From Logic to ProTools to the stuff we carry around in our pockets, advances in technology have increased our ability to create great products, to do so cost-effectively, and to cast the projects efficiently.

Think about it. Not that long ago, access to recording studios and recording equipment was difficult. Not everyone even had a voice demo. Many casting sessions were conducted in person. But now, voice over actors can record demos on their ipads, computers and phones. They email files into productions. It sounds so basic now. We take most of the amazing technological advances in sound production, and thus, voice over production, for granted.

These technologies forced us to get better at certain aspects of our jobs, while removing some of the unnecessary burdens. We’re no longer as limited in what we can record and for how long, such as the Mind the Gap technicians were. It’s easier to match animation lip flap with slight adjustments to position of sound files.

Let’s not forget either, the role that computer based technology and social media have played in the voice over community. We spread the word about castings via twitter, we talk about our projects to friends on facebook,  we upload our demos, look for learning resources and sometimes look to cast projects via websites like VoiceBank and VoiceRegistry.  And a show, like Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, broadcast exclusively on the internet can reach an audience of 100 million— a reach which no television network could provide. At every level, these platforms have helped us to become the multi-billion dollar industry we are.

It’s a long way from whispering into tubes and cutting tape, right? Wonder what they’ll come up with next.

We pooled our resources here in the office, as well as your votes from online to put together our top 10 most memorable, most inspirational Voice Over Performances. Ever. Now this is for an iconic single performance. We’ll get to actors with an all around amazing track record next week. From newer performances iconic to younger generations, to unexpected performances from actors we thought we knew, there is no shortage of innovation in voice over performances. Without further delay, we present these memorable performances to you now.

What do think? Does this cover it? Any glaring omissions? Anyone you feel is not deserving? Let us know. Remember, we factored in your voting! And stay tuned for the companion piece to this– Our Top 10 Greatest All Around Voice Over Artists of all time. ]]> http://resnickinteractive.com/blog/2013/01/top-10-iconic-voice-over-performances/feed/ 0 http://resnickinteractive.com/blog/2013/01/great-stories-in-voice-over-mind-the-gap/ http://resnickinteractive.com/blog/2013/01/great-stories-in-voice-over-mind-the-gap/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:18:35 +0000 Ryann Ferguson http://resnickinteractive.com/?p=1528 Read more »]]>

While New Yorkers may have to put up with cacophonous and disjointed announcements on their subway systems– where the voice seems to be screaming at them– the British tube has long been understood to be a more civilized system. The tube was made famous thanks in part to its soothing, silver-voiced announcement to please Mind the Gap.

At its most basic level, it was a simple service announcement, reminding commuters to be aware of the space between the platform and the car. It’s gone on to become a symbol of not just the London Underground, but of London itself. Let’s not forget though, that this iconic phrase started as one more great voice over performance.

Increased traffic, added frequent stops, and adherence to schedules had made it impractical for drivers and station attendants to warn passengers when necessary at the curved platforms. The phrase was coined in 1968 and began airing in London Underground stations along the Central, Northern, and Bakerloo Lines in 1969.  The Underground chose digital recording and as storage capacity was expensive, the phrase had to be short. Mind the Gap was the winner.

According to the Independent on Sunday, the sound engineer hired for the project, Peter Lodge, who owned Redan Recorders in Bayswater, working with a Scottish Telefunken engineer, cast and recorded an actor reading “mind the gap” and “stand clear of the doors please,” and called it a day. But it turned into a moment of voice over casting gone wrong when the actor eventually turned back up, insisting on royalties– per use–for the performance! And since “mind the gap” was played thousands of times a day, this was not a cost Transport for London was willing to pay and the phrases were re-recorded. Lodge himself read the phrases, initially just to line up the recording equipment for levels, and in the end, those were the ones they used.

While Lodge’s 1969 recording is still in use, many lines use other versions. Perhaps you remember that soothing feminine voice? That very commonly used track comes from Manchester/Cheshire based voice artist Emma Clarke. (Here’s a great extra read about her, too!) Others, on the Piccadilly line, are by Tim Bentinck, who is not only an Earl, (with a very long title) but who also plays David Archer in The Archers.

Despite its humble and unglamorous origins as a utilitarian safety warning, mind the gap has become its very own stock phrase cottage industry. It’s used in many other contexts having little or nothing to do with travel safety. You can find it in the names of songs, bands, films, production companies, and novels. At least four non-fiction titles use Mind the Gap as their primary title, but rather than the safety warning, these books are about generations, class divides, social science policy and even the origins of human universals.

Even when used ironically, as it often is today, nothing seems to be able to dislodge the phrase and its Cool Britannia from the public consciousness. Not only is it a staple of modern British personality, but goes down as one of the defining moments in voice over performance.

What would Shrek be without his Scottish accent? Can you even imagine it? But not only was the character of Shrek NOT Scottish in William Stieg’s original books, (in fact, his name comes from Yiddish) but Mike Meyers very nearly never got the chance to play Shrek.

Several other actors were once considered for the film, including Bill Murray as Shrek with Steve Martin as Donkey. Ultimately, the producers hired comedian Chris Farley, who recorded upwards of 90% of the movie’s dialogue before passing away without completing the role.

Rather than bring in an actor to voice match Farley, DreamWorks recast the role completely with another Saturday Night Live alum with a hit film track record– Mike Meyers.  Meyers insisted on extensive script rewrites to scrub away any traces of Farley’s interpretation of the character. His performance clarified plot points and put new spins on much of the comedy.

Then, once the film was well into production, and Meyers’ completed performance as Shrek in the can, the actor came back to the producers with a bold request. He asked to re-record his entire performance using the Scottish brogue his mother adopted when telling him bedtime stories as a child. Meyers was so adamant about the idea that he even offered to pay for it himself.

But after hearing several samples, producer Jeffrey Katzenberg agreed– to the tune of four million dollars, which is what it cost to redo all that animation.

That decision paid off, as Shrek went on to be one of the most successful box office & franchise stories of all time. Meyers even received a letter from Steven Spielberg thanking him for caring so much about the role… and for adding the Scottish accent.

We’ll never know if Shrek would have been as big of a hit without that voice performance, but we do know that it wouldn’t have been the same without the thoughtful and dedicated performance of a talented voice artist like Mike Meyers.

Want to know more? Check out here and here. Also check out Mike Meyers discussing more about why he made that choice with James Lipton here.