LEADS AND READS - WEEK OF 4/14 TO 4/20

Dave DeAndrea · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008, 22:46 (GMT) Post subject:

This wasn't a job through the sites... just one I wrote and produced for our local Dairy Queen. Leah Houghton is the singer (lead and BGV'S) and did a great job.

Guess I've seen Dreamgirls too many times, but I love the way this turned out. Thought you might enjoy it.

Lance Blair · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008, 01:19 (GMT) Post subject:

Dave, I love your Prime Rib piece with Diane. Makes me wish I had done this with a partner instead of the awkward Dick Van Dyke working off of imaginary talent:

JJ Wright · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008, 22:55 (GMT) Post subject:

They gave me a 1 star for this one.

But that's okay, I grabbed a couple bookings this week, so the hell with them .... or did it really I suck that much?

David Oxford · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 505

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008, 03:33 (GMT) Post subject:

JJ -- you may think this is strange, but your read reminded me of Phil Hartman's Troy McClure off The Simpsons. I loved it, but I would guess that's not at all what they were going for. It sounded almost satirical. Hold on to that sound...I'm sure it's booked before and will again and again...in the right context. Yes?

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

Ones should be VERY judiciously reserved for unprofessional or BAD reads or those with techinical difficiencies -- but this topic has been beat to death, staked through the heart etc and refuses to die.

Loved the read -- again I ask, were there any directions? Impossible to tell what they wanted without them.

No ones for pros like you, JJ. Bask in those gigs. That's what counts, uh, PAYS.

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

Lance:

I really liked your Primarily spot. Your voice had just the right feel. Were they looking for specifically a Male and Female read on that one? I think it comes off better as Male only.

JJ:

#*% the 1's......there was nothing wrong with your delivery unless you completely misintrepreted the instructions. I think it just didn't fit what they had in mind and they weren't kind enough to let it go without a rating. I recall a line from a Frank Zappa song "It's a little bit cheesy but it's nicely displayed" Like Melba said, that type of delivery would work perfectly in the right application. I enjoyed listening.

Here 's a couple of things for Symmons Plumbing. One is the Male part with the Female line to follow. There was no direction for the mood on this one so I gave a few slightly different attitudes.

On the third one, they asked for a playful but not comical delivery .........Playing for Pizza???

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

Here are the particulars for that lead that JJ was rather unfairly rewarded with a 1:

We are production and post company looking to do a 30 second branding TV spot for ourselves. The read should be hip, informative, a "we've got you covered" attitude, but also warm and inviting. I hope that helps.

It will be aired in our local market and also place on our website. Please let me know what you would charge for a project like this. Replacing words or adding a song to the recording is discouraged, we've already replaced our company name in the copy.

I got a 3 for the same lead (average was 2.5) and, frankly, I don't have a problem with that.

I do think it is somewhat strange that a video production company does not have at least one or two "go-to" guys (or gals) they can call upon to do their self-promotional piece, unless they are just starting out -- or they have previously burned all their local talent.

Anyway, for comparison sake, here's mine

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

Here's one from Voices that I though was kind of fun. They wanted a Dennis Leary kind of vibe. (Half-hearted warning: it contains the remnant of a mostly bleeped naughty word.)

Nick Gerdes · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 6

my Rochester...

JJ Wright · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008, 01:10 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's my take on the Primarily Primerib, without the female voice.

There was no direction.
Project description simply said "Local restuarant spot!"

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

It's always a joy to stop in at this auditory museum. I'm always struck by the plethora of solid merchandise available to the lucky V123 seekers.

But you can't paint the barn with honey, you know, so I'll do a little slagging to retain our hat sizes. Kicks in the butt, after all, are better for forward momentum.

Super Dairy Queen, Dave. Nice spot. I had some problem with Ms. Houghton's enunciation, unable to make out exactly many of the words she was warbling.

Good sound too from Lance. To these ears, the aud may have lacked consistency, drifting from a solid announcer tone to a sudden seduction attempt at "...four distinct cuts of prime rib", and "...comfort."

For Double J to get a single star is just a silly aberration, like criticizing the Pope for wearing funny hats. I'll agree with Melba, though, that you sounded vaguely cynical on the first one, and were much more in the Wright place on the Prime Rib, although you still sounded somewhat disinterested.

I've always liked the Dave Bosco sound, too. I'd only suggest that your esses get a mite leaky, Dave, on such sibilant-heavy copy as the Symmons. I struggle with the same issue, and strive to pull my tongue a few millimeters further back on the roof of my mouth.

I thought you may have delivered warm and inviting on the Our Company clip, Lee, but came up a few clicks short of hip. Where they may have been seeking Justin Long's Mac guy, you were closer to PC.
Warm, inviting, and hip, to be sure, is admittedly a difficult hybrid.

Similarly, Mr. Geddes probably brought more 'tude to the Rochester aud.

Again, however, it's all good. I only kvetch as part of my continuing (and fading) campaign to put a bit of vinegar into the L and R honey pot.

Voices On!

Michael J. Schoen · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 198

One for the plumber --

Michael J. Schoen · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 198

Here are a couple from Diane Dimond and me...
For the book and the plumber

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008, 03:53 (GMT) Post subject:

[quote="Robert Jadah"]I only kvetch as part of my continuing (and fading) campaign to put a bit of vinegar into the L and R honey pot.
quote]

While honey is sweet and tasty, too much is sickening; vinegar cleans, tones, deodorizes and balances acidity. Baptize me in vinegar -- all you can find. Failing that, I'll take a light Chardonnay.