{"id":6170,"date":"2016-08-04T16:07:29","date_gmt":"2016-08-04T16:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/?p=6170"},"modified":"2016-08-04T16:07:29","modified_gmt":"2016-08-04T16:07:29","slug":"voice-over-workshops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/04\/voice-over-workshops\/","title":{"rendered":"Lend an Ear! Voice-Over Workshops and Critiques"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"voice-over<\/a>Remember when you were in high-school, and your English teacher would break you into groups to read and critique each other\u2019s essays? Regardless of whether or not that was your favorite assignment, it always worked. You would pick up on the techniques and strategies that your peers were using, and in turn, you\u2019d end up helping them develop their abilities, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Workshopping is, essentially, the act of entering a constructive dialogue with the sole purpose of gathering feedback and fresh ideas from peers in your field. It\u2019s used famously by writers and actors to work intensively on figuring out the secrets of their fellow artists\u2019 successes. So why not voice-over? If you\u2019ve ever received professional coaching, you can think of a workshop in much the same way, except you will act as both the student and the teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

To get started, run a search online to see if there are any voice-over groups in your community. You can check sites like <\/span>MeetUp<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>FrontPorchForum<\/span><\/a>. You could even reach out to theaters, community colleges, and arts centers to see if they\u2019re hosting any workshops. If you can\u2019t find one, then start one! The best part about voice-over is that you don\u2019t even <\/span>need <\/span><\/i>it to be an in-person affair. You can start a group online with fellow voice-actors and simply work through email. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Here\u2019s how you can get the most out of your workshop experience:<\/span><\/p>\n

Have no fear – <\/b>To engage with a workshop experience is to enter into a real, critical conversation focusing entirely on you, your craft, and what others\u2019 see as your triumphs and challenges. You need to be open to receiving feedback that you might not want to hear, and if you want to get the most out of your experience, you need to receive each critique constructively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Give constructive feedback – <\/b>If you\u2019re joining an existing workshop, ask for some advice on how to structure your comments constructively, and in a way that is consistent with the way that group conducts itself. This also means that you shouldn\u2019t simply tell someone that they have a nice voice, or that they\u2019re pretty good. Look for ways in which someone can improve, or offer affirmation if someone asks whether something is effective or not. Phrase your feedback in a way that would be beneficial to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Come with questions – <\/b>It\u2019s helpful to guide a critique of your work if you come with prepared questions so that your group can provide direction where you need it. If you\u2019re working on a specific accent or character voice, then perhaps you can record a few variations of a short read in order to receive feedback on what\u2019s working and what isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

Share the spotlight – <\/b>If your group doesn\u2019t have a strong moderator, or even if they do, try to keep your comments short and direct. Actionable is the best word to keep in mind during these experiences, because everyone is there to learn and receive something usable. Light conversation is nice, but should take place outside of the workshop to ensure that everyone remains focused and on-track.<\/span><\/p>\n

Listen to all feedback – <\/b>Don\u2019t only listen to the feedback that people give to you. The critiques that other voice talent receive are equally as valid, and can most likely be applied to you and your craft, whether it\u2019s focusing on delivery, script analysis, or recording techniques.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take notes – <\/b>Workshops are invigorating, exciting environments, and it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the momentum of it all, so be sure that you\u2019re keeping track of the feedback that you and others are receiving. You can do this either by taking notes on your computer, smartphone, a notepad, or even just by recording the whole workshop (make sure you get everyone\u2019s permission beforehand). Your notes are your takeaway, and you\u2019ll want to refer back to what was suggested as you work to improve your methods. Writing notes also helps commit things to memory!<\/span><\/p>\n

Create an action plan – <\/b>Take your notes and any lingering thoughts or ideas, and organize them into an actionable plan for how you\u2019ll apply what you\u2019ve learned in the studio. An education is only as effective as its implementation. Take the criticism and suggestions that your peers have provided, and figure out how you can make improvements\/changes to your current methods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Know Yourself – <\/b>Don\u2019t take everything that your peers suggest as gospel. This doesn\u2019t mean you should reject things that you disagree with, it just means that if you try something and it doesn\u2019t feel right, or doesn\u2019t provide the results you\u2019re seeking, then you shouldn\u2019t feel obligated to hold strong to your peers\u2019 direction. Every idea is worth vetting, but not all of them will be revolutionary to your approach.<\/span><\/p>\n

Above all else, be sure that you\u2019re engaging with your fellow voice actors in a way that is both enriching and encouraging. Deliver criticism that you\u2019d like to receive, and always take into consideration the fact that your peers are here for the same reason you are: to pursue continued growth and development as a pro talent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Check out Nancy Wilson\u2019s 2-hour online workshop: Tips & Tricks for Making the Copy Uniquely Yours!<\/p>\n

<\/a>Available dates include…<\/strong><\/p>\n

August 6th – 11:00am-1:00pm EST<\/strong>
\nAugust 10th – 7:30pm-9:30pm EST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alexander Goss is the Chief Administrative Officer at Such A Voice. With a BFA in creative writing from Green Mountain College, Alexander has hosted and moderated several successful\u00a0writing workshops.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Remember when you were in high-school, and your English teacher would break you into groups to read and critique each other\u2019s essays? Regardless of whether or not that was your favorite assignment, it always worked. You would pick up on … <\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":20713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","h5ap_radio_sources":[],"slim_seo":{"title":"Lend an Ear! Voice-over Workshops and Critiques","description":"If you're looking to sharpen your VO skills, then you should consider voice-over workshops. Here are some tips for getting the most out of them."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[46,279],"popup":[],"class_list":["post-6170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-voice-over-training","tag-such-a-voice","tag-vo-workshop","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"mb":[],"acf":[],"mfb_rest_fields":["title"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6170"},{"taxonomy":"popup","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suchavoice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/popup?post=6170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}