How Improv Can Improve Your Voice-Over Skills
American voice actor Pat Fraley said on his podcast, “Voice Over Experts”, “Of the nine critical skills to voice-over— acting, reading and voice, relaxation, character and accents, energy, microphone technique, business, sense of scene and text analysis, and improvisation is the most misused and, at the same time, underused skill of them all.”*
So, whenever your friend, co-worker, or whoever asks you how to get into the voice-over industry, here is a standard, but sincere answer that helps wean out the opportunists while also promoting a life-enriching-skill: Improvisation.
Here is why improv will not only be a beneficial ability to learn, but will also be your greatest advantage as a budding voice actor:
Improving Cold Reading Skills
A voice-over talent will—if he or she is lucky—receive the copy fifteen minutes before a session or audition. Strong choices have to be made with the little time to dissect the copy.
Improv teaches that acting with conviction will have better results. Have high energy, smile, and react off of your scene partner (if you have one). Instead of panicking about every little detail in a 30 second spot, improv will teach you how to react almost instantly and react strongly.
Even if you pick the “wrong” interpretation, going in with a clear choice is a lot less stressful. And when you’re less stressed