|
As with any of the performing
arts, an effective voiceover begins with a well-crafted
script. You don’t have to have many years of writing
experience to create copy that is both effective and a
pleasure for the voice actor to perform. Here are some
ideas to consider before you put your pen to paper or
fingers to keyboard.
Commericals: Radio and TV
Determine the purpose of
the ad, e.g. drive traffic to a store, produce direct
response inquiries, announce a grand opening, move
end-of-season merchandise, etc.
Determine who your customer
is and speak to that person one to one, and, ideally,
present one main idea in the copy.
Use A.I.D.A.: Attention,
Interest, Desire, Action. Get the listener’s attention
to the ad; get the listener interested in what you’re
offering; get the listener to want to take some action on
your offer; give the listener a means to act and urge that
action.
Narrations (also called
“Industrials”)
For a video script, use the
story board, if you have one, to guide the development of
the script. This will help you time the voice over to the
video’s scenes.
For audio only, where no
storyboard exists, do a rough outline. This will help you
create a basic logical structure before you start writing.
The result will be a script that flows much better for the
narrator and the intended listener.
All Scripts
Leave room for “verbal
white space.” Just as a large block of densely printed
copy is intimidating and difficult to read, a voice-over
script that’s crammed with copy is difficult to follow
and understand. A good rule of thumb for 30-second radio
or TV copy is eight lines down (double-spaced), 10 words
across the page. For a slower, more intimate read, go with
seven lines, 10 words across. The same idea applies for a
briskly paced 60-second ad: 16 lines down, 10 words
across. For a slower pace, 14 lines, 10 words across. This
60-second guideline is helpful in timing long-form
scripts, too. Just count the pages and you have the total
number of minutes.
Numbers are words, so be
sure to consider them in your word count. A phone number,
such as 1-860-291-9476, is eleven words. That’s more
than one entire line of copy! Try spelling out numbers as
words to get a good handle on the actual length of your
copy. For example:
1-860-291-9476,
when typed or written out,
is
one-eight-six-oh,
two-nine-one, nine-four-seven-six.
You can see how long the
line really is when the numbers are spelled out. Then,
after you’re ready to print your final draft, convert
the words back to numbers.
Write for the ear, not the
eye. Construct short, conversational sentences, with
natural breaks for taking a breath. This is especially
helpful to narrators when they voice technical or medical
copy, which contains large, complicated, and
difficult-to-pronounce terms.
Read your copy out loud,
just as you intend the voice talent to read it, and time
it. Then adjust your copy accordingly for timing.
Try to write in the active
voice, not passive voice. This is a passive construction:
“When writing a script, be sure you’re saying some
exciting things, or else you’ll be losing the attention
of the listener.” Instead, use the active voice,
structured something like this: “When you write a
script, say something exciting, or you’ll lose the
listener’s attention.” Active voice is more
conversational and easier for the ear and mind to follow.
Happy writing!
|
About
The Author
Peter
Drew, a freelance voice-over talent and
copywriter/producer with 28 years of
experience, is heard on radio and
television stations, corporate
presentations, web sites, and
messages-on-hold across America. To hear
samples of his work or to send an email
regarding this article, please visit www.peterdrewvo.com.
pdrew@portone.com |
|
|
