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VOICE OVER DEMOS
With the winds of change blowing briskly in terms of delivery preferences on the part of buyers, and socio-psychologically more broadly, now is a critical moment to be taking a cold-eyed look at what may be missing from several of your most important demos in the face of rapid evolution of client taste. Here are three reels you need to evaluate: 1. COMMERCIAL DEMO With the era of quirk starting to go the way of the dodo, it’s time to evaluate whether parts of your reel are too cute for your own good. While heavily-written comedic scripts still have a lot of room for play, if your performances are too precious overall it might be time to axe certain spots. Also, make sure your serious reads aren’t leaning too far into out-trending broken converastionalism or over-milked empathy/vulnerability. As assertiveness and ownership take center stage, make sure you have at least one signature spot on your commercial reel that leaves no doubt who’s in charge. Finally, consider the vibe shift when you evaluate your reel as a whole, especially if you have an in-between voice age-wise. Now’s the time to sound like a woman, not a girl, and a man, not a boy. If you have an in-between voice you may want to consider revising a few spots to present just a bit more mature if your current real leans into youth too heavily. In turbulent times, reassuring maturity rules the day. 2. CORPORATE NARRATION DEMO This one might surprise you, but a lot of industry pros have been training and producing towards lighter, youthful, and quirky on Corporate reels, as well. I’ve never fully subscribed to the idea that this genre was pivoting in that direction as much as Commercial has over the past decade, as many older and more presentational voices still thrive in Corporate Narration. Now, however, any movement in the direction of less-is-more overthought/overacted relatability is being quickly halted in this space. As the era of work-from-home begins to end with more corporations requiring physical presence on the part of their employees, the tenor of corporate material is shifting back toward its longtime baseline of credibility, gravitas, and authority. That’s not to say that your Corporate demo shouldn’t still have at least one spot that leads with personality, it’s just to say that corporate culture is reverting to a more suit-and-tie direction, and buyer trends are already starting to reflect more appetite for polished reads in this space. 3. POLITICAL DEMO Okay, third rail right now, but nevertheless, whether you voice for one side or both, the ENTIRE ISSUE SPECTRUM has changed as a result of the November election. Had the result been different, most existing political demos would likely have remained relevant for at least the next 12-18 months. Now, very simply, most are not. The issues at the top of voters minds in both parties are not what they were six months ago, and the messaging of both parties is rapidly shifting to reflect the new reality. Positioning for the midterms will start in just a few months, and as it does voice actors who do political spots will need to keep up with demo content that is fresh and relevant. KEEP WHAT'S STRONG Now, keep in mind that most top producers offer demo refresh rates, so in many cases there’s no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Across all these genres your reel likely has multiple spots that are still strong, current, and relevant. But now’s the time to take a hard look at any that aren’t, and to make the necessary changes to thrive in what has started off as a very strong year for most corners of the industry. Email: jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com |
By J. Michael Collins
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