Greg James Professional Voiceovers

03/01/2024

Happy New Year!

"Authenticity" -- if you do any reading of trade or business publications, you'll notice it's the first big buzzword of 2024. It's everywhere, and everyone seems to be talking the talk about being authentic.

But if you don't walk the walk, prepare to get called out on it...like a big video game developer recently learned.

More below:

AI voiceovers in video games get a decidedly sour reaction.

30/12/2023

In case you missed it, the hottest story in the voiceover world to close out 2023 was not AI...nor was it about rates, contracts, marketing strategy or the SAG-AFTRA strike. It had nothing to do with any of the usual issues that typically preoccupy voice talents.

In fact, it didn't even come from someone working in the business.

You needed to be paying close attention to the feedback and opinions coming from the most important people of all: the audience. The consumers of what we produce.

More specifically, it came from TV viewers across America. And what was their big concern? What did THEY want to know?

They had only one burning question:

"What happened to Marge Simpson's voice?"

Marge Simpson sounds...well, different lately. Are 35 seasons of this taking a toll?

12/09/2023

If your career involves media production or communications – or if you just find yourself watching a crazy amount of video content online, via social media or perhaps streaming services like Netflix – you’ve probably noticed something that has snuck into our lives and become pervasive:

Subtitles!

They’re everywhere now, aren’t they?

I got curious about just how big a thing subtitles are these days, so I did some poking around.

A recent survey shows 50% of Americans watch content with the subtitles on most of the time.

Those numbers spike even higher by generation: 53% of millennials use them, and a whopping 70% of Gen Z.

57% watch content when they’re out in public. 74% of Gen Z does this. And when they’re in public, they typically turn the sound OFF, and the subtitles ON.

So why does this matter?

Here’s another stat that’s being thrown around: millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025. And those born 1997 and later are not far behind!

It feels like there’s a cultural shift afoot. The media consumption habits of this up-and-coming younger set have massive implications for those of us working in media production, and not just entertainment, but I think also “non-broadcast” stuff like business and educational content. Subtitles are now not only commonplace, but frankly an expectation for younger viewers – and that’s just scratching the surface of their media demands and preferences.

Content producers, marketers and communicators across the board need to get wise to that.

I’ve got a few other thoughts about all this, which you can find below.

If you're watching video, it likely has subtitles. They're useful, but is there a downside?

11/08/2023

Ever since I can remember, I've been a huge fan of cartoons...from childhood until the present day. I was the kid who binge-watched cartoons after school and on Saturday mornings...every Looney Tunes or Hannah-Barbera show...the Flintstones...the Jetsons...Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla...the Superfriends...and then later as an adult I graduated to The Simpsons...South Park...Family Guy.

I especially fell in love with the character voices.

Sadly, a memorable voice from the not-too-distant past has been silenced. There's news that Johnny Hardwick has passed away. He was better known as the voice of "King of the Hill" character Dale Gribble, the paranoid, chain-smoking, conspiracy theory-spouting owner of Dale's Dead Bug, and loyal pal to Hank, Bill and Boomhauer.

Sorry to hear this news, especially since apparently a revival of the show was in the works.

RIP Johnny; thanks for the laughs.

And no, don't tell Dale about his wife and John Redcorn...

27/06/2023

The other day I spotted perhaps the most clear-cut argument yet against AI voiceovers:

Listeners hate them!

This revelation was buried deep in a news article from the BBC, but not before the obligatory multiple paragraphs of nervous hand-wringing about how AI could potentially devastate numerous industries and put countless people out of work.

It featured the woeful story of a voice actor who had been doing voiceover work for a popular YouTube channel. While he was away on vacation, he learned that the client decided to replace him and experiment with AI because it was “cheaper and faster.”

That’s when this fascinating little nugget jumps out:

“That experiment turned out to be a failure. Viewers complained about the quality of the voiceover and eventually the channel took down the videos that featured the AI-generated voice.”

But then immediately afterward this rather important detail is minimized and the article slavishly defaults right back to its established panic narrative: the voice actor “did not find that very comforting,” because he thinks the technology will only improve.

Good Lord, man. How about a little optimism? You just got a massive hint dropped on your head. The feedback is starting to trickle in, and it’s not encouraging for AI-generated voice.

