VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Bruce]

I'm always amazed at all the people who don't do their research. Actually, I'm frequently stunned...thus the odd expession that oft serves as my countenance.

Bruce, MP




(Master of Puzzlement)

[Hart]

Yes, an idea (as received from a Dan O'day newsletter) that I've adopted is to call the business of the ad I'm working on just to make sure the phone number is correct, I also check web addresses. It impresses them and makes sure I don't have to redo the ad.

I also like to double check pronouciations. Back when I was in Mobile, AL it drove me nuts to hear out of town talent say Mo-BILE or MO-bil. It's mo-BEAL. Anytime a hurricane came though you'd hear it wrong on the national news a lot.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[donrandall]

Hart, you have obviously had an attack of logic. Sheesh, checking the phone numeber and web address..... Picky, picky, picky - - and SMART!

When I enter into anything, before I even get started, I make it a point to ask what do I need to know about pronunciation that may not be obvious. Names of streets and cities can really jump up and bite ya.

A good example is a town that John Bailey and I each worked in (at different times because I am soooooo much older than he). The town in just outside of Lansing Michigan. The name of the town is Charlotte. Now, the Charlotte most people are familiar with has the accent on the first syllable and the "O" in the second syllable is not pronounced as if it is an "O". The Charlotte in Michigan has the accent on the last syllable and the "O" is pronounced as a short "O" not an ambiguous vowel of undetermined heritage. Someone reading a script with the name of that town in it, without any direction, not having asked for guidance, would soon be doing just what you mentioned - recutting the spot.

[Bruce]

Of course the flip side of checking addresses and phone numbers is that if you have read them right, but the agency got them wrong, they have to pay you a fee to correct them. Re-reading for copy errors has been a small but notable part of my income over the years.

B

[Hart]

good point. I was referring to my production gig at the stations though and I don't get paid any more or less no matter how many revisions I make. Plus and Minus to being salaried I suppose.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[johnbailey]