This is the final episode in The Talking Creative Countdown to Christmas!

And I've saved a fun little treat especially for Christmas Eve... keep listening to find out about the 4 Santas!

I promised you a special link and here it is (it's from a film, so it's only the song - but it's a good one!):

https://youtu.be/w2WUYyppXlU

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This is the stuff that has helped me to build a voiceover career.

Hopefully it will offer a few ideas that might help you.

It includes:

• Coaching
• Building a home studio
• My logo and branding
• Website
• Conferences - and not just voiceover ones
• Getting out and meeting people
• and all kinds of mindset stuff...

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Today it is all about the mics!

You may or may not be a voiceover but if you do any online meetings, social media videos or if you host or ever guest on podcasts - do listen as I'm doing an audio comparison in the episode between:

• An internal computer mic
• A USB mic
• A dynamic mic
• A phone mic
• and a valve condenser booth mic

This episode will help you get a feel for how you could sound, depending on the mic you pick.

The mics mentioned are:

• RODE Mini https://rode.com/en/microphones/usb/nt-usb-mini?gclid=CjwKCAiAheacBhB8EiwAItVO217_HdizJa9ghBG1m0e-n8PKSuqrsdF3OYoMzj2c9UXNYB-UHm7YKBoC3RkQAvD_BwE
• Heil PR40 https://heilsound.com/product/pr-40/
• Sontronics Aria https://www.sontronics.com/aria

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

The episode about all kinds of warm ups!

Voiceover warm ups aren't just for our voices and bodies - if we're going to perform at our best, we also need to warm up our mindset. 

So today I’m talking about quick little ways to warm-up, well, everything!

And this episode is great for voiceovers, podcasters AND people who work with voice actors on the other side of the mic.

As promised - here is the link to Nic Redman's excellent podcast The Voice Coach:

https://nicolaredman.com/the-voice-coach-podcast/

Do come back tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Yes, I know it isn't Twelfth Night - it's December 12th. Which is totally different.

But it's a great excuse to talk about one of the most Christmassy days of the year:

So here's a whistlestop tour of Twelfth Night, including:

• Tree Spirits
• 3 Wise Men
• King Cake (and the bean)
• Shakespeare
• The Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Basically - everything you've ever wanted to know...

Do come back tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Why is it so sought after for certain kinds of Voiceover work?

And can you develop your own smooth seductive voice?

Find out in today's short festive episode.

Do come back tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Today on the Talking Creative Countdown to Christmas, we're talking about Santa's favourite Christmas film: "Love Actually".

Whether you're a voiceover or a director, there's a lot to be learnt from the opening to this film - and you can listen to it here:

https://youtu.be/rl44pV2-9R8

And do come back tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

We're All Stories in the End...

That Doctor Who quote is the inspiration behind today's podcast: this Christmas, record a few stories with your friends and family.

Find out why in this short episode :)

You can tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 8th - and today on the podcast, it's all a bit meta because we're talking about... podcasts!

If you've ever thought about launching your own pod - this is a little nudge to get you thinking about it even more.

And do get in touch if you need any help with creating a podcast or anything else in the world of voiceovers - just drop me a line at sam@samanthaboffin.co.uk

And do tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 7th - and don't worry, there's still time to book a voiceover before Christmas (even though there's only a couple of weeks left!)

It's very easy - just listen to this episode and you'll be sorted...

You can tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

And we have a very special guest on Talking Creative: Father Christmas himself!

We asked children for their questions for Santa and this is an episode just for them (there are no spoilers - so do share it!)

So if you or your children want to know what where he goes on holiday, how he gets into houses with no fireplaces and what his favourite Christmas film is (and much, much more) - this is the episode for you!

Your audience matters - everything you make is with them in mind. And Santa definitely knows who he's talking to!

Santa always has time for children everywhere, so do get in touch with him at https://www.santamessages.uk/ if you want the big guy in the red suit to send someone you love a personal message.

And do tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 5th - and time for a special interview with The Voiceover Social: Nic Redman and Leah Marks!

This episode is all about How to Plan for your Best Voiceover Year yet.

Proper planning starts with the right mindset and the right tools to help you reach your goals.

And that's where the VO Career Planner comes in.

You can get your hands on this amazing piece of kit here:

https://www.thevosocial.com/the-voiceover-career-planner

And if you'd like to book a 1-2-1 Career Planning Session with me (as mentioned in the episode) - do email me at sam@samanthaboffin.co.uk for all the details and remember, there's a 20% discount offer running from now until the end of December 2022.

Get the New Year sorted!