Yeah, I know, it’s only one example…but if you’re observant you’ll spot similar reactions elsewhere. I suspect it’s not the last we’ve heard of this.

I’ve always felt that when it comes to the creative realm, genuine human authenticity wins every time.

AI ain’t authentic – and people are picking up on that.

08/06/2023

"One of the most pernicious lines/lies in marketing at the moment is the myth and romanticization of 'storytelling.' It is a term that has been used so frequently, so clumsily and so incorrectly as to be rendered utterly, even dangerously, meaningless."

This quote comes from an opinion piece I recently read.

Honestly, I think this guy needs to lighten up and get over himself.

I am a storyteller, and my clients are storytellers. It's what we do.

I explain why this guy needs to put a sock in it....in my latest essay:

Have marketers and content creators hijacked storytelling?

24/05/2023

Did you ever get the feeling that some of the advice you read online is just plain awful?

That happened to me recently....again. We voice talents are frequently targeted with more than our share of craptastically lame guidance from so-called "experts" and "pros."

But honestly this can happen to anyone, anywhere, in any profession or industry.

A timely reminder: never trust anything you read online -- including this -- unless you can verify it for yourself.

* “The Internet” is pretty sure the quote above is attributed to the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles. However, others claim there’s no way to verify he said this. See what I mean about believing everything you see online?   I’ve had more than my share of encounters with craptastically la...

11/05/2023

This past weekend I found my tribe.

The life of a voiceover talent can often be a rather isolated and lonely one. We don’t commute to an office. We don’t have staff meetings. We don’t huddle at the water cooler, or gossip with colleagues over coffee in the break room, or “do lunch.” In fact, we typically don’t meet face-to-face with anyone…ever.

We’re holed up in a sound-proofed, padded booth most of the time, and the rest of the time we’re in front of a computer screen attending to all the tasks and minutia associated with running our own business.

That’s why when voice actors decide to fly in to a city and gather, it’s kind of a big deal to us.

And that’s just what happened this past weekend – we descended upon Orlando, Florida and took over a downtown hotel for WoVoCon VII – the annual conference of World Voices Organization.

WoVo, as it’s called, is the premiere member-driven, non-profit association of professional voice talent, boasting membership from across the globe. WoVo sets the gold standard for best practices and professional expertise in the voiceover business.

This was my first time attending this conference. I absorbed all kinds of useful information during a whirlwind of sessions put on by fellow members. I met folks from across the United States and Canada, and from locales as far away as the UK, Italy, India and the Canary Islands. And I had so many engaging and wonderful conversations, because let’s face it….voiceover people know how to talk. And sometimes they even randomly burst into song!

The list of people to thank is far too long to include here – I’ll be reaching out to you all individually.

What I will do is extend a heartfelt thank you to the organizers of this conference and the leadership of WoVo, for your time, your generosity and your camaraderie.

Now it’s back to my isolated booth – but this time, knowing that my tribe is not far away.

01/05/2023

What don’t media agencies understand?

Sonic branding.

That’s according to a recent survey.

Media agency staffers were given a list of 25 emerging trends, and then asked:

If you had to make a presentation, which topic would you have the most trouble explaining?

Surprisingly, they had no problem with stuff like

NFTs

Crypto

Blockchain

The Metaverse

But they were stumped and said they’d need a crash course on sonic branding.

What’s sonic branding?

It’s the smart use of sound to create an “audio signature” – something short, sticky and memorable. Something that conjures instant brand recognition and a positive emotional hook.

Examples: the McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle. The NBC chimes. The Netflix “Ta-Dum.” The Liberty Mutual or Farmers Insurance anthems.

Experts say the successful elements of a brand’s “sonic identity” include effective use of music, sound effects and …VOICE. (For obvious reasons, that last one fascinates me the most.)

Do you have a favorite sonic brand?

Audio messages in advertising have a powerful advantage over visual ones, driving deeper attention and immersion than even video, TV and social media.

29/04/2023

And now, an essay on the sworn, mortal enemy of all voiceover talents: NOISE.

Enjoy (quietly).

What do HVAC units, leaf blowers, an obnoxiously loud family member and the local military base all have in common? They're bad for business.

