Comments on: The Problem with Speaking Conversationally in Video Tutorials http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/27/the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally/ Technical Communication Blog / Technical Writing Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:35:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark Rudden http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/27/the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally/comment-page-1/#comment-136376 Mark Rudden Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:57:53 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=2351#comment-136376 >>I started gesturing a little with my hands while recording. Interestingly, it made a large difference. If you've ever watched the "behind the scenes" videos of actors doing voiceover for animated movies, you'll notice that they often gesticulate and move around when speaking. They have facial expressions, too, appropriate to the content. This is a common professional technique for making your voice sound natural and "real", and anyone doing voiceover will benefit from using it. >>I started gesturing a little with my hands while recording. Interestingly, it made a large difference.

If you’ve ever watched the “behind the scenes” videos of actors doing voiceover for animated movies, you’ll notice that they often gesticulate and move around when speaking. They have facial expressions, too, appropriate to the content. This is a common professional technique for making your voice sound natural and “real”, and anyone doing voiceover will benefit from using it.

]]> By: Holly http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/27/the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally/comment-page-1/#comment-136291 Holly Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:36:49 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=2351#comment-136291 When I travel on business, Delta Airlines always shows sitcoms on the shorter trips instead of movies. I don't always listen, but I can't help watching the screen. It's amazing how demonstrative and animated the actors are. Your friend's suggestion on using gestures make a lot of sense. Your voice-over work is another great example of the variety of activities technical writers are drawn into in the course of our work! When I travel on business, Delta Airlines always shows sitcoms on the shorter trips instead of movies. I don’t always listen, but I can’t help watching the screen. It’s amazing how demonstrative and animated the actors are. Your friend’s suggestion on using gestures make a lot of sense.

Your voice-over work is another great example of the variety of activities technical writers are drawn into in the course of our work!

]]> By: Harry Miller http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/27/the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally/comment-page-1/#comment-136211 Harry Miller Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:05:56 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=2351#comment-136211 I had a small epiphany in high school about energized speaking. I was sitting behind a friend in a row of desks in a classroom, and I made some comment. He didn't just turn around and flatly say "what?" Instead, he turned, cupped his hand behind his ear, leaned forward and in a high tone said "Ehhhh?" I was just struck by the image of him with his hand behind his ear, something no one actually does, and for which there is no real purpose, and thought how fun it was -- he didn't try to just communicate; he put on a tiny little show. So I try to put that same energy into what I do whenever possible. I had a small epiphany in high school about energized speaking. I was sitting behind a friend in a row of desks in a classroom, and I made some comment. He didn’t just turn around and flatly say “what?” Instead, he turned, cupped his hand behind his ear, leaned forward and in a high tone said “Ehhhh?” I was just struck by the image of him with his hand behind his ear, something no one actually does, and for which there is no real purpose, and thought how fun it was — he didn’t try to just communicate; he put on a tiny little show. So I try to put that same energy into what I do whenever possible.

]]> By: Stephanie Ciccarelli http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/27/the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally/comment-page-1/#comment-136183 Stephanie Ciccarelli Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:36:21 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=2351#comment-136183 Hi Tom, Thank you for writing about your experiences with coaches and also your journey as a voice over artist. Another way you can rehearse is to read copy (for practice) off of the back of cereal boxes, print ads, pretend news reports, narrate articles online and also experiment with narration for audio books by joining LibriVox.org, a community I often recommend when voice actors are looking for experience and a supportive group to network with when getting their feet grounded in audio book narration. Reading to your kids is a great way to rehearse and stretch your skills. I wrote an article about that myself within the last few weeks on my blog VOX Daily ( http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/ ). Keep doing it! It's good for you but even better for them. Also I'd like to invite you to check out Voices.com. I'm a little biased but I am confident that if you are finding our competitor's site to be a good resource, you will love Voices.com. Thank you again for writing this and I hope you're having a good holiday. Best wishes, Stephanie Ciccarelli Co-founder of Voices.com Hi Tom,

Thank you for writing about your experiences with coaches and also your journey as a voice over artist.

Another way you can rehearse is to read copy (for practice) off of the back of cereal boxes, print ads, pretend news reports, narrate articles online and also experiment with narration for audio books by joining LibriVox.org, a community I often recommend when voice actors are looking for experience and a supportive group to network with when getting their feet grounded in audio book narration.

Reading to your kids is a great way to rehearse and stretch your skills. I wrote an article about that myself within the last few weeks on my blog VOX Daily ( http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/ ). Keep doing it! It’s good for you but even better for them.

Also I’d like to invite you to check out Voices.com. I’m a little biased but I am confident that if you are finding our competitor’s site to be a good resource, you will love Voices.com.

Thank you again for writing this and I hope you’re having a good holiday.

Best wishes,

Stephanie Ciccarelli
Co-founder of Voices.com

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