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Critique

 
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McCloudVoice
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:53 pm    Post subject: Critique Reply with quote

Hello all,

I'm new to the board and would like to get some general VO feedback. These "demos" are a conglomoration of stuff I've voiced here at home for a variety of purposes... they are pretty haphazard, contain less than recent work in some cases, and some audio may be duplicate between them. The mix on the "trailer" is my own, and I realize the second half is, well, poorly mixed.

I suppose my questions lie mostly in "where should I go with it?" (if anywhere). I'm thinking of submitting a commercial demo to a casting service locally (which does national clients, ISDN feed, etc.) in order to keep what was once a passion from my radio days alive and well if possible... and of course make a few bucks.

I didn't have any spots laying around, so I hope these will do to showcase general voice characteristics, etc. I really need to dig up some copy for spots and find a good producer as much of what you hear has been produced by radio friends, etc.

Penny for your thoughts? Much appreciated!
-Dave McCloud

http://mccloud.legatocafe.net/demoaudio/McCloudVOProducedByIgorRadioCom96k.mp3 CHR/Rock Voice Image Promo Demo

http://voice123.com/mp3/demos/demo261336121_65342.mp3 TV Promo Demo

http://mccloud.legatocafe.net/demoaudio/OnTheLambTrailer-RevB-192kbps.mp3 Trailer Demo
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McCloudVoice
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:01 am    Post subject: One more Reply with quote

http://mccloud.legatocafe.net/demoaudio/random.mp3
"Miscellaneous"
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dagoldenknight86
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I listened to your CHR demo and it sounds great! My only thought is some of the music clips are a litle long. Something that I personally look for in a demo when selecting a voice for my stations is range. For a good part of your demo it was the same "sound" which is fine if that's all you can do. But listening to the TV demo you sound like a normal human being. Perhaps sounding more real with a CHR attitude in that demo at parts may be helpful and will show you have a wider range.

That's just my $0.02 cents. It sounds great! Good luck!
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richgates
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with most of goldenknight's comments. If you are looking for representation from an agency, you are going to need a good commercial demo. It's good that you can do promos and trailers as well, but for talent agencies their bread and butter is commercials so that is what you're going to need in order to get in the door.

I would focus on a demo that showcases your range. It is really important that your demo sounds good, so if you can afford to have it done professionally, I would do that. Before having it produced I would make sure you feel 100% confident in your acting ability. If you aren't, I would recommend finding someone you can study with in your area until you feel confident. You will be much happier with the end result and have a better chance of getting represented if your demo stands out from the rest.
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen


Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave,

I thought those demos were all pretty amazing for "a conglomoration of stuff I've voiced here at home for a variety of purposes." Did you produce the spots at home as well? If so, you could make some bucks producing as well. the only thing is you would probably need a commercial demo as well and those three demos are rather longish, it'd edit them down to the best stuff possible.

That's my $.02, keeping in mind that I'm still working on my own demo!
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McCloudVoice
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Knight and Rich! -- and jrodriguez! (I'm editing my reply!)

The CHR/Rock Promo stuff was done to full length, so I left them as is while collecting more material to add to it... but I agree if I were to be listening to a demo I probably would want the "quick hit" version of it rather than listening to song clips the whole time. I like the idea of incorporating the "real" with that stuff, though. And I assume that the "real" in the TV demos was a good thing (if I'm reading you correctly)? For many of them, the thought in my mind seemed to be "Joe Cipriano," and I'm hoping I pulled that sort of thing off in my own way with decent result.

What direction should I shoot for with the commercial reads? Having heard it, are there any particular "categories" of spots to which it might lend itself more readily in your opinions?

The two things holding up my making a commercial demo are lack of good copy (somewhere, there used to be a free database) and the MX library to produce it with. Everyone I know does mostly imaging, and that's most of what they have on hand... I just trade them producer credit. The imaging stuff is mostly produced by others, but the trailer and a few of the TV pieces are my "production" work... most of the ones involving edited music. The ones with cool production elements... not mine. :(

I like the idea of a professionally recorded demo, but my budget is a bit low for the moment... if anyone knows a good, reasonable studio in the Cleveland area, let me know! I'd be very open to exploring that!

Many thanks, again... all feedback appreciated and I look forward to hearing more!

-Dave
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Hart
Assistant Asylum Chief


Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 2107
Location: Foley, AL

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave,

Qualification: I seem to be a much better critiquer than vo. Also, I know I'm a much better producer than voice actor.

Your CHR demo voice is understated but very interesting. I really like it. There is some fantastic stuff in here! Yeah, cut everything down. Way too long. Don't give the listener a chance to get bored.

I didn't hear a single thing in the TV demo that excited me. The start to the serial killer piece was okay, but you lost me after the first couple of sentences.

The trailer: better than the tv stuff but it still doesn't make me go "WOW! " which you are fully capable of doing.

Random: I just noticed, the Friends music bed sounds weird under your voice. It's pumping or something. After that, I got bored and started typing most of this.

This may seem a little harsh but it's certainly not meant to be that way. You have a phenomenal voice and it you know how to use it. With the exception of some of the imaging stuff I don't think any of this is giving the listener your best.

Where should you go with it? Anywhere you want. There's no doubt in my mind you can make money with your voice but before you contact any casting houses work up a good commercial demo.

Brian
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper


Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hart wrote:
Random: I just noticed, the Friends music bed sounds weird under your voice. It's pumping or something.

From listening to it, it sounds like it had some heavy limiting/compression going on. If said processes were done to the music and voice (as they are probably a single track) you'll get this in and out sound. Suggest you try to get the voice separate from the music and only apply compression to the voice.
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Hart
Assistant Asylum Chief


Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 2107
Location: Foley, AL

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah, that'll cause that pumping. Quite often I hear it when producers set up automated ducking improperly.
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Brian Hart Productions
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jrodriguez315
A Hundred Dozen


Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hart wrote:
Quite often I hear it when producers set up automated ducking improperly.
That's just fowl!
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Donovan
Cinquecento


Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 595
Location: Raleigh/Durham, NC

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

**Threadjack Alert**
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Donovan

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