You can tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Audiobooks are perfect for long car journeys or keeping kids entertained when you're busy creating Christmas!

Here is a roundup of seasonal audiobooks for kids of all ages - even big kids!

The audiobook list:

• Spectacular Stories for the Very Young by David Walliams
• The Snail and the Whale and Other Stories by Julia Donaldson
• The Detective Dog and Other Stories by Julia Donaldson
• Mermaid School by Lucy Courtney
• The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
• The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling
• The Book That No One Wanted by Richard Ayoade
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
• The HogFather by Terry Pratchett (the Bill Nighy/Peter Serafinowicz version)
• Lost Christmas by David Logan
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (the Laura Dern version)
• And UK Listeners, don't forget that BBC Sounds has some amazing stuff for kids

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 4th - Santa's List Day!

This episode is more nice than naughty though.

We're looking at how TO DO lists can really help you to reach your goals.

So if you've got to the end of this year and you feel you haven't accomplished quite as much as you'd hoped - this is the episode for you!

And you can tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 3rd - and today we're talking about How to Find the Right Christmas Voiceover!

'Tis the season to be jolly.

And if you're not yet sorted with your Christmas voiceover - now is the time.

Plus this episode should help you get in the festive mood and hopefully give you some Christmassy ideas.

• Character voices
• Kids voices
• Parent voices
• Singers
• Is there even a "Christmas" voice?

There were a lot of people who made this episode extra-special...

Santa was the excellent Mark Ryes:

https://britishvoiceover.co.uk/

As well as live Santa voiceover and TV and radio commercials, shopping centres and websites, Mark also provides Santa messages for parents (which is pretty fabulous!) - do find out more here:

 https://www.santamessages.uk/

And Mrs Santa, the elves and all the other Christmassy wonders were played by:

• Ally Murphy https://www.allymurphy.co.uk/
• Dianne Weller https://dianneweller.com/
• Jo Ashe https://joashe.uk/
• Karis Pentecost https://www.karispentecost.com/
• Lisa Graydon https://www.lisagraydon.com/
• Liz Drury https://lizdrury.com/
• Menna Bonsels https://mennabonsels.com/
• Margaret Ashley http://margaretashley.com
• Natalie Chisholm https://www.redheadvoiceover.com/

And here are some other episodes that might help you find voice actors:

Episode 43 - How to Find the Right Voiceover Quickly:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/how-to-find-the-right-voiceover-quickly/

Episode 2 - Where to Find the Perfect Voiceover Artist

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/02-where-to-find-the-perfect-voiceover-artist/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 2nd - and the second episode in the Talking Creative Countdown to Christmas!

Today is part 2 to yesterday's 'do your homework' episode.

In this episode I'm sharing 3 ways to be more strategic when you're looking for work and why it's important - whether you're a voiceover or a voice director.

Tune in tomorrow for more gifts from behind the festive mic!

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It's December 1st - the start of the Talking Creative Countdown to Christmas!

This is a fun little season packed with audio gifts to inspire you to make voiceovers better.

During this run up to December the 25th - I'll be sharing something useful, interesting or just a little bit Christmassy all about voiceovers - a daily surprise behind the festive mic so we can end 2022 on a brighter note!

Today we're looking at why doing your homework will help you in your career - whether you're a voiceover actor or a voice director.

Let's start Talking Creative!

As always, do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

Auditioning for work. Whether you use pay to play sites, have an agent or are going solo - auditioning is part of every voice actor's life. We all have to do it.

But how can we do it well?

In this episode of Talking Creative, the Summer Series - I've got 6 hot tips to help you do just that.

We cover:

1. Auditioning for jobs that you're the right fit for.
2. Starting with a bang.
3. Being clear about who you are, who you're talking to and why.
4. Investigating the brief. 
5. Being brave.
6. Some practical tips and tricks.

Here is the Audition Director link:

https://www.auditiondirector.com/

The Talking Creative Summer Series - short, sweet episodes to help us all make voiceovers better.

Do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

In this episode of the Talking Creative Summer Series, we’re looking at three things your voice actor needs so that they can get the job done brilliantly.

So - what are they?

• A Script
• Context
• Confidence

We dig deep into why these are so important whether you're directing your voice or getting them to self-direct themselves.

The Talking Creative Summer Series - short, sweet episodes to help us all make voiceovers better.

Do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

How do you get the right person to audition for your latest project?

By writing a short, focussed casting brief.

And in this episode, I've got 5 easy ways to write one.

A good brief should cover:

1. The type of project: commercial, gaming, e-learning
2. The kind of actor you're looking for - gender, vocal age, language or accent
3. The energy or tone you want to capture. Or even the kind of role the voiceover is playing.
4. The script and any character sides. 
5. Details about the practicalities: the timing, the studio, the fee.

