Word of Mouth: A Guide to Commercial Voice-Over Excellence with Cassette(s) [Audio Cassette]

Susan Blu (Author), Molly Ann Mullin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1998

Voice-overs, the audio portions of radio and TV commercials, can be an exciting and lucrative career for anyone who can master the technique. This book and accompanying tape explains everything one needs to know to do effective voice-overs and get jobs in this field.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Pomegranate Press (CA); Pap/Cas edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938817477
• ISBN-13: 978-0938817475
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,524,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for anyone starting or maintaining a voiceover career, January 11, 2000

By 

Howard Hoffman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Word of Mouth: A Guide to Commercial Voice-Over Excellence with Cassette(s) (Audio Cassette)

I always recommend this book. Susan Blu has the credentials: she's an accomplished voice talent, a casting director and a voice acting teacher. Along with tips and tricks, there's a great regional listing of agencies, schools and studios with addresses and phone numbers. She knows her stuff and you'd be doing yourself a favor by following her advice in this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chapter Two ALONE Is Worth 100 Times the Price of the Book, March 25, 2000

By 

Voiceguy (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Word of Mouth: A Guide to Commercial Voice-Over Excellence with Cassette(s) (Audio Cassette)

Here in Los Angeles the streets are lined with people who can "read copy," but the choice voiceover assignments go to the select few who add something more to the work - believability, personality, and a strong one-on-one connection with the audience. "A camera does not lie," say the authors, "and neither does a microphone."

That's why this book is so valuable. Although trying to teach voiceover skills through a book is inherently challenging -- sort of like trying to teach driving, or violin-playing, that way -- this book is the most successful one I am aware of. It is without doubt the best single resource on voiceover work in print today.

The key is the authors' relentless focus on the internal process of creating great readings, which they call "The Basic Process."

"Ad copy is more than just a bunch of words strung together to promote a product," they write in Chapter 2. "It is very much like a miniature play, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. One or more characters are involved, and it takes place at a particular time and place. You need to discover all those elements and more to act out the copy."

To get in touch with the reality of the copy, the authors detail their Basic Process: "Focus - Visualize - Commit." Using this process "allows you to make the copy your own little drama or comedy with its own life and vitality." Without it, "all your readings will sound alike -- and that sound will be mechanical and lacking in conviction." I don't know how anyone could lay out this crucial principle more clearly. The detailed suggestions for how to follow the Basic Process are both helpful and understandable.

The book offers a wealth of other information as well, including discussions about refining your reads, developing other voices and characters, preparing for animation work, producing a demo tape, finding an agent, handling auditions, and promoting yourself in your market. Throughout the book, voice actors, casting directors, advertising writers, and other industry experts are quoted extensively with helpful advice and entertaining war stories. Practice copy in various genres is provided. And the appendices contain numerous listings of workshops, agencies, and other resources of interest to voice talent. Every chapter offers tremendous value, all of it written with charm, elegance, and a sense of humor.

Anyone serious about a voiceover career should get this book and devour it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BULLS-EYE!, May 27, 2000

By 

Johnny George (Fishers, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Word of Mouth: A Guide to Commercial Voice-Over Excellence with Cassette(s) (Audio Cassette)

Word of Mouth is a must-read for anyone interested in voiceovers as a hobby or profession. Susan and Molly hit the target on this one. I had a hard time putting it down on my first reading. In fact, most current VO folks should read this book just to renew their base. Many good observations, suggestions, avenues of interest, etiquette and a good number of leads on several agencies and studios. Plus** Good suggestions on auditioning, making your demo and more!

If you're on your way up - add this reasonably priced referance book to your libary. If you're an established pro - get this anyway to hon your skills and memory.