Online Learning

2025 VOICEOVER FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Starts:   January 22nd, 2025

Time:    Every Wednesday 7 - 9 PM for eight sessions

Cost:    $320 payable in installments via Venmo or Square Payment Processing.

EMAIL Keith@BeAnActor.com and ask to join this course. 

COURSE DESCRIPTION  Course focuses on the analysis and delivery of ad copy for radio and TV as well as narration for dramatic TV. You’ll be required to record at home and submit to a provided link. Workbook with practice copy provided as download to continue studying after class is completed. Class held via Zoom limited to 8 students.  

Week 1 - Overview of voice work

• Vocal health and maintenance dos and don’ts
• Warm-ups for articulation and preparing to speak
• Word coloration to communicate emotional point of view
• Breaking down ad copy and the core idea of “having the conversation”
• Expected patterns of delivery
• HOMEWORK: Your first practice spot
  • Your first VO spot
  • Download and install a DAW on your computer

Week 2 – your recording space and setting up your VO Workstation

• Mitigation of sound infiltration and bounce in your space
• Setting up and using your microphone
• Using your DAW - Open a new project, Record your voice, Room Tone, Basic Edits, Exporting
• HOMEWORK:   Re-record your first VO spot using your DAW

Week 3 - Working 2-Person Conversational Copy 

• How to see voiceover copy like an actor
• What breaking down the copy tells you
• Working with another voiceover actor 
• How you sound is how you feel about what you’re saying - let us hear it.
• Paralinguistic cues
• Physicalization - use your body
• You are the product user - love the product
• How to take direction from engineers and ad executives and the conflicts that can occur
• HOMEWORK: Choose one from a selection of spots and record it with your partner using concepts learned.

Week 4 - Working solo Conversational Copy

• Feedback on homework and in-class direction on corrections
• Solo copy that is tangential to the product vs. connected to the product
• Having a conversation with someone who isn’t there
• Using paralinguistic cues 
• Energy versus speed
• Connecting
• HOMEWORK: Choose one from a selection of Solo spots and record it applying concepts from class.

Week 5 - Working Soft Sell Copy

• Feedback on homework and in-class direction on corrections
• Sell the feeling not the product
• Authenticity in sales copy - addressing the need not the sales.
• The three act format in soft sell
• Using physicality to make things sound great or easy.
• HOMEWORK: Choose one from a a selection of Soft Sell copy and record it applying concepts from class.

Week 6 - Working Hard Sell Copy

• Feedback on homework and in-class direction on corrections
• Hard sell does not mean insincere
• Stakes
• Creating immediacy and urgency
• Energy and excitement.
• Using conditionals and FOMO
• Have the conversation
• HOMEWORK: Choose one from a selection of spots and record it.

Week 7 - Working Narration for dramatic TV

• Feedback on homework and in-class direction on corrections
• The similarities and differences between Advertising and dramatic narration
• Being the voice in someone’s head
• Sensing mood/tone in the copy
• Building tension
• Thinking the soundtrack
• HOMEWORK: Choose a piece of Narration copy from provided examples and record it applying concepts discussed in class.

Week 8 - Final class - where to pursue work

• Strategies for continued practice and growth
• Where to look for work
  • Online options
  • VO Houses
  • VO Agents
• What to charge for your work (never work for free)
• Using your networks and the ease of online advertising
• Marketing