Voiceovers talk over stuff. The clue is in the title. And anyone can talk, right? That's not really an actual job, surely? Well, yes - and no. In this episode of Talking Creative, we look at why being a voiceover isn't quite as straightforward as it might sound. And why - when it matters - it's always a good idea to get the professionals in! 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://s...
Aug 06, 2021•8 min•Ep. 34
The One Hot Thing for this episode is simple: Know Your Audience BEFORE you look for a Voiceover. You need to know who your voice is speaking to. In this short episode - we look at why this is so important and why niching is a help not a hindrance. 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....
Aug 02, 2021•6 min•Ep. 33
Museum and Audio Guides are big business right now. The heady combination of Summer holidays, rain and the lifting of Lockdown means that people are visiting more galleries, exhibitions and museums. Which has got me thinking about Museum Guides and how to find the right voice to tell your story. If you create Audio Guides and you want some inspiration... this is the episode for you! If you enjoyed this episode - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Direct...
Jul 31, 2021•15 min•Ep. 32
Well - of course not. It's how they sound that's important. But is that the whole story? In this short episode of Talking Creative, we look at: Vocal Age vs Actual Age Whether Voice Actors need photos Diversity Authenticity And why listening with your eyes shut is useful but not the whole picture If you enjoyed this episode - 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 wh...
Jul 26, 2021•8 min•Ep. 31
Verity Panter is The Queen of Queensberry - Britain's only female boxing MC And on the eve of the Tokyo Olympics, Talking Creative caught up with Verity to chat about live sports voiceovers - and what makes them unique. If you work with live voices for TV, radio, events or podcasts - this is full of fascinating and useful insights. How do directors work with live voices and what do they need to think about when they're booking them? We look at topics like planning, being reactive and storytellin...
Jul 23, 2021•29 min•Ep. 30
This week's One Hot Thing is an odd one for a Voice Actor to mention: How captions can help your content to get heard. It's true - if you want to your visual content to reach more people, a great voiceover AND captions are the way forward. In this short episode, we look at 3 reasons why you should include captions with your content. And here are the caption companies I mention: https://www.rev.com/ https://www.headliner.app/ https://www.happyscribe.com/ https://www.quicc.io/ https://www.kapwing....
Jul 19, 2021•8 min•Ep. 29
Getting your voice actor to sound conversational isn't a new idea. But it is surprisingly difficult to achieve. In this episode of "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" we look at 7 ways to get a conversational read: The script The story The golden 10 mins at the top of a session What the voice actor's role is - and who they’re talking to Subjectivity Discovering the heart of the script Posture and stance Here is the link that will hopefully explain "It's all Gone a Bit Pete Tong" ...
Jul 17, 2021•20 min•Ep. 28
Sending an easy-to-read script to your Voiceover is a no-brainer, right? And yet so many scripts arrive on spreadsheets or embedded into a storyboard. In this short episode, find out why sending over a word document can make everyone's life easier! 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....
Jul 12, 2021•6 min•Ep. 27
What does it take to make an Audio Drama? Well, there are five important elements: The Team The Tech The Rehearsals The Recording The Post-Production But - what if you want to do it all remotely? This is the story of how I worked with Questors Theatre Company during lockdown to set up an audio drama department - and what was really involved. 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://s...
Jul 09, 2021•26 min•Ep. 26
It's that time of the week where I bring you One Hot Creative Thing ... Today, it's an insight rather than a Voiceover tip. I'm often asked what the difference is between a Voiceover, a Voice Artist or a Voice Actor. Well, this is the short, sharp episode where I give you the answer. If you enjoy 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 f...
Jul 05, 2021•6 min•Ep. 25
The One Voice Awards Nominations were announced this week. So why should you care? It's all a lot of self-congratulatory hoohah, isn't it? Well - not necessarily... This week Talking Creative is looking into why awards in any industry are important and why the One Voice Awards might be useful for you! And here is the link to the One Voice Awards 2021 : https://www.onevoiceconference.com/one-voice-awards-uk-2021/ Do follow or connect with me on LinkedIn for more creative chat about working with v...
