Calling Scott Pollak <------(Correct Spelling) Hit me har

George Karnes

Here is yet another demo. I am a glutton for punishment. Thank you for any feedback.

Robert Jadah · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007, 22:23 (GMT) Post subject: Scott's Caught

George:
While Scott's busy getting ready to come on stage - you now, thumbing through his thesaurus and practicing his frowny look - let me scoot in here and get the first shots in.
That is, of course, not a demo. It's just one unadorned clip.
You are very high on my list of the Coalition of the Willing, and I'm cheering for you with every wobbly step.
I thought the beginning of the piece was good and warm and caring. I'd keep it for inclusion in that eventual super George Karnes demo.
Now you need to squirrel away another six or seven snippets, send them off to one of our Mad Mixers for tweaking and production...and presto!
It's still aways off, but you're heading in the right direction, laddie.
Don't look back.
Voice On!

George Karnes · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 18:35 (GMT) Post subject:

Robert-
You are quite right that it is not a demo. Maybe we need a pre-demo thread.

I am trying to do exactly what you said. Start to assemble several snippets so I can eventually have a "real" demo.

I know a lot of people go for the commercial demo, but my thinking (such as it is) was to try to get a narration one together because it needs so much less of the whiz bangy stuff.

I really appreciate your encouragement.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 18:53 (GMT) Post subject:

Robert, thank you for the initial promotion of my upcoming performance in "Moon Over Buffalo" in which I have been blessed with the lead male role of George. I am now accepting requests for hotel reservations from the entire V123 community who I KNOW will be DYING to come to the South Metro Atlanta area in March to see this fantabulous production.

But enough about me, let's talk about ME! Laughing

Oh, no, wait, this is George's thread, darn it.

George, I'm gonna be blunt here... scrap this one. You haven't done what I recommended you do in my other critique a while back. I wanted you to go get some training and tons of practice. I'm going to be really, really blunt on this read: It's a terribly boring script and your read is unnatural. You still have that stilted, non-conversational rhythmic pattern in your reads and it is NOT going to go away until you get some training. You have a nice tone to your voice (Phyllis would say some evenly spaced, medium-sized bars with a slight gap in the upper middle, probably.... Good Gawd, I'm starting to THINK like her!!!), and when you can take that nice tonal texture and breathe real life and naturalness and realness and conversationality into a script, you'll do well. But at this moment you're no closer to being there than you were a few weeks ago.

If you want, send me a script privately to scott@voicebyscott.com and I'll do my conversational take on it and send it back to you to listen to and to try to practice with, okay? I don't know how much it'll help, but then I'm not a trained coach, but it may be a starting point.

George, you know I love ya, buddy, I mean that. But go get yer bad ol' self some voice coaching. In the meantime, hang out here with the rest of the gang and keep partying with us.

Stay blessed, bro'!

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 18:58 (GMT) Post subject:

There's also a technical problem. Sounds like it's bordering on feedback. Hollow and extremely sybilant.

George Karnes · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 19:12 (GMT) Post subject:

Hey there is the Scott I know and love you charming curmudgeon!

I have been practicing my rear end off...not working huh?

I thought some of my weird accent stuff was dissipating....maybe I am trying so hard to do that I am deadening the read. I don't know.

I don't have a live coach, (just an old dead aunt in a rocking chair that we haven't burried so we can collect her SS check.) but I have gotten some books and other stuff I am working with. Not helping huh?

Honey, how did that ax get in Aunt Mamie's forehead?

George Karnes · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 19:14 (GMT) Post subject:

Colin-
Thanks, I think that is my efforts at engineering.

Sigh....

I may never be a VO god, but maybe my son can use this equipment I am blowing money on for a garage band...

Amy Snively · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 19:16 (GMT) Post subject:

But if you keep practicing the wrong thing, it will make it harder for you to improve!

That's why taking a VO class, or an acting class, preferably both, is so important. You'll see big improvements right away and you'll love how that feels! And then your practice will be moving you in the right direction.

And that's really not the right material for a demo at all. You don't want to depress the people listening. Grab a magazine-- try Woman's Day and Car and Driver-- and read the ads aloud.

George Karnes · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007, 19:23 (GMT) Post subject:

Amy-
Thanks. I appreciate your critique too. It really is nice of you all to take the time to do it and give such helpful advice.

I know the material is a little bit harsh, it is actually from a Scout Leader training class I just took. I guess I thought the read for it should be a little solemn too. It didn't seem right to read it in an upbeat way.

I guess I made the classic Idol blunder....Wrong material.