This title includes a book and CD. The art of voice-over is the backbone of commercials, animation, documentaries, and radio dramas produced for both national and local markets throughout the country. It is an ever-growing, lucrative field, and the demand for well-trained voice-over artists is increasing rapidly in our age of digital entertainment. Now in its updated and revised third edition - this is the primary instructional book in the voice-over field.A clearly written and practical primer for the beginner and a welcome refresher course for the professional, "Word of Mouth" contains voice-over exercises, sample copy, and essential advice about producing a demo, auditioning, self-promoting, getting an agent, and what to expect on the job. It also provides exclusive and up-to-date lists of voice-over agents, coaches, workshops, and demo producers and duplicators. It is the standard text for numerous university communications, television, and acting department courses. The book is accompanied by a 50-minute audio CD that demonstrates various techniques and styles of animation and commercial voice-over performed by ten top voice-over artists.

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.

34 of 37 found the following review helpful:


A must for anyone starting (or keeping) a voice-over career!  Feb 07, 1999 By Howard Hoffman
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.

11 of 12 found the following review helpful:


THE book to buy for novices & pro's  Oct 20, 2001 By Johnny George
I recommend this book to anyone looking to get into this biz. Even if you are already IN this biz, you can never know too much. Susan keeps on track and winds you through the proper elements of building a career and knowing "how to" when it comes to the basics, demo tapes, agents, auditions and more. Susan & Molly also list many contacts with agencies, workshops, etc.

A must have guide to voice work!

Johnny George
VO guy

www.johnnygeorge.com

18 of 22 found the following review helpful:


Excellent book, especially with the companion audio cassette  Aug 22, 1998
This is an excellent reference and manual for voice-over artists. It's a particularly good buy when combined with the companion audio casette.