VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Adam Verner · Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 11:55 am Post subject: The NYC subway lady

Interesting article on the woman providing the voice for the NYC subway system:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/announcing-the-subway-announcement-lady/
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jsgilbert · Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:58 pm Post subject:

As long as I do this, I will never understand it. This woman mentions she has never rode the subway in the 15 years she has been the voice of the subway. Nor would I hazard to guess has she ever had an acting class of any kind in those same 15 years.

I am not sure what criteria they used to select her, but I will say that for years I and many other folks have wondered when they might get a professional to voice this.

Perhaps a dubious distinction at best.

Lest you think I am being overly harsh, click on the sample of her audio that accompanies the article and you will hear her somewhat nasaly voice stumble, stutter and otherwise slice, dice and shred its way through the various words she must say.

And as any of you who ride the subway can attest, it doesn't get any better in practice.
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CarynClark · Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:20 pm Post subject:

And, what kind of mic is that?
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Nelson Jewell · Guest

She's live just down the road a bit from where I work. Who would've known?

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:36 am Post subject:

That was a good piece of "Chatty Journalism", I enjoyed it.

Bruce · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:45 am Post subject:

The stumbly part comes from the computer selecting each part of her announcement and gluing it all together (not very well). And I'm guessing her nasal sound is preferred as it cuts through the roar of the subway platform or airport concourse on a busy day. Hey, whatever gets you the gig....

B
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Darren Altman · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:24 am Post subject:

Yes Bruce, sounds like an issue with the way her phrases have been stichted together and she didn't give much thought to how her rises & falls would match up. But hey, she must be doing something right. They haven't just chosen her to do the 'native New Yorker' bit, she has a great CV:

You can hear her Chicago, Washington, even Paris on the Metro. The Staten Island ferry and most of the major airports in this country, including La Guardia, Kennedy and Newark Liberty. Plus Incheon in Korea; Charles de Gaulle in Paris; Beirut, Lebanon; and China. Also John Wayne-Orange County Airport in California.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:58 am Post subject:

Lesson 1 in how to annoy the average Voiceoverist - Imply you're working.
Lesson 2 in how to annoy the average Voiceoverist - Prove you're working
....regularly

kgenus · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:06 am Post subject:

I seriously can't ever recall hearing any voice on the subway. The PATH and NJ Transit (which may or may not be her), yes, but not the subway.
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DougVox · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:14 am Post subject:

bobsouer · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:10 pm Post subject:

Doug,

I quite agree. Brilliant comment, Philip. I don't mind being that kind of annoying. Not one bit.
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melissa eX · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:02 pm Post subject:

So what's wrong with the native New Yorker?

SubwayAnnounce

Mushmelon · Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:06 pm Post subject:

Melissa...you left out "Have a nice %$#&in' day"
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Adam Verner · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:21 am Post subject:

Ha! Now that you mention it, I think I hear her voice on the Metra system here in Chicago.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:38 pm Post subject: