Unfiltered Thoughts

2022.03.31 – 0455 – The ‘Level 2’ Read Level 2 - ConversationalStyle: More ‘articulate’ than 1 (below), but not too much more. It’s still a conversational ‘speak’, casual but more ‘chilled’ than ‘street’. Even though you need to sound like you’re having a conversation, you still have to read the actual scripted words, and that’s quite a feat.You may, if the director allows, be allowed to play with pace and pause and include some authentic adlibs, an appropriate sigh, chuckle or a laugh. This voice is friendly and ‘young family’ but without being lazy and sloppy.As I said above “a style that’s more personal and trustworthy. It’s more understated, heartfelt, real and credible. In fact, the kind of way you’d talk to a friend offering insight, experience and suggesting advice, rather than a ‘hard sell’.” It feels unplanned and more spontaneous.It may also be a slower read to better connect the listener with the content, giving them time to absorb the message.Level 2 and 3 are where most people talk most of the time. To the listener you will sound ‘someone like me’. The scripted words reflect how they are used by most people, and read in a way to engage a specific demographic: ‘real people’ talking to ‘real people’ with a sentence structure to closely resemble the rhythms of natural conversation. Brand: Levels, 2,3 and 4 are the styles mainly used in explainer videos, e-learning and commercials: perhaps to people who have sought out the information and are already interested. Think everyday items such as mobile phones, pizza restaurants and washing powder. It’s often called ‘peer to peer’ read, because you sound like someone to whom you’re talking, someone who’ll buy the product or service. There’s a bit more emotion and less logic. It’s less directive and more subjective.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.30 – 0454 – The ‘Level 3’ Read Level 3Style: The style relaxes further, with a bit more character in the voice. In some situations, this may mean less projection, less pace, with a touch of ‘sell’ and a few conversational and casual contractions in the text. Becoming more authentic, relatable and believable. Brand: Conversational e-learning and commercials for businesses in, say, the finance and medical fields, not targeted at traders and medics, but the users of the services, ‘real people’. These are serious businesses but your voice style needs to reassure the customer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.29 – 0453 – The ‘Level 4’ Read Level 4Style: Serious, focused and formal; less ‘heavy’ and ‘polished’ than Level 5, and certainly warmer, but still reasonable slow, dry and articulate. At this Level and Level 3 below, your presentation style is to give trusted information to a broad market,  Brand: Perhaps for a corporate HR statement on a serious protocol such as health and safety, or a medical or ethical narration, training programs, e-learning or instructional videos or audio. On-air work may be a heart-rending appeal for charity donations: serious, but with a warm and sensitive edge and a touch of business-like formality. The voice is lower-key than previously and still ‘speaking on behalf of’ the brand.
These scripts require you to be a confident, skilled reader. You’re delivering information that the listener needs to understand.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.28 – 0452 – The ‘Level 5’ Read Level 5 Style: Clear and paced diction, shorter sentences (or even ‘statements’), and quite directive. There’s a still a heightened performance, it’s energised, direct, animated and salesy. Slick and polished. Brand: Less common nowadays for many companies, products and services but still used for presentations where luxury or class is being suggested – although in these situations although the delivery may be clipped and formal it will carry less volume and speed. Think premium service hotels, high end holidays, luxury cars, sophisticated restaurants and expensive jewellery, where the voice may be on a corporate video, commercial or telephone greeting. The language may still be formal: “our operatives are busy just at this moment in time, we request that you redial again at your convenience”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.27 – 0451 – “Can You Dial It Down A Bit?” And in doing so, if a director says “Hmm, you may wanna dial that down a bit”, you’ll be more aware of what it is that you need to dial down on, to give them the read that they need.  VOICE BOX(The list is subjective and not definitive.) Level 6 – Announcer[1] readsStyle: Loud and fast, this presenter almost shouts at the audience with energy and emotion. They are ‘in your face’ and designed to be clear and directive – although they may also turn off the audience and are pretty rare. Clichéd and cheesy, like a circus ringmaster “Ladies, gentlemen and children! Roll up, roll up!”. They are often written in a very stylised way, with irregular words and syntax[2]. Short, sharp sentences, with a high volume and high speed. Brand: Think of car salesroom adverts (and others[3]) on local TV in the US[4], gospel preachers on religious TV channels or the UK’s own Cillit Bang adverts[5]. Often used for ‘what you see is what you get’ adverts, shouting about money-saving deals, simplistic solutions, and basic brands. Basic brands? Yep. Because it sounds cheap and in your face. They were often used to announce variety-type TV shows and the style just stuck, until it became a parody of itself. Such ‘reads’ target a very broad demographic and tries to capture attention. [1] Enunciatory - https://wordsmith.org/words/enunciatory.html [2] The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTlI634j_hk [4] Such as in these spoofs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKT4BOtpHOw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqHZWdFVyyQ [5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5ycJrJNMMo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.26 – 0450 – Considerations For Other Reading Styles There are of course many styles in between these two extremes of presentation, all with differing levels of some of those variables and more. For example, your style may change depending on some or all of these (and there may be many, many more considerations):·        The content of the message – an emergency announcement or a soft sell·        The item being sold – bathroom cleaner or luxury condo·        The level of reassurance being given – grass seed or a pension plan·        The duration of the spot, together with the length of the script - five words in 15 seconds, or fifteen words in 5.