Read The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over for Free Online Page A

conditions.
    What is needed is to get into the flow of the copy, breathe naturally, relax, have fun, and let the performance take you where it needs to go. Discover your character and let that character come into you so that you can create a sense of truth and reality for the character. If you think too much about what you are doing, your performance will usually be forced and sound like you are acting. When you allow yourself to “become the character” you will be able to “live the voice.”
    UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
    Every message (script) has an intended (or target) audience. Once you understand who the audience is and your role in the copy, you will be on your way to knowing how to perform the copy for the most effective delivery. Figure out who you are talking to. Narrow it down to a single individual and relate to that person on an emotional level. This is the first step to creating an effective performance and a believable character.
    Chapter 10 , “The Character in the Copy,” goes into greater detail about analyzing the various kinds of copy and creating characters.
    WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A SCRIPT—CD/11
    Now that you know some of the basics for creating an effective voiceover delivery, here’s a script for you to work with. Read it through once to get a feel for the copy. Notice that you instinctively make some choices as to how you will deliver the copy. Deliver the script using the choices you make. Then listen to track 11 on the CD.
    It happens everyday … in hotels, restaurants and other public buildings … without warning. It’s responsible for 20,000 fatalities – and it’s the second leading cause of death and disability. Slip and fall accidents – learn how to protect your rights if it happens to you. Tonight at 11 on Eye Witness News.
    Do you think your delivery achieved the objective of communicating the message effectively? An effective voiceover delivery requires looking beyond the words of a script to dig out the details and subtlety hidden in the message. Now, read it a second and third time, looking for the following points. Finally, read it out loud for time, to see how close you can come to 15 seconds.
Who is the audience this copy is trying to reach?
How can you create interest within the first few words?
How can you create an emotional response to keep the audience listening?
What is the single primary message in the copy?
What are the supporting statements for the primary message?
What is your role (your character) in the story?
Why is your character telling this story?
What does your character want or need from telling this story?
What is the primary emotion, if any?
What sort of delivery do you think would be the most effective to create the strongest memory of the message—strong, hard-sell, happy, smiling, mellow, soft-sell, fast, slow?
What is your attitude as the character in this spot—serious, comfortable, happy, sad, and so on?
In what way can you make the audience feel safe, comfortable, and in control of their decision to keep listening?
What visual images come into your mind as you read the copy?
    OK, how did you answer the questions? By the way, there are no wrong answers! Each of your answers represents a choice that ultimately results in your personal interpretation of the story. This spot is a TV promo, so there are visuals that go with the copy. You might know that from the format of the script, from a notation at the title, from written directorial notes, or from the producer telling you. Sometimes, however, you will not have anything more than the words on the page. Here’s an interpretation of this copy:
The target audience is men and women who spend time in public places, and who are concerned about safety issues. The focus is primarily on adults who travel or work in large buildings. To effectively reach this audience, you need to speak to one person.
The message does not answer any questions, but instead, creates awareness of a potential problem. Your