24/02/2023

It's hard these days to get away from all the hype, hyper-analysis and hysteria surrounding artificial intelligence, especially all the chatter over that new AI product ChatGPT.

Honestly, I'm not a fan...and if your work intersects with any of the creative industries, you shouldn't be either. These AI gadgets have a weakness that people are overlooking.

I reveal what that is in my latest blog:

If you're using an AI product like ChatGPT in a creative project, check your humanity at the door. And prepare for disappointment.

06/01/2023

Happy New Year 2023!

There's no shortage of articles online about the "hot trends" for the new year, especially in different industries. Here's why you should read as many of those pieces as you can. . .and then promptly forget 'em.

All those "hottest trends for this year" articles online aren't all they're cracked up to be.

15/12/2022

As we await the finals of the World Cup, a quick appreciation of Andres Cantor -- as masterful and entertaining as ever.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!

In advance of the finals of the World Cup, an appreciation of a masterful sportscaster and storyteller.

12/12/2022

What happens when a legendary luxury automaker produces the most awful, cringe-worthy, terrible commercial you've seen in years?

The internet administers a merciless beat-down, that's what.

See it yourself, right here:

A legendary automaker creates an impossibly terrible commercial and gets completely roasted by the internet.

13/11/2022

I thought I'd post my latest blog here, as a companion piece to a recent video I was fortunate to narrate.

For me this year -- and frankly, for the first time ever -- I've gained a new appreciation and perspective on observing Veterans Day. Let me tell you a little bit about it.

I have a confession to make: I don’t know a whole hell of a lot about the military or military service, and I’m not terribly well versed in the details of the various wars and conflicts that have shaped American history and culture. I know what I know from what I learned in school and […]

11/11/2022

For Veterans Day this year, I’m honored to have been asked to narrate this new promotional video for the American Battle Monuments Foundation.

The stories of those who served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice are an indispensable part of our shared American heritage, and the ABMF plays a vital role in preserving their legacy.

You can see and hear about it below. Please consider following or supporting this wonderful organization and its mission.

Join Us to Remember and Honor the more than 218,000 military service members buried or memorialized at ABMC cemeteries and monuments away from the homeland. ...

20/10/2022

What does your brand sound like?

"Sonic branding" is a hot topic in the marketing/advertising world, but don't overlook a time-tested piece of the audio puzzle.

There's more to "sonic branding" than snappy jingles and sonic logos.

18/10/2022

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/mike-francesa-bob-costas-will-not-shut-up.html

Is it possible for a guy behind the microphone to talk TOO MUCH? Apparently so.

One famous sports talker tells another to please put a sock in it already.

The reviews of Bob Costas calling the Yankees-Guardians series haven’t been great. Count Mike Francesa in the not-a-fan crowd.

25/09/2022

Like most voice talents, I am NOT a fan of artificial intelligence-generated voices, for many reasons. I especially don't like contracts that require voice actors to sign away all rights and control over the use and reproduction of their voice, "in perpetuity."

Yet here's a rare case where I think it makes perfect sense. James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of the fearsome but conflicted Sith lord Darth Vader, has just given his blessing to a move ensuring his character will endure forever.

To quote Vader himself, "this will be a day long remembered."

James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Star Wars' Darth Vader, signs over the character's voice rights after 45 years, thus retiring from the role.

31/08/2022

I happen to specialize in voiceovers for the ever-expanding and very varied eLearning market. Check out my eLearning demo here.

31/08/2022

In the world of professional voiceovers, a voice talent's demo is his calling card. Here's my commercial demo.

06/07/2022

In the heat of the summer, a story about ice cream! (Sort of.)

A few thoughts on branding and marketing, TV commercials and the elderly guy who used his terrible voiceovers to help build an ice cream empire.

Check out my latest blog post:
https://gregjamesvoiceovers.com/tom-carvel-the-greatest-awful-voiceover-guy-of-all-time/

14/06/2022

Thinking of using "AI" to voice your latest project? I say think again. My latest blog post:

https://gregjamesvoiceovers.com/artificial-intelligence-replacing-voiceovers-not-so-smart/

Every so often, a hot topic sparks passionate debate in today’s highly interconnected voice acting community. I’ve noticed just such a discussion lately echoing through private Facebook groups, podcasts and even the major VO conferences. It concerns the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to cre...