·        Whether the content is ‘opt-in’ content or interrupting – a webinar someone has chosen and paid for, or a radio ad that they don’t want and have to ‘endure’ rather than enjoy.·        What else is around the message – do you want it to merge with the ambient messages or to stand out? Is the ad before an action movie at the cinema going to engage more if it is hard-hitting or a soft-sell? ·        The demographic of the audience – older/younger, male/female, their education and income and the content of the message·        Their understanding of the language in which you are speaking- arguably slower for those who have it as their second language.·        The formality of the words used - longer words will perhaps be used in the more formal and technical reads for finance and medicine, shorter colloquialisms in a natural read·        The content and the context – although the content may be similar, the presentation of an e-learning on the latest breast cancer care is likely to be different for medical staff than it will be for patients. A bank will likely use a different voice and style to target students than first time home-buyers, or small business start-ups…·        The brand and the message – is the message to ask someone to spend £5 or £5000? Are you feeding their stomach or their mind?·        And so on and so on. Therefore, it’s impossible (and unnecessary) to list every single variation of style here. However, let’s go through what may be some of the main attributes of a ‘read’, from emphatic and energetic Announcer to natural and emotional Conversational. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.25 – 0449 – The Conversational Style of Reading The Conversational StyleNow the desired sound is someone who is more authentic, relatable, believable and conversational. Consumers don’t want to be told what to buy, but to have the benefits of that item explained to them by someone ‘like me’, a friend or neighbour. This ‘real read’ style is deemed to be better at building a relationship. It’s one that’s less talking (or shouting!) ‘at you’ to one that’s more talking ‘with you’, a style-shift from ‘authority’ to ‘authenticity’, a style that’s more personal and trustworthy. It’s more understated, heartfelt, real and credible. In fact, the kind of way you’d talk to a friend offering insight, experience and suggesting advice, rather than a ‘hard sell’. Those are perhaps the two ‘extremes of a read’ – ‘energetic announcer’ to ‘close confident’, and if you think about it, the factors which cause them to be different include obvious elements such as:·        The volume and projection - Announcer: louder / Conversational: softer·        The speed of delivery - Announcer: faster / Conversational: slower But also, other variables such as:·        Length of sentences – Announcer: shorter / Conversational: longer·        Word count – Announcer: higher (because of the speed of the read) / Conversational: lower (as it is slower)·        The script punctuation – Announcer: with more pace and projection may have more direction in the punctuation  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.24 – 0448 – The Announcer Style of Reading

READING STYLESThe Announcer StyleThe ‘announcer style’ was typically an American format in the 1980s and 90s, scripts read with aggression, projection and stress. The announcer was almost telling you what to buy – in fact sometimes literally shouting at you! It was over the top and cheesy and fake. It’s a style now rarely heard apart from perhaps some local ‘used car showroom sale’ type adverts, or in parodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.23 – 0447 – Conversational Contradictions
So, let’s take what we have learnt so far to the next level. Some of what follows will enforce what we have looked at before, but other parts may seem a bit contradictory for example, building in hesitations, softening intonations and ignoring punctuations – but that doesn’t mean the previous pages/podcasts have been a waste of time. Far from it! You have to ‘know the rules’ before you can break them. After all, we don’t follow ‘the rules of the written word’ when we speak in a conversation. So, if you want to replicate that naturalistic, authentic style, then read on.
We will also look at different kinds of presentational styles and how to make sure you understand the script: not the words, but the message (or messages) and the target audience. Because, a bit like the Royal Mail, only by knowing who the message is addressed to, can it be delivered precisely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.03.22 – 0446 – Sounding Conversational - Introduction 
Kids rarely say “can you read out loud to me?” they say “can you tell me a story…?” And that’s what this section is all about: sounding natural when you’re reading a story.
Ideally listeners should not notice you, but just the material – it should appear that there is no presenter, with the audience almost absorbing the message without that verbal go-between. That’s not possible if the script is mumbled and stumbled, read without a sense of understanding, and ideas are inconsistently intonated. It’s not possible if the delivery is inconsistent with the message and the brand.
If the listener feels that the message matters to the reader, then they will be more engaged. If you are interested, it will be more interesting.
Communication doesn’t happen just because ideas have been presented. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.