Here are the links I promised too:

• The link to the Masterclass waitlist:

How to become a professional voice artist (even if you haven't been to drama school).

https://subscribepage.io/professionalvoiceover

• The podcast episode "Where to find the perfect voiceover artist":

 https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/02-where-to-find-the-perfect-voiceover-artist/

• Gravy for the Brain Rate Card:

https://rates.gravyforthebrain.com/

• GVAA Rate Card:

https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

The Talking Creative Summer Series - short, sweet episodes to help us all make voiceovers better.

Do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

In this episode of the Talking Creative Summer Series, we're looking at 3 important things to remember when you're writing scripts for voiceovers:

• Get personal
• Keep it simple
• Always read your script out loud yourself (before you get it signed off)

As promised, here is the link to The Drum's 100 Best Ads of All Time:

https://www.thedrum.com/the-worlds-best-ads-all-time

And the link to the Masterclass waitlist:

How to become a professional voice artist (even if you haven't been to drama school).

https://subscribepage.io/professionalvoiceover

The Talking Creative Summer Series - short, sweet episodes to help us all make voiceovers better.

Do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

We all know about the concept of finding the "right" voice artist for a project.

But what does that really mean?

The right voiceover for who - or what?

In this first episode of the Talking Creative Summer Series, we consider what we need to think about when we're looking for the right voice.

The Talking Creative Summer Series - short, sweet episodes to help us all make voiceovers better.

And if you've ever thought about becoming a professional voice actor - or know someone who has - do get on the waitlist for my new Masterclass:

How to become a professional voice artist (even if you haven't been to drama school).

Here is the link:

https://subscribepage.io/professionalvoiceover

Do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

After a little break - Talking Creative is back for a Summer Mini Series.

Find out what's happening here!

The perfect time to talk about live storytelling.

In this episode we look at how you can get involved in live storytelling gigs that will get you out of the booth and better known locally.

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This is part 2 of the Talking Creative and Voiceover Social workshop: “How to Direct and Be Directed”.

This is the live, in-the-moment directing section of the workshop

Here I direct two voice actors Leonie and Leonor voicing an advert and a TV promo (but don't worry, it isn't a prerequisite to have a name that starts with "Leon"!)

Both the ad and the promo are fictitious - but they're fully written with ideas behind them so just like real-world projects.

In this 30 minute episode we cover all kinds of practical stuff, including:

• The importance of music
• How a remote recording session feels
• Working with voices live and in-the-moment
• The relationship between a director and a voiceover

Plus you'll hear that there is no perfect recording session!

Useful links:

• The scripts: https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeScripts
• Leonie Schiesling voiced the commercial and her details are here: https://leoniedoesthings.com/
• Leonor Lemée voiced the promo and her details are here: https://leonorlemee.com/en/
• Part 1 can be found here: https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/63-how-to-voice-direct-and-be-directed-part-1/

This directing workshop was originally part of an event hosted with the Voiceover Social podcast.

You can find Nic and Leah here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-voiceover-social/id1354490031?i=1000549602270

As always, do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

A Talking Creative and Voiceover Social Podcast Special

In January 2022, Talking Creative and The Voiceover Social hosted a workshop: “How to Direct and Be Directed”.

A live event with an audience of voice actors, directors and producers.

This is the podcast from that workshop - part 1 anyway!

And the title says it all.

The original event was a panel discussion with audience Q&A about voice directing and how to get the best out of your voice actors, followed by a live directing session and breakout rooms.

This is part 1: the panel discussion - with added commentary from me, post event.

In this 50 minute episode we cover all kinds of practical stuff, including:

• How pre-planning makes the recording session run more smoothly
• Why music is such a brilliant addition
• How space can be your friend
• Active listening and how to layer a performance
• Finding alternatives to line reads

So if you've ever shied away from directing or thought - well what can I bring to the party, this is the episode for you.

You can find the Voiceover Social podcast with Nic Redman and Leah Marks here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-voiceover-social/id1354490031?i=1000549602270

As always, do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

In this first Talking Creative episode of 2022 - rather later than planned - we are looking at telling stories, and how to tell them well.

Storytelling - it's a really simple idea - the concept of putting a story at the heart of all the content you're creating.

But finding the storyline is just the start - it's also important to tell stories in the right way: with the right words, the right tone, the right voice.

Amongst other things in this episode, I'm going to be looking at 4 examples of storytelling that have inspired me recently - in the hopes that you will also find them useful.

