Experimentation VaVaVoom (Ad)

Va Va Va Voom Shampoo Ad + Feedback

As you can see on the script, this ad already has some direction for vocals, what they want personality wise as well as the target market and ideas for Sound effects.

This advert was more bubbly than the Heinz advert.

One of the biggest suggestions in experimentation was the VaVa 'Voom' - deciding which way to pronounce it. I ended up trying it both ways and incorporated both into the script this is due to a part of the script 'Va-Va-Va-Vooom' - due to the fact that it's elongated I decided to say it differently to the other times I've said it.

I also experimented with an essex accent after being suggested to, I thought it sounded fun and the energy suited the advert well, I just need to apply this to my own accent when recording this advert.

Va-Voom edited

Va-Voom evalutation

Experimentation 'Heinz Tomato Soup'

This is my own audio recording for the Heinz Tomato Soup advert, my first attempts as well as experimentation with feedback.

Heinz Tomato Soup - experimentation + feedback

This is a recording form my first session in college on Acting For Microphone, here I am experimenting with my vocals for the Heinz tomato soup advert, taking on my tutor and peer feedback to alter my vocals and trying out new things to see what sounds good.

1st go

After my first go, they suggested I said it with more wonder and interest. as well as an elevation in my voice.

I think this helps it sound more interesting and draws people in more which is what an advert needs to do.

2nd Go

I felt this was better than the first because I used mire initiation in my voice and there were more levels.

'How can I have not known that' - said with more question and wonder, as though I'm really stumped as to how I could not know that.

Also need to think about the lines regarding you're 5 a day and think about the target audience (mums), so emphasis the 5 a day because it will appeal to mums.

Also think who I am talking to, thinking about where I am. Lunch Break? talking with colleagues.

3rd Go

Once I got the correct energy, I was told to try lower my tone and see how it sounds, and also not to make the 'It has to be heinz' sound like a question and more a statement, as though it is the only soup you should have.
I felt I applied this feedback well as I no longer phrase the last part like a question and I was able to lower my tone well.

Further notes

I was asked to think of Nigela lawson, lowering the tone of my voice and acting slightly seductive or alluring.

once I tried this out, my tutor and peers thought it was really good which made me happy because I felt I had done well.

I need to watch the 'exactly' not make it so sharp and instead drag it out, use a lower tone.

Equipment used

For this first session we used the college equipment available to us this included

2 microphones

1 sound board (this is what we used to record the sound)

1 Amp (in order to play back sound)

Heinz Tomato Soup recording

This is my recording for the Heinz Tomato Soup advert.

This recording was taken on my iPhone 5c.

I have a clear voice in this recording, and good diction throughout, this is good as it means the people who listen are able to easily distinguish what it is I am advertising, this is important for the company as it means it's target market knows the product being advertised.

Heinz Tomato Soup (edit 1)

This is an edited version of my first take using the free audio software Grage Band v10 for Mac.

Garage Band is a free Audio software for mac computers and laptops. It is a smaller version of Logic Pro and is great for Audio actors just starting to explore their craft. 

I used Garage Band to edit out sound at the beginning and the ending of the audio track as well as add a fade in and fade out in order to have to audio sound smoother and have a finer finish.

I feel my diction throughout the advert is good, and you can clearly hear what I am saying. I felt I took on the feedback and applied it to the advert well. I made use of intonation throughout in order to create a persuasive advert, and I altered my tone to fit what I was saying.

Reviewing Radio Ads 'Heinz Tomato Soup'

Heinz Tomato Soup

Heinz Soups, ‘Caroline’

Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO; writer: Paul Burke; agency producer: Paul Burke; facilities house: The Lab; sound engineer: Andy McLennan

Script

Caroline Quentin: I’m always wondering what counts as one of your five-a-day. I thought red wine might because it’s got grapes in it, but sadly not. Then I discovered something red that does count – Heinz Tomato Soup. One bowl counts as one of your five-a-day. How could I not have known that? Now I’ve got something to look forward to because, curled up on the sofa, what’s going to warm you through? A stick of celery? Or a bowl of tomato soup? Exactly. But, of course, it has to be Heinz.

Vocal Techniques

At the beginning of the add it starts off as a simple statement, as though she were having a conversation with someone, it could be someone she is recommending this soup to or perhaps a friend or relative. She uses a friendly conversational tone which makes her seem like the kind of person that’s easy to listen to a trust.

‘I’m always wondering what counts as one of your five-a-day’

At the beginning of the sentences her voice rises to a slightly higher pitch before falling again and going lower on the final word day. It helps to make her sound as though she is still wondering trying to find an answerer to her own question. It helps engage a listener and draw them in to hear what she has to say next.

‘but sadly not’

this is said off-handedly, but holds a slightly dejected tone, it helps add an element of comedy to the add as she had mentioned before that she thought red-wine may count as one of her five a day and it was sad to her that it didn’t.

‘I discovered something red that does count’

The rise of her voice on does count, adds an element of hope or excitement in her voice, showing that whatever it is she has found that counts towards one of her five a day, she’s happy about it and likes the product.

