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VOICE OVER TODAY - November 30, 2004

Helping Voice-Talent Build Careers.

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Published by EDGE STUDIO
www.edgestudio.com
     New York training - 212-868-edge
     Washington DC training - 202-398-edge
     Connecticut training - 203-374-edge
     Tele-Training - 888-321-edge

established 1988
member Better Business Bureau

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WHAT IS EDGE STUDIO?

Voice Over Career Building
- training, evaluations, demos, marketing resources, guidance, duplication

Production Studio & Casting
- commercial and narration productions

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RESOURCES

HOME STUDIO and MARKETING CONSULTATIONS
Available via telephone and in-studio.
$85. Call 888-321-edge.

PRACTICE and DEMO SCRIPTS
www.edgestudio.com/scripts.htm

CONVERT YOUR DEMO to MP3
Mail your CD to our CT location (not our NY location):
Edge Studio
644 Fairfield Woods Road
Fairfield, CT 06825
Include email address, telephone number, and check for:
$40 for one track and $10 each additional track.
In other words, if you have a commercial demo and narration demo, it will
cost $50.

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THIS ISSUE INCLUDES:

1.) Familiar With Our QUICK-SHOT Series?
2.) Attention Talent Agents and Acting Instructors
3.) Part 2 Of The 'WORD EMPHASIS' Series

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1.) FAMILIAR WITH OUR QUICK-SHOT SERIES ?

2-hour classes

$79 each

For schedule and to reserve a seat, call us weekdays 9-5 EST at 888-321-
edge.

Marketing: Non-Union Commercial and Narration
Marketing: Union and Agent Representation
Do Voice Overs From Home
Telephony Workshop
Promo Workshop

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An essential tool for those working in audiobook narration-the Audiobook
Reference Guide is worth checking out. This comprehensive sourcebook to the
audiobook industry has over 375 listings for audiobook publishers,
producers, and directors-with their contact information.

To order your print copy now for only $49.95 (inc. s/h), call AudioFile at
800-506-1212 or visit www.audiofilemagazine.com

Be sure to check out the section on Voice Talent-and sign up for YOUR
listing in the online edition. For info on the Voice Talent listings email
guide@audiofilemagazine.com or visit www.audiofilemagazine.com

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2.) ATTENTION TALENT AGENTS & ACTING INSTRUCTORS

Edge Studio is inviting talent agents and acting instructors to participate
in our Intensive Technique Workshop free (for those out of the NY and DC
area, we invite you for a free training session via telephone).

This is an opportunity to participate, review, and hopefully create
alliances with us. Alliances may be as simple as referral programs, and as
exciting as cross-learning opportunities for those training.

If interested, please call us at 212-868-edge (3343). So we can learn
about you, please provide us with your promotional material (website,
brochure, resume, etc).

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DO YOU READ ALOUD (NARRATE) WELL?

Published writer/NYU-trained screenwriter-director needs good cold readers
to read aloud/narrate his 80-page screenplay, so he can analyze it in its
entirety. No acting, voice play, affectation or feedback wanted, just an
accurate, normal-voiced reading of ALL text, including action, characters'
names, parentheticals, dialogue, etc. Again, this is not a dramatic or
theatrical reading-it's a literary reading of a screenplay-in-progress so
the screenwriter can analyze it. No pay, but an excellent workout for
those who want to hone/keep fresh their ability to accurately cold-read
text. All readers must sign a standard one-page confidentiality/non-
disclosure agreement. Readings are 2-1/2 hours and, for the most part, are
held on Monday evenings in a small Chelsea apartment. To receive 1-page
audition, please email slaymakerb@sullcrom.com.

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3.) EMPHASIZING WORDS - PART 2 OF 4

Part 1 of this series discussed how "A Little Goes A Long Way". To recap,
emphasizing words usually requires less 'punch' than many newcomers give.

PART 2 of 4: Do NOT Increase Your Volume (In Most Circumstances)!

When a word is underlined in your copy, the natural tendency is to increase
your volume. Unfortunately, that response 1.) annoys the engineer as their
microphone levels were set for your non-yelling volume and 2.) increased
volume often sounds forced and somewhat aggressive. not the effect most
producers desire for their listeners.

