Talking Creative

This episode of Talking Creative is less about "how" and more about "why".

A more inspirational episode perhaps!

I can sometimes struggle to explain exactly why voiceover work feels important.  

And when I talk to people about what I do for a living - I tend to fall back on the lighter weight stuff because it’s an easier “in”.  Still, in comparison to midwives, accountants or firefighters - it can feel a little, well, frivolous.

But in this episode we look at how voiceover is used in more serious ways.

So settle back for this short burst of Talking Creative and hopefully it will make you think about different ways that you can use voices in your work.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It’s one of those days when everything’s gone wrong.

The client is having second thoughts about the kind of voice they want...

Or the voice who was coming in for 2pm has called in sick...

Or the voice you booked wasn't great, or their studio was pants and you need to recast...  

Or maybe you just forgot to book a voice.

Whatever it is  - you have to get this done today.

So what do you do?

In this episode, I discuss 4 great ways to find the right voice for your project when you're really up against it.

Links:

Episode 2: Where to Find the Perfect Voice Artist.

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/02-where-to-find-the-perfect-voiceover-artist/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

The start of a new academic year is the perfect time to talk about eLearning voices.

Scratch that.

Anytime is the perfect time.

We are all learning online more than ever before - and as a consequence, the eLearning industry is booming.

In this interview with Elinor Hamilton from eLearning Voices, we talk about (amongst other things):

• How the eLearning industry is changing
• Why finding the right voice is important
• What listeners are looking for in eLearning voices
• Audio Description
• And lots more voiceover gold!

You can find eLearning Voices here:

https://elearningvoices.co.uk/

And you can get in touch with Elinor here: [email protected]

And you can follow me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This week’s One Hot Voiceover Thing - be decisive.

Yesterday I had the fun of performing in the Overnight Plays.

7 Plays devised, written, directed, tech-ed and performed in 24 hours.

Like most creative projects - each play needed a director at the heart of it, making the decisions and shaping each one.

So that's what I'm talking about today - another hot creative thing for you to remember and take into your week.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

TV promos are small but perfectly formed. 

• Definitely: short and simple.

So how tricky can it be to direct a voiceover to picture, get them to interpret the script, take on board the nuances you've built into the promo, voice to the music and up- sound, voice to time, make every syllable count, create intrigue and excitement and land your message - all in 30 seconds (or less)?

•  Er... easy, right?

In this episode of Talking Creative - I run through a typical promo session.

We cover:

• What happens right at the start of the session
• Directing the main part of the script
• Timing
• Performance
• Finding the clues in the script
• Directing the tags
• Selling - but not selling

As promised - here is my website: https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/

Plus you can get hold of me by email: [email protected]

And you can follow me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

The Authentic Voice - the new Hot Topic in the World of Voiceover

I only managed to get to hear 4 talks at the One Voice Conference 2021 but they all had something in common: discussing authenticity.

In this episode, we look briefly at this One Hot Thing and see what it means for you as a director.

As promised too - here are the links to last Friday's episode 38 about conferences and why they're useful:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/38-why-the-one-voice-conference-is-useful-even-if-youre-not-a-voice-actor/

and also episode 28 - 7 ways to get your Voiceover to sound conversational:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/28-seven-ways-to-get-your-voiceover-to-sound-conversational/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This weekend it's the start of the UK One Voice Conference.

A 4-day conference that’s totally focussed on the voiceover industry.

And so what?

Unless you’re a voice actor, why should you be excited about - or even vaguely interested in - a Voiceover Conference?  

In this episode of Talking Creative, we talk about

• The changing landscape of the media industry
• Community
• Learning and inspiration
• And why conferences are greater than the sum of their parts

You can find the interview I did with Tanya Rich here:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-voice-artist-with-tanya-rich/

And the episode about Awards and why they matter is here:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/24-voiceover-awards-and-why-they-matter/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Today is National Tell a Joke Day. The perfect excuse to talk about funny voiceovers. 

In this episode we look briefly at the 9 different types of humour - and why being aware of them is crucial when you're attracting an audience.

1. Physical
2. Self deprecating
3. Surreal
4. Improvisational
5. Word-play or being witty
6. Topical
7. Observational
8. Bodily
9. Dark

And we also look at why it's less about finding a "funny" voice actor - and more about finding the right voice actor.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

So here are 4 ideas that could help you.

In this episode of Talking Creative we look at 4 ways of approaching radio ads that go beyond the “grab them in the first 5 seconds” rule:

1. Be relatable
2. Be funny
3. Talk to your audience directly
4. The power of silence

There are lots of other things you could think about - but this is just the start.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This week’s One Hot Voiceover Thing - make your first line count.

It is National Book Lover’s Day today.

The perfect time to celebrate the art of the opening line.

But why are they so important and how are they connected to Voiceovers?

In this short episode we find out why - with a bit of help from Stephen King!

Incidentally - in case you're burning to know - The Catcher in The Rye's opening line is:

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.