sign up for our
NEWSLETTER

Home Shop Subscribe Advertise Articles Directories Classifieds Calendar FAQs Contact Us Login

VOICE ACTING
For Voice Over Scripts, The Storyboard Layout
Is Not Your Friend. Beware Confusing Ellipses
May 31, 2017

By Hugh Klitzke
Casting Director and Coach

Direction: Warm, inviting, mellow tone.  Inspirational but not over the top.  

VO: "All across the country, from sea… to shining sea, we're switching… on a new year."  

VO: "There are lights, there are fireworks… and the future   ... looks bright."  

It's not uncommon for a voice over script to be formatted as poorly as the example above.

It looks like very short phrases, laid out almost at random. Why? It's text copied directly from a storyboard. 

The shots are laid out in separate panels (like a cartoon) and as the shot changes, an ellipsis divides the sentence into pieces. 

This indicates that the voice over continues to the next frame, not necessarily that there should be a pause in the read.      

It's something you need to take into account. Remember, when you audition, you are sending audio to indicate your interpretation of the script and the spec.  Not the line format. 

Layout is not your friend.
---------------------
ABOUT HUGH
Hugh P. Klitzke is studio manager and voice casting director for a leading bi-coastal talent agency, who in more than a decade has directed over 115,000 auditions for all voice over genres. Based in New York City, he is also a coach specializing in teaching voice over for actors, and blogs at voiceoverfortheactor.com, a twice-weekly blog with helpful voice acting tips.  


Web: www.hughpklitzke.com
Email: VO4TA@voiceoverfortheactor.com
Blog: www.voiceoverfortheactor.com

SEE MORE HELPFUL VOICE ACTING ARTICLES HERE

Your Daily Resource For Voice-Over Success
Tell Us What YOU Think!
Please Note: Since we check for spam, there will be a slight delay in the actual posting of your comment.
Your Name:
Your Email Address (will not be published):
Your Comment:
Your Comment:
Security code:     
Comments (1)
Mark Driscoll
6/2/2017 at 12:52 AM
Thanks! Liked this article a lot!!
Back to Articles
Email alerts to new VoiceOverXtra articles
On Michael Langsner's Voice-Over Roadmap Podcast
Get your bi-weekly dose here ... all things VO!
Inspiring interviews help your VO career