Dear Readers,
It’s been nearly 11 months since my last blog entry.
When we went into lockdown here in Toronto last March, it was the first time I had taken more than 10 days off in over 30 years.
That was a wake-up call. It felt like perhaps we had all been on treadmills, dancing as fast as we could.
Being forced to stop and to reflect exposed many hard truths, which we are all still navigating, moment to moment, it seems.
My first voiceover coach, Marice Tobias, taught me something I have never forgotten - that when the world changes, the announcer reads in advertising change, too.
Our voices change, as well, as they do when we experience joy, success, grief or loss.
I could hear the change in radio, TV and web spots right away.
Corporations we rely on were thanking frontline workers.
Announcers sounded more compassionate.
Character voices were toned down and more real.
I could also hear that voice talent were sometimes recording from home and not in a professional studio. (Because, in those early days, it wasn’t safe to.) The message still had to get out, even if the means of doing so had to change.
As studios have been slowly opening up again, I’ve been navigating the COVID-19 Protocols - like getting used to wearing a mask until the moment I’m alone in the talent booth or working with the director remotely. I’ve missed seeing my voice acting peers dearly as I self-tape my auditions from home or do recalls on Zoom.
This is the first time in my career that I’ve been consistently been asked to speak in my authentic voice. I’ve narrated several new media projects and an Audiobook. Seeing the engineer or the client in a mask no longer feels strange. I regularly record auditions in my walk-in closet, which I have now soundproofed to the best of my ability.
The reads changed overnight after 9/11 and after the economic recession. They changed again this past spring and of course, they will change again. It’s been fascinating and humbling to realize how crucial the authentic voice has become in this moment.
Recently, I had the pleasure of coaching a group of talented professional BIPOC artists and this notion came up near the end of our time together. A few of the women shared that they had often been asked to pare down or eliminate their unique dialects. That they had rarely or never been asked to speak in their true voices. Let’s hope that changes now.
We talked about the fact that the voice doesn’t lie. The breath doesn’t, either. Making sure you have a full, relaxed breath may be a little tougher these days, but it’s worth the effort. Putting your authentic voice out there has never been more profound – recorded or not. Whether you are reaching out to a loved one, recording an audition or an actual voice job, remember that no one else has your voice. It can make a tremendous difference when you use it mindfully and courageously.
Starting next week, I’ll be guiding two groups of theatre students through a 6-week Voiceover Masterclass. The priority will be to give these young actors permission to discover their authentic voices and all that they reveal – heart, soul, passion, hilarity, heartbreak and hope.
Please take care of your voice, yourself and each other.
We’re all in this together.
Tracey