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November 2007
"Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or
articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard.
People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely
to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choice words lose their power when
they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures
of speech." -- Edwin H. Friedman
I am often asked, "How can I get into the field of voiceovers; people say I have
a great voice?" This article isn’t about my complete response to that question.
It is about only one part of my response, and it is the most important part.
To perform the job of a voice talent, I have to have a healthy mind, clear
intention and connection with my self. And this takes work. It takes a daily
commitment to use the tools and techniques that keep me available and my attitudes
healthy so I can reach others.
We’re born communicating in the most pure and simple ways--we cry, laugh and learn
to use emotion to connect with others and have our basic needs met. Then we learn
to form words so we can talk and use our voices to express our developing sense of
self. As we grow, we learn socialization and build relationships outside of
ourselves. Our experiences (good and bad and in-between) shape our attitudes and
beliefs, and we have our own reactions to the world (good, bad and in-between).
And through it all, we develop our own authentic style of communicating, with all
the special nuances in our voice that make it ours.
For me, being a voice talent is not about having a great set of pipes or reading
words on a page. It’s about having my very own feelings, attitudes, experiences
and reactions and sharing that part of myself with another person. It’s about
feeling safe to be vulnerable with you to deliver a message to you. It’s about
being able to bring my voice-print, my nuances--how I say it--to voiceover copy
and make it mine. I do this best when I keep my mind healthy and well.
Effective communication depends solely on the health of my attitudes.
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