2008-11-27-the-problem-with-speaking-conversationally.html

---
title: The Problem with Speaking Conversationally in Video Tutorials
categories:
- technical-writing
- screencasting
- video
tags:
- series_voiceover_techniques
series: "Voiceover techniques"
sidebar: sidebar_voiceover_techniques
weight: 1.2
---
{% include series/seriesTagVoiceoverTechniques.html %}

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<p>At the last voice workshop I attended, the instructor (Scott) gave us scripts to read and then critiqued our performance. I tried to imagine myself talking to a friend rather than reading the script, but it didn't come across with much effect. Scott said I was being too reserved, too monotone.</p>
<p>I realized that my conversation technique with voice overs, which I <a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/11/14/finding-a-conversational-voice-in-video-tutorials/">wrote about with such praise last time</a>, was flawed. When I converse naturally with others, I speak in a boringly flat tone. My colleague has the same problem, only he says he sounds like Eoyre, the donkey on Winnie the Pooh:</p>
<blockquote><p>I tend to speak in a quiet monotone, so doing voice over takes some extra effort. I have to shut myself in a room so that as I read the script, I can speak up loud enough to get varied tones going. That went all right, but it still didn't sound natural. ("<a href="http://www.gryphonmountain.net/archives/techcomm/a-couple-of-things-i-learned-about-captivate-demos-last-week">A Couple of Things I Learned About Captivate Demos Last Week</a>")</p></blockquote>
<p>Scott encouraged me to put more energy to it, to inflect more, and add more emotion and feeling. A background in acting would have been helpful.</p>
<p>This week while watching TV I've been listening closely to the voices (separating them from the visuals on the screen). I can see what Scott is talking about. Actors aren't soft-spoken, reserved people. Actors inflect all over the voice spectrum. They have a lot of energy and drama in their voices.</p>
<p>Here's a graph that reflects that difference in voice inflections.</p>
<p><figure>
    <a href="{{site.media}}/2008/11/voiceover.gif"><img class="size-full wp-image-2352" title="My natural inflection versus the inflection of voiceover performers" src="{{site.media}}/voiceover1.gif" alt="" width="500" height="403" /></a>
    <figcaption>My natural inflection versus the inflection of voice-over performers and actors</figcaption>
</figure></p>
<p><a href="http://whataboutmomblog.com" target="_blank">Jane</a> says I can still keep the conversation metaphor, but I have to pretend that I'm talking to the president of the United States.</p>
<p>Ben says that gesturing with his hands helps him inflect more:</p>
<blockquote><p>I started gesturing a little with my hands while recording. Interestingly, it made a large difference. My tone sounded much more relaxed and conversational. Tonal changes happened in better places. I also read the script with fewer mistakes. So there's a trick for my bag.</p></blockquote>
<p>I'm supposed to practice voice overs, and right now my practice is limited to reading children's books in creative ways to my kids. But if you and I run into each other at a conference sometime, and I'm moving my hands in strange ways, over-inflecting my voice talking about mundane things, bear with me, I'm practicing.</p>
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<h3>Additional Resources</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/c-Voice-Acting-Third-Performing/dp/0240808924">The Art of Voice Acting</a>, James Alburger</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Word-Mouth-Commercial-Voice-Over-Excellence/dp/0938817329">Word of Mouth</a>, by Susan Blu</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Voice-Actors-Guide-Home-Recording/dp/193114043X">The Voice Actors Guide to home Recording</a>, by Jeffrey Fisher and Harlan Hogan</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0823077020/harlanhoganvo-20/no-sim/102-0877950-4397707">There's Money Where Your Mouth Is: An Insider's Guide to a Career in Voice Overs</a>, by Harlan Hogan</li>
<li><a href="http://vo-bb.com/">The Voice Over Bulletin Board</a></li>
<li><a href="http://voice123.com/">Voice 123</a></li>
<li><a href="http://voices.com" target="_blank">Voices.com</a></li>
</ul>
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