Jul 02, 2021•11 min•Ep. 24
One Hot Communication Thing that you can do today! Feedback - it seems so simple, doesn't it? But it doesn't always happen. Voice Actors are adaptable and versatile. If they don't seem to "get" what you were hoping for - simply pick up the phone and talk to them. They can almost certainly change their delivery to make it pitch perfect. They want to give you exactly what you need (and they love a bit of direction!). If you've enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Cr...
Jun 28, 2021•6 min•Ep. 23
How to give your brand the right voice In this episode we are talking about the brand voice - the literal Brand Voiceover of your company, business, product or service. We cover the following: What is a brand voice? Why you need one What to look for in your brand voice How they can benefit your business or product How to work with them effectively Do follow or connect with me on LinkedIn for more creative chat about working with voice actors and more! And you can subscribe, rate and review "Talk...
Jun 25, 2021•17 min•Ep. 22
One Hot Timing Thing that you can implement today It's often not so much what you say - but how you say it. So allowing your Voice Actor enough time in the script to land your message with impact just makes sense. In this short episode, find out why leaving pauses in your script and not making it wall-to-wall information is so important. If you've enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts and Go to https://sa...
Jun 21, 2021•5 min•Ep. 21
Music and Voiceover are a well established double act. From commercials and corporate films to dramas and video games - it's a rare voiceover project that doesn't have music somewhere, even if it's just a sting or mnemonic at the start and end. In this episode of Talking Creative, I talk to US Composer and Speakeasy Producer Garrett Neal all about music and voiceover. We look at questions like: Why are music and voiceover such a compelling combination? Does the voiceover affect your music choice...
Jun 18, 2021•45 min•Ep. 20
One Hot Music Thing that you can implement today Music can be a crucial part of any creative project. It sets the tone, the pace and the emotional context. In this short episode, find out why sending the music to your voice talent along with the script is so important. If you've 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....
Jun 14, 2021•4 min•Ep. 19
This is the episode that isn't really an episode... ...it's an update! A slightly new approach to the Talking Creative podcast is about to happen - and here's the skinny. But more importantly - I want to know what YOU want to hear about in terms of voice directing. Are there any questions you want answered? Any topics you'd love to see covered that would give you more insights or info into working with professional voices? Do let me know - no matter how small. You can: Contact me at sam@samantha...
Jun 12, 2021•6 min•Ep. 18
How to write a killer Casting Brief in 5 simple steps If you need to find voice actors for your projects - you need to know how to write an effective casting brief . One that can be used on a casting site or even sent to an agent or a casting director. A great brief will enable you to find the kind of voiceover you really need - not the 50 or 500 voice actors that you don't need! This episode talks you through a laser-sharp approach that will take you from a blank page to a full-on killer brief....
Apr 25, 2021•30 min•Ep. 17
April 16th 2021 is World Voice Day. And this episode is a Talking Creative Special . World Voice Day is all about celebrating the phenomenon of the voice so in this episode I bring you many voices from across the World - all celebrating one thing: Working with Voice Directors . I asked voice actors for their thoughts and stories about working with voice directors from their side of the glass - and I got back some amazing stuff. This episode is packed with actionable insights, likes and dislikes ...
Apr 16, 2021•38 min•Ep. 16
As a voiceover director, getting the best out of your voice actor is at the heart of what you do. Being able to adapt in the moment and pull some solutions out of your voice directing box of tricks can be very useful. This week - I'm talking to Nic Redman, Voice Actor and Vocal Coach - who has got some brilliant ideas to support and enhance the average studio session. There are many different reasons why a voice artist might need extra support: Perhaps they're an author who’s narrating their own...
Mar 17, 2021•49 min•Ep. 15
Storytelling is big right now. Stories are relatable and they connect us - so it makes sense to create a natural, easy storytelling feel from your voiceover artist. That's quite straightforward when it’s an audiobook, a game or an audiodrama. But how do you achieve it with corporate work? This week's episode has got you covered! We look at 5 things to consider when you're tackling corporate work: Casting The script Briefing Directing Post production New ideas about how to make your videos, comme...
