Why do you Smile in Voice-Over Copy?

A Knowing Smile. Why do you smile in voice-over copy?

In any voice-over copy – commercial copy to medical text – you are often reminded to “Smile”. A smile is powerful and needed to brighten and warm the copy. A question now arises – “Why do you smile in voice-over copy?”

For one – it moves the sound FORWARD IN YOUR MOUTH and changes the sound of it. It brightens the copy and warms it because it IS A BRIGHTER SOUND. Yes, you may be directed to smile – but emotionally, you don’t just plaster on a smile. You need to create a reason why you do so emotionally. We are completely aware when you are disingenuine in your reads. We trust a person who makes natural and organic choices in copy – even if you have been directed to do so.

You smile because you know something. It is the discovery of thought that allows you to smile. The smile is not just a phony joyless motion you make by curling the sides of the mouth – but one that begins in your thoughts and starts in the eyes – and moves to the mouth. Now you have an organic natural smile. Even if you are directed to ‘SMILE!‘ on a word or phrase, you as an actor must create the REASON WHY you are smiling. Discover your smile in a lightbulb of thought.

Say this phrase – without any smile.

“I just discovered something – that’s going to help you.”

Now say this phrase and let your imagination ‘discover’ your thoughts and smile during the second half of the phrase. Read the line as a memory you are discovering.

“I just discovered something – (SMILE) that’s going to help you.”

Now say the phrase and let the smile start just before you speak the first phrase. Still invent the words as a memory.

(SMILE and Lightbulb your thought)

“I just discovered something – (nod) that’s going to help you.”

You smile because you discover your thought. You know something that is going to help someone.

A smile in voice-over copy gives us the gift of your wisdom – and the gift of you.

Paul Liberti
https://paulliberti.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VoiceOverTuneUp