Therefore, in most situations, raising your pitch is desired when
emphasizing a word. Pitch is the musical note of your voice. For example,
sing the scale, "Doe Ray Me Fa Sew La Tea Doe." Notice how each note
increased in pitch. but not in volume. Those different pitches are used
when emphasizing words.

How high should you go? Your 'Dynamic Range' (your pitch range) should be
commensurate with the amount of emphasis and intended energy level of the
copy. In other words, the more emphasis and energy a word/script requires,
the higher your pitch should go.

For example, this following example sentence requires a small dynamic range
(Doe Ray Me Fa):

"You invest to grow. To help provide a better tomorrow for you and your
family. To select an investment is an act of trust. For years, families
have felt secure in placing that trust in the Kemper name. Ask your
financial representative about the investment products of Kemper Financial
Services."

This example sentence requires a larger dynamic range (Doe Ray Me Fa Sew La
Tea Doe):

"30.40.even 50% off! With savings like this, how can you not afford to
shop the J.C.Penny After Thanksgiving Mark-Down-Sale! That's right. Save
30% of all KitchenAid goodies, 40% of men's shirts and ties, and up to 50%
off auto parts and children's wear! Hey folks, it's only once a year. the
J.C.Penney After Thanksgiving Mark-Down-Sale!"

Another example: if narrating a children story where the intent is to help
children fall asleep (i.e.: parents play it by crib-side), the narrator's
voice should only fluctuate a few notes (Doe Ray Me Fa). Yet if the intent
is to keep children entertained, the narrator's voice should fluctuate many
notes (Doe Ray Me Fa Sew La Tea Doe).

Want help? First train your ears (after all, it is difficult to practice
if you do not know how to accurately assess your own practice). Listen to
professional voice-talent (national television commercials, documentaries,
training films, and so forth). Notice how their volumes remain consistent
while their pitch goes up and down.

Next, purchase a 'decibel meter' - a machine that monitors and displays
your volume.

Finally, since we are human, it is impossible to maintain a perfectly
consistent volume. Therefore, to help your volume remain consistent,
engineers send your recorded voice through a 'compressor' - a machine that
'levels out' volume fluctuations.

Part 3 and 4 of the Emphasis Series will follow in upcoming Voice Over
Today issues.

Practice scripts:

BREVARD COLLEGE

Welcome to the Admissions Video for Brevard College.
Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Brevard
College is a four-year comprehensive liberal arts college affiliated with
the United Methodist Church. Caring faculty and staff and small class size
allow students to be known, their interests and activities to be supported
and their voices heard. U.S. News and World Report ranks Brevard College
second in the nation for its First Year Experience program for first year
students, among the best comprehensive colleges in the southern United
States and a "Best Value."

NAKED FOOD-JUICE

Ah, the joys of one burstingly, juicy blackberry! The rapture of a single
ripe raspberry! Now multiply that by a bushel and let your mouth do the
math. This, my friend, is berryfull bliss from your buds to your toes.
Naked Food-Juice-more fruit than you can shake a blender at.

IRA ANNUITY

In the next 15 minutes, you will learn the four steps towards a better
retirement. An IRA will be a key player in almost any retirement plan.
Here are some steps you can take now to make your IRA work harder for you
and help secure a more comfortable retirement. The earlier you start
contributing to a tax-deferred IRA Annuity, the larger your nest egg can
grow. Over time, the combination of tax-deferral and compound interest can
be dramatic. Although you can open an IRA Annuity with as little as $50,
making the maximum contribution of $2,000 means you will have more money
growing tax deferred.

20/20 - MARTHA STEWART

Martha Stewart. Love her? Hate her? Either way you'll finally hear from
her. Martha Stewart in her only interview speaks exclusively to Barbara
Walters. Tonight on 20/20. 10 PM / 9 central.

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HAVE A DEMO?
We're always searching for new talent.
Please email your MP3 demo to: demosubmission@edgestudio.com

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HAVE A WEBSITE?
Adding active links on your website can expand your profile while
increasing search-engine results. Take this opportunity to add a link to
Edge Studio. Visit www.edgestudio.com/link.htm

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WANT TO ADVERTISE in Voice Over Today?
Results have been great!
Email info@edgestudio.com or call us weekdays 9-5 EST at 888-321-edge

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Copyright 2004, Edge Studio, LLC. All rights reserved. This article is
protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws
and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated,
transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in
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