Mar 06, 2021•25 min•Ep. 14
The audiobook industry is booming. Listening to books has never been more popular - fact or fiction, we all love a good listen. But finding the right narrator is a complex art. In this episode, I'm talking to Amber Bates from Orion Books about the part she plays in getting a book from a manuscript and into our ears. We cover all kinds of stuff, including Casting - and who is involved in the process What to look for in your audiobook narrator The listener and why they're so important How to work ...
Jan 20, 2021•37 min•Ep. 13
Do Voice Actors Need Experienced Directors? At first glance, this seems a surprising statement to even be debating - but with budgets being increasingly squeezed across the creative industries, voice actors are finding that they're being directed by all kinds of people from production teams - not necessarily experienced directors. Voice Directors have a unique and precious skillset. So - along with the insights and comments from a number of voice actors and industry professionals - this is the s...
Jan 03, 2021•15 min•Ep. 12
Audiobooks are incredible. Fact or fiction - great storytelling is an art. But what is it about a really good narrator that works and how do they learn how to pull the listener into their story? The answer - as with most things in life - is because they’ve worked at it: they’ve learnt their craft. Which is where a great audiobook coach comes in. In this episode, I’m talking to Sean Pratt - multi-award-winning narrator, actor and coach - who has voiced over 1000 Audiobooks for companies including...
Dec 11, 2020•50 min•Ep. 11
Casting the right narrator for your audiobook is important - but should you be thinking beyond the obvious if you want to reach new audiences? For instance - would The Great Gatsby still work if the audiobook narrator was neither American nor male? Audiobooks are booming during 2020. Whether that’s because we need entertainment, escapism or comfort right now… whatever the reason: audio is big news. Audiobooks are finding new audiences – young audio-fans, listeners who don’t usually buy books a...
Nov 23, 2020•9 min•Ep. 10
This episode of Talking Creative is all about getting your voiceover to feel confident. But why is this so important - surely they just need to bob into the booth and deliver? Well - yes - this is true. But confident, relaxed people generally perform better when they're feeling good - they're braver and bolder - which is great for creative work. In this episode we cover 10 practical ways for you to get the best performance out of your voice actor during a directing session, including: Direct, bu...
Nov 15, 2020•17 min•Ep. 9
Winning awards can elevate your career, open new doors and impress your boss. With an eye on PromaxUK - this week, Talking Creative looks at what makes a winning promo and how important is the Voiceover in the mix? This episode was recorded in November 2020 - in the week of the historic US Presidential Elections and the annual PromaxUK Awards Ceremony. We discuss Why winning awards is not just a bit of industry fun - it can really make a difference Current Trends in UK Promos and how voiceovers ...
Nov 07, 2020•10 min•Ep. 8
Every director wants to work with professional voiceovers who are fully trained, understand what’s needed and can reproduce what they promise on their reels. So in this episode - I’m talking about the importance of voice coaching this week with British voiceover and coach Tanya Rich. We look at: Why voice coaching is increasingly important for all pro voiceovers How to spot a trained voice artist How to get the most out of your voice actor What makes a good voice director Tanya is the voice coac...
Oct 31, 2020•35 min•Ep. 7
Have you ever wanted to book a professional voice for a project and thought - "I haven’t got the faintest idea how much a voice artist costs. And I don’t know where to start." Then How Much Does a Professional Voice Artist Really Cost is the episode for you. We're looking at professional voiceover rates in 4 key areas - and talking real costs: Audiobooks, Corporate narration, E-learning and Telephone Messaging/IVR. There's also a ton of information that will help you calculate costs in other voi...
Oct 24, 2020•13 min•Ep. 6
I love a good television ad - and this week, that's what I've been thinking about! In this episode I'm looking at TV advertising and commercials - why the ad industry is struggling and discussing how voiceovers can help with their messaging and cut-through. I also look at current trends in voiceover delivery - and consider why reassuring, caring voices are popular right now as well as the conversational voice. Here are the links to the adverts: John Lewis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5_0Jl_t...
Oct 16, 2020•14 min•Ep. 5
