COMMERCIAL AUDITIONS
Audition To Show Your Creativity And Range.
The Final Product Might Be Totally Different

By Dervla Trainor
Voice Actor & Educator

Ever get a commercial audition script where the specs read something like, "nothing slick, polished or announcery," only to hear that spot airing on TV/radio/web and it sounds perfectly slick, polished and announcery?

It might make you question how you're approaching your auditions. When you're trying to make it as "real" and conversational as possible (which is a common ask), are you going too far? Even though they're asking for that on the audition specs, should you just stick to an audition that sounds more similar to the final product?

This can be very confusing, and often lead voice actors in the wrong direction!

So I want to clear something up for you.

In many cases, the audition and the final version are two completely different reads.

HOW THEY DIFFER

Yes! Auditioning in itself is a whole other skill set! You often need to give a completely different read style than what you hear in the final advertisements!

Let me break down why this is.

When a casting goes out, the first set of gate-keepers are typically the producers and/or casting directors. They are the creative minds that want to bring the vision to life. They're looking for something that stands out (while still fitting within the specs, of course). They want to know that you are interesting and catch their attention. They want something that stands out against the rest; something they think, "I can work with that."

In the audition, they're looking for you to do a few things:

• Catch their attention (in a good way!)
• Show you can deliver a compelling read and, often, a versatile 2nd option (to show range)
• In many cases, also showcase your good audio quality since most recording sessions are done from home nowadays

NOW THINGS CHANGE ...

So you've given a great audition and booked the job. Congrats! This is when things change.

Once you get into the session, that's when the whole team is in on the action, clients included; which is when their feedback starts to shape the read more-and-more into the final product that you hear being aired.

So, in a nutshell ...

The goal in the audition is to catch the casting director/producer's ear. Be creative, show you have range, make it stand out (in a good way!).

The goal in the session is to adjust and fine-tune the read based on the client feedback, until you have a product they're happy with. After-all, the client gets final say.

If you've been auditioning and not having any luck, maybe consider approaching it with this insight in mind and see if it helps!

Now go out there and do great things.   
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ABOUT DERVLA
Dervla Trainor is a seasoned voice actor with over a decade of experience, lending her voice to major brands like Pepsi, PayPal, Nike, Mercedes Benz, Facebook, Samsung, and Microsoft. In 2018, she founded V.O. North, Canada's premier annual voiceover conference, and in 2023, she launched the VO Kickstart Program to empower aspiring voiceover artists. Recently, she initiated the Voiceover Speaker Series, a free, 4-day virtual event featuring industry experts, with plans to make it a bi-annual event. With a background in TV and commercial production, along with experience as a music industry agent, Dervla offers a uniquely multifaceted perspective on achieving success in voice acting. She remains committed to giving back to the voiceover community and uplifting voices in the field.

Web: www.vokickstartprogram.com
Web: www.vospeakerseries.com
Web: www.dervlatrainor.com
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Instagram: @dervthevoiceactor
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