• A cinema commercial
• An audiobook narrated by the writer
• A series of 5" break bumpers
• And an epic audiodrama

As always, do follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today is National Cocoa Day.

So why should you never feed dogs or voiceovers chocolate?

Find out in this episode!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and time for a Christmas Audiobook special.

Christmas Audiobooks are a little like Christmas movies and music for me - a bit traditional, a bit of an indulgence in the run up to Christmas Day to get me in the mood.

Here are my top 3 but perhaps they'll inspire you to think of your own list.

I also talk about narrators and what they bring to the festive audio party1

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today we're talking about why the first line of your script is so important.

With a little help from Charles Dickens and a certain Christmas story!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today we're talking about pronunciation and why it matters.

We're looking at

• Tricky words that trip you up
• How to deal with foreign words in scripts
• Why you need to do your homework - as directors and as voiceovers
• Making decisions
• And lots of other stuff

Here are the useful apps and websites I mentioned:

https://howjsay.com/

Oxford Dictionary of English app

https://forvo.com/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and it's Christmas Card Day.

There were so many things I could have talked about but the History of the Christmas Card seemed like a fun topic.

So here it is! A (brief) history of the Christmas Card.

As promised - here is the link to Mark Ryes and his personalised Santa messages:

https://markryes.com/

And you can see the very first Christmas Card here:

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-first-christmas-card

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and I've got a quick win for you.

All sound files are equal but some are more equal than others.

So how can you tell if your voice actor can deliver professional quality files BEFORE you book them?

Find out in this quick episode.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

......and today we ask the question: do you always need a voiceover for your videos and commercials?

With people increasingly watching on mobile with their phones on mute - is there any point?

Find out in today's episode!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

In this episode we cover:

• What to do at the start of a session
• Being in-the-moment
• Creating a bridge into your project
• Create the right creative atmosphere
• Directing, not acting for your voice
• Giving helpful, imaginative feedback
• How to perfect the art of saying - "I love that and let’s also try this..."
• Ending the session on a high

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today we are talking Explainer Videos.

Is there a perfect length for an explainer video?

Well, it depends - and you can find out why in today's episode.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today's gift is the recipe for my favourite cocktail.

Why? (You may be asking.)

Well - because this is a calendar with surprises behind the festive mic.

Because it's a mini how-to audio guide.

And because it's the weekend - and you don't always have to make stuff that's work-useful.

So, enjoy the recipe - and even give it a try.

It's super-simple and there's a Christmassy twist too!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today's gift is the intro to the Christmas film "Love Actually".

There's an awful lot we can learn from the opening to this film - and you can listen to it here:

https://youtu.be/rl44pV2-9R8

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today's gift is all about the number 3!

Think Harry Potter, Superman's mantra and the BBC's mission statement: inform, educate and entertain.

The power of 3 is all around us.

So why is this important to voice directors, voice actors and content producers?

You can find out in today's episode.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

...and today's gift is a little bit of inspiration to be more innovative, brave and bold.

What links

• Inspector Morse
• Pixar
• BBC audio drama Home Front
• Apple’s Voice Memo App 

Find out behind today's festive mic!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This Christmas - Talking Creative brings you a Voiceover Advent Calendar.

The Talking Creative "Countdown to Christmas"!

Every day on the run up to Christmas - instead of a treat behind a door, you'll get a treat from behind the mic.

A voiceover gift to inspire, help or just entertain you - who knows what each day will bring!

Today is December the 1st...

...the perfect day to talk about only having one director in a session - not a variety of people, all saying different things!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

How do you keep your content - and your projects - feeling fresh and new?

This week's Talking Creative is looking at 4 ways you can do that.

We cover:

1. Keep learning new stuff
2. Keep meeting new people
3. Watch what’s happening in your niche
4. Be aware of new trends

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

You've done all the prep. The session is in full swing. But how do you actually direct your voice artist?

Here are 3 techniques to help - which don't involve line reading or being too prescriptive:

1. Be specific and clear
2. Tap into their imagination 
3. Relax and create some space

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

'Tis (nearly) the season to be jolly. But have you thought about your Christmas voice yet?

Well, now is the time and this week's episode should help you get in the festive mood.

Plus hopefully give you some Christmassy ideas.

• Character voices
• Kids voices
• Parent voices
• Singers
• Is there even a "Christmas" voice?

There were a lot of people who made this episode extra-special...