‘Heinz Tomato Soup’

The diction in her voice here is clear, she uses a slightly slower rhythm and makes sure to say every word perfectly. This is important for the advert as this is the product she is advertising.

‘How could I not have known that?’

During this line she uses a gradual fall of pitch in her voice, her tone suggests that she felt slightly silly for missing something like this, perhaps because she enjoys Heinz tomato soup.

‘Now I’ve got something to look forward to because, curled up on the sofa, what’s going to warm you through? A stick of celery? Or a bowl of tomato soup? Exactly’

There is a brighter tone to her voice as well as a rise of intonation as she starts off, this tells the listener that she is looking forward to having the product that she’s advertising. She asks the question to the listener’s/target market, it helps include the audience and makes them question what could warm them up while they relax on the couch, is of course a bowl of tomato soup.

‘of course, it has to be Heinz.’

A rise in pitch on ‘of course’ she sounds like she is stating the obvious, as though there were no other choice than Heinz, this helps to push the products name to the listeners so they’ll buy Heinz tomato soup and no other tomato soup.

Reviewing others work 'Fire Kills' Advert

Department for Communities and Local Govt 'Fire Kills'

Script

SFX: Clock ticking.

FVO: Don’t forget the clocks go back on the 28th October.

We’ll all be going round our homes changing them by an hour.

All except for 226 people. They won’t be doing it this year. It’s not because they can’t be bothered, it’s because time has stopped for them.

SFX: Ticking stops.

They’ve died in house fires since this time last year.

Vocal Techniques

It is important as a Voice Actor to make use of vocal techniques. As an aspiring actor, listening to examples such as the one above can help improve your own abilities. I will be providing an analysis of the vocal techniques used in the advert as well as identifying gender age and the character being portrayed.

Vocal Review

At the beginning of the add it sounds like a simple reminder about turning the clock back, her tone is neutral, at the begging starting with ‘Don’t Forget’ her pitch is slightly elevated, and the tone suggests that she has just remembered to remind you about the clocks going forward, the rise and fall of her voice is steady and it starts out sounding as a normal conversation. As we reach the part 

‘All except for 226 people. They won’t be doing it this year. It’s not because they can’t be bothered, it’s because time has stopped for them.’

 There is a change in her intonation, as the three sentences reach the end her voice noticeably lowers and her tone is more somber and regretful. The change in tone and use of vocal levels instantly adds a more serious note to the dialogue currently being spoken. The rhythm also starts to slow down at this point as signified by the clock as the ticking slows down. The pauses between each sentence is slightly longer, this creates a sense of importance in the information each line gives us, and the audience is more tuned into what will be said next.

She slows her pace on the final part ‘because time has stopped for them’ as well as progressively lowering her tone. I feel this creates a sense of finality in what she has said as the results of what occurred were final. It also affects her tone, to a serious one, as the situation is important and I feel it leaves a bigger impact on the listener.

I also feel through the use of tone that she has seen this happen to someone she knows or someone she is close to and so it is something personal to her.

When she gets to the Key part of the advert where she telling the listeners what they want them to do, there is another slight rise in pitch and a stronger use of intonation. It keeps the person listening to what she has to say.

On the line ‘It won’t take much time’, the slight rise in pitch and use of intonation put a small level of stress on the sentence, her use of tone emphasizes the point she’s making. The reference to time and how spending that little piece of time to check your fire alarm is important, further emphasizes in the final line

‘Fire kills you can prevent it’

these two lines help put an emphasis on the key information within the advert ‘test your smoke alarm.’, the goal is to get people to check that their smoke alarm is working and not take the risk just because they feel it will take too much time out. By emphasizing and including the fact that it won’t take much time combined with the final sentence, the use of her vocals gives a sense of urgency as well as authority that will make a listener follow what she wants them to do.

Techniques (sound effects)

There a two sound effects used in this Advert. The first sound effect is that of a clock ticking, and slowly coming to a halt.

I felt this was effective in this add as it uses time as a starting point in the advert and as a metaphor referring to how for 226 people their time has stopped in a literal sense due to being killed in a house fire.

When listening to the advert you hear the clock being to subtly slow down when we reach the line ‘All except for 226 people’, and coming to full stop on the line, ‘time has stopped for them’ the clock adds symbolism to the message and, creates a stronger sense of realism to the situation they are talking about which adds added strength to the main message coming at the end of the advert, for people of the community to test their fire alarms and not take the risk because that risk could have irreversible consequences.

At the end there is also the sound of fire near the end of the advert slowly rising from the line ‘test your smoke alarm’, it helps bring attention back to the danger of what could happen and adds emphasis on the final line ‘Fire Kills. You can prevent it.’

Using sound effects in adverts can add another layer of importance to the advert, as well as keep listeners paying attention to the advert. That is particularly important in this one as the sound effects add more tension and importance to the message because of what they symbolise.

Advertisements (intro)

In this section I'll be looking into advertisements.
I'll be looking at different types of radio adverts, analysing them as well as providing audio files of my own experimentation with them and feedback provided by my tutor and peers.

