Voice Over Xtra

21 Worldwide VO's Record 'Twas the Night

Before Christmas' - In Just One Day!

Dec. 19, 2007

Based in the UK, voice actor Philip Banks (pictured) had a notion on Monday, Dec. 17. On the popular VO-BB (voiceover bulletin board), he proposed:

"Let's see if we can get this done by close of play today - the VO-BB 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

"I've recorded the first two lines and forwarded the email to DB who I hope will record the second 2 lines and pass the recording on to a male VO who in turn will record 2 lines and pass on to a female VO.

"Get the picture? Last person in line sends the file back to me.”

Well, voice actors know a deadline when they see it. (And fun, too.)

By the very next day, 21 VO-BB members had recorded their bits, and the result is a wonderful rendition of the Christmas poem, produced with accompanying music by Banks. Hear it now!

'TWAS INSPIRED BY ...

"I'd like to pretend I had a great vision and a burning desire to bring something to life, but that simply isn't true," Banks tells VoiceOverXtra about the project.

"A couple of years ago a studio in LA filmed voice-over artists delivering lines from the same poem and stuck the bits together and added a music bed (DJ Entertainment).

"My thought was to do the same, only without the pictures. The end product was a journey from a story to another story, the latter being the song. As I collected contributions from England, Japan and Utah (amongst other places), I heard the transition in my head from poem to song.

"The breathtaking moment is the last line delivered exquisitely by Kara Edwards, which takes the listener gently by the hand and settles them down in front of the choir."

"The real accomplishment for me," Banks adds, "was not being late for a promo session for CNN."

TALENT & HEART

“The world of voice-over is full of unique, creative people,” wrote Peter O’Connell (whose voice is the third in the poem) in his Dec. 18 blog.

“Talent is one thing, heart is another, and most of the VO’s I know have large amounts of both, like Philip Banks .... I did my lines and sent it to Kara Edwards and on it went until Philip had the entire production beautifully completed within 24 hours."

Also participating (voice #5) was Bob Souer, who wrote in a blog:

“The script made its way around the world, from the UK to the USA, Japan and back again. Then Mr. Banks put his final stamp on the entire proceeding, adding a wonderful musical background.”

KNOW THE VOICES

Thanks to VO-BB bloggers for providing this roster of participating voice-over artists, in the order in which their voices are heard in the poem:

1. Philip Banks
2. DB Cooper
3. Peter O’Connell
4. Kara Edwards
5. Bob Souer
6. Diane Maggipinto
7. Todd Ellis
8. Connie Terwilliger
9. Brian Hart
10. Moe Egan
11. Greg Littlefield
12. Mary McKitrick
13. Michael Rhys
14. Liz de Nesnera
15. Frank Frederick
16. Tammy McDaniel
17. Greg Phelps
18. Marcy Worthington
19. Greg Allen
20. Caryn Clark
21. Frank Frederick
22. Liz de Nesnera
23. Michael Rhys
24. Mary McKitrick
25. Todd Ellis
26. Liz de Nesnera
27. David Monteath
28. Mary McKitrick
29. Philip Banks
30. Kara Edwards

Merry Christmas to all!

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