When auditioning or recording a voice-over, some artists prefer to have their script printed or written on paper. Others choose to read it right off a digital screen. It’s simply a matter of preference and it’s up to the voiceover artist to decide what medium they are comfortable with.
But, is one medium really better than the other? Is there any evidence to support this? Well, let’s take a look and find out.
The Screen
New York based voice talent, Jamie Muffet, states that he prefers reading from a screen than from a piece of paper. He considers it a wasteful practice to use paper these days. Muffet also mentions that digital screens provide an extra advantage, which is, allowing the user to adjust screen brightness.
Similarly, Kendra Hoffman, another voice artist, has begun to rely on digital screens for auditions. She states that this practice helps minimize the reliance on paper. She even adds that the ability look at the page count on digital screens serves as an added benefit.
Thanks to the innovation in media and communication technology, we have wonderful devices such as smartphones and tablets to help us out. Digital text displays allow you to adjust the font size, emphasize specific words, and even markup sections on the script where you intend to pause a little.
The Paper
Wolfgang Messer, an experienced voice talent, states that the biggest advantage with paper is that it does not crash or go out like a digital screen. This is a great benefit, especially when doing a live recording. Some artists simply prefer the comfort that they experience with paper.
Digital screens don’t appeal to everyone, especially for those who are too used to working with paper. Some voice-over artists even have a unique notation or mark-up system in place, which cannot be replicated on a digital screen.
Commercial Use
In commercial studios, paper is till the medium of choice. One reason is because it is extremely difficult to make on the spot changes on a digital screen, whereas, with pencil and paper, it can be done right away.
Audio engineers even claim that digital screens disturb recording because noise tends to bounce off them. This is not the case with paper.
The Judgment
Digital screens are obviously more environmental friendly and cost efficient. However, paper doesn’t disturb the recording process like digital screens do. So, in this context, the crown goes to paper simply because it helps with the final objective, which is producing an error free voice-over recording.
So, until technology offers something better, paper is going to be the most viable option.
ABOUT ROBERTA –
Roberta is a Professional AND award Winning International Voiceover Actor, as well as an accomplished on-camera actress and spokesperson. She lives in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area and is the owner of Roberta Kennedy Voice Talent and RK Productions, Inc.
She voices for companies around the world using her state of the art, broadcast quality studio. She’s hired for commercials, web demos and explainer videos, product infomercials, documentaries, promo/imaging, political ads, e-learning videos, podcasts, guided real estate tours, telephony/IVR projects, high profile corporate presentations, video games and character animation.
Her voice is described as: playful, contemporary, compelling, commanding, inviting, sultry and smooth. A hip edge with sophistication, bold, warm, interesting and engaging are also commonly used adjectives to describe her voice.
Her home studio is equipped with ipDTL, ISDN and phone patch capability with lightning fast turnaround times! A voiceover talent with over 20 years of voiceover acting experience, she offers a full range of voiceover services at highly competitive rates & will work with your budget to help you promote your business to new levels of excellence.
To request a personal quote or audition and/or to review more of her credits & demos, feel free to visit her website: www.robertakennedy.com – or mail her at roberta@robertakennedy.com. You can even give her a call on (408) 313-7202.