It might not sound like an announcer but are we telling a story?
As voice actors, we're constantly riding the wave of change in our industry. Casting specs are like the compass guiding us through this sea of opportunity. They're not about faulting casting directors or clients; they're more like snapshots of what brands are craving at the moment. Our job? To interpret these snapshots and bring them to life in our own unique way. It's a bit like walking a tightrope – balancing patience, talent, instincts, and keeping cool in the whirlwind of trends, deadlines and snap decisions.
Think back a decade. The buzzword in casting specs was "conversational." Brands wanted voices that felt like grabbing a drink with a buddy – laid-back, friendly, and definitely not like an announcer. But fast forward to today, and we've taken a quantum leap. Now, the goal is to sound unlike any typical voiceover artist. They want raw, unpolished, even a tad inexperienced – a far cry from the rehearsed "conversational" tone we've grown used to.
What's wild is that sounding conversational has kind of become a cliché in itself. Striving for authenticity, that overly slick, commercial vibe just doesn't cut it anymore. We have had to step up our game, investing in top-notch home studios to give us that pro edge. It's the difference between sounding like a seasoned pro and someone recording an audition on their iPhone in a noisy store. But are our studios, our sound - even that turning us into predictable dinosaurs? Recording on the go in an airport - is that the new authentic? Maybe so.
For me, embracing this shift means reinventing my voice and tackling the challenge of sounding fresh and green, even after years of delivering polished performances for satisfied clients. It's reinventing and retraining my voice, abandoning the comforts of muscle memory and embracing vulnerability. While scary. it's a journey, with its fair share of bumps, but it's also a testament to our adaptability as artists in a constantly evolving field.