demo critique please

Jim Foerster · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 3

Alright, let me have it!

Thanks, Jim

Scott Pollak · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008, 04:50 (GMT) Post subject:

Jim, I gotta be brutally honest with ya, buddy: It's a yawner.

The opening just draaaaaaaaaagggggggggggeddddddddd. I was wondering when we'd EVER get into the message. And the ending was chopped off.

Nothing in this spot seemed to be in sync with each other. The music was... well... an odd choice. It just didn't seem to fit the spot. Nor did your voice. You tried to put a little twang in there that I knew from the git-go wasn't authentic and there wasn't much life in the read.

It sounds like the kind of spot a very small market, fringe station would produce for a client who is paying $50 for a spot-run. The kind of thing where the sales weasel comes back to the station with contract in hand, sits at his desk, writes the copy in about 10 minutes (or less) and then hands it to the $7.00/hour production guy to throw together to get on the air in time for the 5:00 drive show.

I know this may sound harsh, but this won't compete against the top dogs. It's simply not a good spot. Sorry!

Embarassed

Jim Foerster · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 3

Thanks for the honesty.

I do have to disagree with one thing though. I didn't consciously try to put any twang in my voice. That is my voice.

Do you have any suggestions?

Scott Pollak · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008, 15:32 (GMT) Post subject:

Well from a guy who has lived in the South his entire life, I'll have to encourage you to work on minimalizing your regionalism, or else you'll really limit yourself in terms of the work you'll get. To my ears, I have NO dialect at all, yet I get told all the time I have a SLIGHT Southern affectation, so it must be true. Sometimes it works in my favor, sometimes not. You can always ADD an accent when a client wants it, but more often than not they don't want it.

From listening to your demos I think what you need to do is spend a fair amount of time getting voice training and coaching. Your voice is okay, but you haven't seemed to learn the nuances of coaxing 'feeling' out of a script and your delivery seems unpolished. Also, I really only heard one style in the demos on your home page.

It takes quite a bit of work, experience, training, rejection and more to even make a dent in this business. Put in the groundwork, be patient, and see where it leads.

I wish you all the best!

Jim Foerster · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 3

Thanks. I appreciate the advice.

Jim