Do You Have A Radio Demo Or A Voiceover Demo?

Since its grand opening last month, VOCareer.com has evaluated hundreds of voiceover talent demos. One of the key areas we look for is if a demo meets or exceeds industry standards.

We have noticed that the demos that come from folks with a radio background usually suffer the worst kind of fundamental demo rule breaking. Current and former radio personnel need to understand that the standards set forth in radio are very different than those set forth in voiceovers.

At VOCareer.com, we have a special classification for "radio demos" in our evaluation process and we try to help those presenting demos to us see where their radio background has potentially hurt them and not helped them. If you are currently in radio or you're a recent radio cast-off; this article will address problems your demo may have. We'll also look at corrective measures so that voiceover clientele will take you seriously.

Problem: The Radio delivery

Most radio demos are laden with what we call a 'radio' sound. The pieces that comprise the demo are presented in a style that sounds more like a DJ doing a live read or endorsement. This is a common problem, and while it displays your gift for announcing, it does not convey a universally personal message to the audience.

The sound you offer may be too familiar, as though you are assuming that the audience already knows you. This works well if you are a radio jock, but voiceover talent must prove that their familiarity lies not in a previous encounter, but rather in the ability to assume a role or character within the script and act-out a part.

Solution: Acting your way to be better read

Just like in radio, your voiceover audience fits into a certain demographic. However unlike radio, the demographic changes with every single voiceover you are asked to audition or perform. You have an obligation to look at each piece of copy individually in order to target the right people.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Who am I talking to? Define the audience as best as you can -- really get personal.
2. What's in it for them? What selling point or benefit should the buyer be made aware of?
3. Who am I? Define who you are in relation to the audience. Again, be very specific.

The more you explore these three questions the better you will be at meeting the needs of your client by assuming an actual, trusted role in a consumer's life. You won't just be the guy/gal on the radio; you'll be there friend, boss, co-worker, relative, teacher, etc.

Problem: Local copy

The quality of the writing that goes into local commercials can be pretty poor. These spots are very patterned and predictable. They rarely, if ever, give an actor the opportunity to assume a role within the script and play a vested part. Instead they usually force radio talent to play a removed role, the disembodied announcer is often as defined as your character gets. Sadly, radio rarely teaches its employees to look past the word 'announcer.' And radio copywriters usually are not concerned with character development; that duty rests squarely in the hands of the performer, and it's no easy task.

Solution: Use regional & national copy

When building a demo, like cooking a meal, you have the responsibility of serving up quality ingredients to make your demo extra tasty. Great copy is like home-made chicken stock -- it becomes the foundation of the meal. You want to use the best copy you can get.

Local spots - even if it is work you have done or been paid for -- may not allow you to show your voice in the best light. Instead select national and regional ads from the radio, TV and magazines that are best suited for your sound and style of delivery. Better copy can improve the quality of your demo by greater than 40%!

Problem: Production style

There are always tell-tale signs of a demo that is comprised of radio station-produced material, and those signs are often in the style of production too. Upon inspection, professionals can hear that the same over-processed compression is affecting every read. Clients can hear the unnatural and heavy gate of the station's compression, and what's more, they are usually vividly aware that all the demos' parts and pieces have been produced at the same location on the same equipment by the same hands.

Solution: Hire a professional demo producer

Hire a pro, or learn the rules for demo production and apply them yourself. A professional standard VO demo offers a realistic blend of the pieces that make up the demo, and offers subtle nuances in sound that makes us aware of different mics, recording settings and mastering. The production elements should never distract from your voice, either, which is why over-the-top car dealer, night club and concert commercials are usually avoided on a voiceover demo, because they distract too much from your voice. Your demo should not change your voice. Instead, it should let us hear a rich and full usage of your voice in different applications.

Navigating the transition from radio to voiceovers can be tough, but if you approach the process with an open mind, you'll fare far better than most of your radio brethren.