Type of Advertisements

When listening to the radio we will often hear a number of different ads play during the break of the main broadcast. Just like on T.V there are many different types of ads, their aim is to convince the listeners to do something through their advertisement. The most commonly used radio ads are ‘Live reads’ and ‘Produced spots’. 

Live reads are when the host of a radio show, the ‘DJ’ will read an advertisers spot while they are on air, this will be delivered from a fact sheet, script or their own personal knowledge. 

Produced spots are the most common on radio. Most adverts you hear will be produced spots, this means that the radio station or an advertising agency will have recorded it for the client in question. These adverts format will include, a straight read that includes sound effects or background music, dialogue, monologue (this means that the voice actor will portray a character in the ad rather than being an an announcer), jingles and a combination of these different steps.

As a Voice Actor you are more likely to be working on Produced Spot ads.

Link to Adverts: Voice Over Script Collection

The linked Document provides a number of different adverts that, allows professional actors/audio actors as well as novices to the profession, to use and record the scripts for free. As a beginner looking at these adverts and trying them out is a useful way to develop your abilities, exploring different types of audio as well as looking at how soon-effects and music can effect and advert.

It can also help you develop and start creating a show-reel to send off to casting directors. An Audio reel is something that will help in showing a casting director your skills and range.

If you just provide a C.V then it is likely they'll skip you over without offering the part or an audition because they can't take a risk on you having the voice they require.

The companies who create these ads, need to make sure they make the right choice in vocal talent because they have been hired by a company to create this ad for them, they have been entrusted by a company to create and produce their radio campaign and select and pay for it to be played on a radio station. If they were to choose a novice with no vocal-reel to perform the advert it could be a disaster because their is no security with that choice, this would make them lose the faith and trust given to them by their employers.

As an Audio-Actor having a show/audio-reel allows them to listen to your vocal talent, hearing your range as well as see if you have the kind of vocals their looking for in order to offer you the ad or an audition for it.

Format, breaking down and analysing a script for Radio Adverts

The Above Script is for a radio ad. The type of Ad is for Retail.

The format for this script has the directions for the vocals and sound effects to be used within the advert with the script below.

Unlike Radio Drama's or Storybooks, Radio adverts are short, the reason is because they need to capture their target market from the get go and they need to keep their attention through their use of language and sound.

The Script above informs you of the desired or intended, Gender of the character. The estimated length of the advert, the target market, the character in the ad/narrator, Vocal direction for the advert, suggested music for the advert as well as recommendations for sound effects.

Usually audition scripts will provide some information into what they want, such as, gender, Target market and direction on vocals.

Before recording a script yourself or auditioning you must take in as many details as possible to ensure the best performance.

When rehearsing and recording scripts to develop, experiment and add to a show-reel you'll have more time to look over them.

Va-Voom Shampoo

The first thing to note about this script is gender. The gender indicates whether a male or female can do the part, this is one of the first things I suggest you look at, because if you are male and the ad specifies female then it's best for you not to look at it.

This script does state Male or Female however looking at further information given the character/narrator is described as a youthful woman, mid twenties. This would suggest that female should perform the part or is more suited to it. 

You also have to look at the target market 'Women in their twenties and thirties' - this is for a shampoo ad for this target market. When working out your vocals you have to figure out exactly how you should sound in order to appeal to your target market while still keeping to the direction given.

Vocal Direction - Bubbly, confidence, energy, authoritative. This is the vocal direction given for the advert.

Taking this direction you apply it to your vocals, using various elements such as 

- Pitch (the quality of the sound, how high or low your voice is or if it's rising)

- Intonation - the rise and fall of your voice, 

- Tone- the emotion of the speaker, how do you feel, are you friendly, are you serious ext. 

- Volume - how loud or quiet are you

- Accent - do they have a specific accent required, can you do that accent? if not what kind of accent could you do or try out?

- Age - how old is the character, this may be provided on the script given, however it could be left ambiguous

- projection - in what way will you project your voice for it to travel. 

- Rhythm, what kind of rhythm will you go for, slow? quick? or steady,will the rhythm change within the ad? 

What are the key points within the advert? It's a Shampoo advert, the title of the shampoo itself is one of the most important points 'need some  Va-va-va-voom?

What other points could you emphasise to enhance the performance 

Va-Voom (own Vocals)

In this take of mine, I put of emphasis on words such as 'It's not your ordinary, run of the mill', this suggests that there is something special about this shampoo, it does something that other shampoos don't. 

'it gives you the confidence' - confidence has some emphasis put onto it as it is a selling point for the product. It's a shampoo that gives you confidence in how you look and makes your feel great.

'power and endurance' - emphasising selling points of the shampoo, suggesting it's strong and lasts unlike ordinary shampoo.

'why use your old shampoo?' - rise in pitch helps draw attention to that line as they question the listener, asking them why continue trying with their old shampoo when this Va-Va-Va-Voom shampoo can help/protect their hair so much better.

Auditions

During our session with industry professional Peter Greenall, he mentioned that when going to an audition you get very little time to prepare (5 minuets) so you have to be able to break down scripts quickly. you can improve your ability in this simply by analysing and breaking down scripts for practice.