Christy Harst – Narration Voiceovers
Narration voice over is all around us, in commercials, promos, documentaries, explainer videos, animations, audiobooks, and more. You can hear narrator’s voices on television, radio, podcasts, and the web. Being that narration is so ubiquitous, a narration voice actor needs to be highly adaptable, versatile, and be able to meet the needs of lots of different projects.
How do professional voice actors tailor their voice to a specific narration voice over project?
The answer may be different for every voice actor. When delivering a narration voice over script, the voice actor needs to identify the overall purpose of the project. Is the narration meant to tell a story, and serve as a connection between different scenes in an audiobook or radio program? Is the narrator the voice of a specific character, with their own personality and worldview? Or is the narration meant to communicate technical information for an e-learning video or a documentary, in a dynamic and engaging way?
NARRATION VOICE OVER VIDEOS
Once a voice actor has determined the overall goal of the narration, they can move forward with shaping their voice to the specific needs at hand. This could mean embodying a particular character, taking on a specific accent, or finding the right tone for the piece. A skilled voice actor can manipulate many aspects of their voice to fit a certain mood or style, and this becomes very important when delivering narration voice over. A successful delivery will have all of the right vocal cues, including emotional quality, emphasis, and timing, that create the perfect experience for the audience.
A closer look at the important elements of narration voice over
Tone, pitch, and emotional quality: When we break it down, one of the most important aspects of the narrator’s voice is the emotional state they are communicating to the audience. Perhaps the narrator of a story is the young and naïve son of a farmer, whose voice needs to capture a sense of innocence and youth. The voice actor might use a higher pitch to simulate the voice of a child, and may assume a cheerful tone, as the character describes their world through trusting eyes. Alternatively, if the narrator is not meant to be a character, but is instead describing an ocean scene for a nature documentary, they might use a lower pitch and a more serious tone, yet have moments of higher pitch that communicate a sense of awe at the wonder of ocean life. Together, these vocal cues can signal the right emotions to the audience.
Emphasis and energy level: Another important aspect of narration voice over is the deliberate emphasis placed on specific words, and the overall energy level. If the narration of a scene is high energy, upbeat, and fast-paced, this will get the audience’s attention and get their hearts pumping. This could be suitable for a dramatic scene, to match the level of energy with the amount of action that’s happening. In addition, a voice actor needs to determine which words in the script are the most critical to emphasize to the audience, and why. Putting more energy into a specific line, to make it stand out among the rest, will also grab the audience’s attention in order to achieve a specific purpose. The skilled narration voice actor will be able to select the right words to emphasize and will know exactly how to get the job done.
Timing and overall pace: While this was mentioned earlier, the importance of timing deserves to be described in greater detail. We all know that good timing is an essential part of telling a joke, but the correct timing of a delivery is critical in all types of communication – especially narration. Pauses can build up suspense or tension, and maintain the audience’s attention. The overall pace also creates a feeling, and changes in that pace can be used to signal a change in the story. For example, a quickening pace can be used to heighten the level of drama, or escalate the emotions in a scene. Conversely, a well-timed silence or slower pace can relieve the tension the audience is feeling.
With so many types of narration voice over, versatility is key!
You need a highly experienced, professional voice actor with the versatility and creativity to successfully deliver your narration voice over script. That’s why you need Christy Harst.
Christy Harst brings life to your narration voice over projects with her smooth, even-toned voice. She has provided a rich voice for corporate training videos, a depth of tone for presentations, and an easy, pleasant tone for documentaries. Christy has the skill to deliver the tone and style that best fits your product, service, and brand and keep your audience inspired to listen to every word.
So let’s get started! Contact Christy today to get all of your narration voice over projects done right!