Santa was the excellent Mark Ryes:

https://markryes.com/

As well as live Santa voiceover and TV and radio commercials, shopping centres and websites, Mark also provides Santa messages for parents (which is pretty fabulous!) - do find out more here:

 https://voiceover6.wixsite.com/santamessages

And Mrs Santa, the elves and all the other Christmassy wonders were played by:

• Ally Murphy https://www.allymurphy.co.uk/
• Dianne Weller https://dianneweller.com/
• Jo Ashe https://joashe.uk/
• Karis Pentecost https://www.karispentecost.com/
• Lisa Graydon https://www.lisagraydon.com/
• Liz Drury https://lizdrury.com/
• Menna Bonsels https://mennabonsels.com/
• Margaret Ashley http://margaretashley.com
• Natalie Chisholm https://www.redheadvoiceover.com/

And here are some other episodes that might help you find voice actors:

Episode 43 - How to Find the Right Voiceover Quickly:

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/how-to-find-the-right-voiceover-quickly/

Episode 2 - Where to Find the Perfect Voiceover Artist

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/02-where-to-find-the-perfect-voiceover-artist/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

To celebrate, I've looked back at all the great ideas and interviews in a year of podcasting - and pulled together the top 10 pieces of advice.

Here's the list:

1. The listener is King - or Queen (Amber Bates and Sean Pratt)
2. Be an ace planner (Verity Panter)
3. Do your homework (Tanya Rich)
4. Be authentic (Elinor Hamilton)
5. Make your voice talent feel confident (Sean Pratt and Nic Redman)
6. Write scripts to be read out loud (Nic Redman)
7. Be clear, be specific (Katie Flamman and Stephane Cornicard)
8. Be playful (Lisa Graydon)
9. Don’t take yourself too seriously (Garrett Neal)
10. Be a director - not a dictator (me - and pretty much everyone else!)

And here are the links to the episodes mentioned:

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeTanyaRich

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeSeanPratt

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeAmberBates

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeNicRedman

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeWorldVoiceDay

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeGarrettNeal

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeVerityPanter

https://bit.ly/TalkingCreativeElinorHamilton

And here's to another year of Talking Creative!

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

We cover:

• What to listen out for in your demos
• Why it matters
• What directors are looking for
• How to focus on YOUR reels
• And if you'd like more details about your own 1-2-1 Voiceover Demo Audit - just email me at sam@samanthaboffin.co.uk or DM me on LinkedIn. There's a 20% discount offer running from now until December 31st 2022.

As always, you can follow me on LinkedIn for more voiceover related chat - you can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

And if you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This episode of Talking Creative is less about "how" and more about "why".

A more inspirational episode perhaps!

I can sometimes struggle to explain exactly why voiceover work feels important.  

And when I talk to people about what I do for a living - I tend to fall back on the lighter weight stuff because it’s an easier “in”.  Still, in comparison to midwives, accountants or firefighters - it can feel a little, well, frivolous.

But in this episode we look at how voiceover is used in more serious ways.

So settle back for this short burst of Talking Creative and hopefully it will make you think about different ways that you can use voices in your work.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

It’s one of those days when everything’s gone wrong.

The client is having second thoughts about the kind of voice they want...

Or the voice who was coming in for 2pm has called in sick...

Or the voice you booked wasn't great, or their studio was pants and you need to recast...  

Or maybe you just forgot to book a voice.

Whatever it is  - you have to get this done today.

So what do you do?

In this episode, I discuss 4 great ways to find the right voice for your project when you're really up against it.

Links:

Episode 2: Where to Find the Perfect Voice Artist.

https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/02-where-to-find-the-perfect-voiceover-artist/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

The start of a new academic year is the perfect time to talk about eLearning voices.

Scratch that.

Anytime is the perfect time.

We are all learning online more than ever before - and as a consequence, the eLearning industry is booming.

In this interview with Elinor Hamilton from eLearning Voices, we talk about (amongst other things):

• How the eLearning industry is changing
• Why finding the right voice is important
• What listeners are looking for in eLearning voices
• Audio Description
• And lots more voiceover gold!

You can find eLearning Voices here:

https://elearningvoices.co.uk/

And you can get in touch with Elinor here: hello@elearningvoices.co.uk

And you can follow me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.

This week’s One Hot Voiceover Thing - be decisive.

Yesterday I had the fun of performing in the Overnight Plays.

7 Plays devised, written, directed, tech-ed and performed in 24 hours.

Like most creative projects - each play needed a director at the heart of it, making the decisions and shaping each one.

So that's what I'm talking about today - another hot creative thing for you to remember and take into your week.

If you enjoyed this podcast - please do subscribe, rate and review "Talking Creative - the Art of Voiceover Directing" on Apple Podcasts

and

Go to https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative for the whole series so far.