those people who bring your copy to life.
Cobbling Copy
Right now, in my mind’s eye, I’m wearing Jean’s ballet pumps, teal with white polka dots (They’re quite fetching, but a little tight. Jean has relatively dainty feet.), and I’m having trouble seeing the script that was sent to her for a Source-Connect session. You see, Jean might have delicate feet, but she’s got lousy eyesight. Coke bottles for lenses, basically. The typeface looks to be 10 point sans serif Calibri, single spaced. The producer who sent the script doesn’t know Jean is seriously short-sighted. But, by just slipping into her shoes, it becomes apparent that using a serif font, e.g., Times New Roman, Cambria, or Garamond in Microsoft Word, 12 point or, even better, 14 point, double-spaced, would be a great standard for all copy sent to voice talent. That way the talent is ready to go right off that bat, with no need to resize or reprint the copy. Why serif type? There’s some pretty good research that shows serif typefaces (like the one you’re reading now) are easier to read from paper. Sans-serif typefaces, e.g., Arial or Tahoma, are easier to read from a screen.
Say What?
Now, let’s slip into Barry’s trainers, sneakers, tennis shoes, or whatever you call ’em in your neck of the woods. First thing I notice is a bit of a funky odor. Hopefully, Barry doesn’t wear these things to live, in-studio sessions. Anyway, the second thing I notice is that the script on Barry’s copy stand contains some strange proper names, a few medical and scientific terms, and a phrase in what appears to be Polish. The third thing I notice is that no pronunciations are provided for any of those words and phrases. Go ahead. Hold your nose, put on Barry’s shoes, and you’ll find that it would really help him if written pronunciations or, even better, links to online pronunciations were provided. With pronunciations, he has the chance before the session, whether directed by you or self-directed by him, to learn how to pronounce those pesky terms and get through the copy quickly and confidently. By the way, Barry: sprinkle some baking soda in those sneaks and sit ’em out in the sun to air out.
Slower Is Better
OK. One more. I’m slipping into Margery’s stylish mules (hmm, my toes are bit cramped plus, my goodness, I see I need a pedicure!), and, well, she’s up against it. Too much copy to read in this 30 second radio spot she received. Here, try on Margery’s mules. See what she sees? Ten lines of 12 pt Times New Roman, ten words across. That’s 100 words to perform in 30 seconds. And it’s a light, emotive spot for a romantic getaway to the Caribbean! Eighty words is about the maximum for a brisk, confident 30 second read. With a spot that requires milking words and pauses for effect, like this one, it’s better to come in at around 70 words or fewer. Take a look online for “script timer” for a words to time calculator. By formatting copy with the talent in mind, you’ll save a lot of time re-writing later.
So, there you have it. We’ve taken a short walk (no need to trudge the proverbial “mile”) in a few voice actors’ shoes and discovered two things: 1) formatting copy to help you get the best out of the voice talent you cast and, 2) my calves look great in these stiletto heels. Wait. Who wears stilettos to a VO session?!