Introduction
Hello mga KapitVAHay!
My name is Dave Soltura, at isa ako sa mga voice actor sa Voice Actors at Home PH, and I’m also a demo reel producer.
Today, we’re going to answer the question: Ano ang mga katangian ng isang epektibong demo reel? Or, what are the elements of an effective demo reel?
Voice Acting
One, an effective demo reel has great voice acting.
Kahit ikaw pa ang pinakamagaling na demo reel producer sa buong mundo, you cannot fix bad acting with bad mixing.
Pero, kung ikaw yung pinakamahusay na voice actor sa buong mundo, kahit amateur pa yung demo producer mo at ang kaya niya lang is mag normalize ng audio, your acting will still shine through.
Kaya yung best demo producers sasabihin nila sayo, “Uy, teka lang ha, mukhang kailangan pa nating i-workshop ng onti yung voice acting mo.”
So, before you get a demo reel produced, try to get some voice acting training first para sulit yung bayad mo sa demo.
I know a lot of people na dahil gusto agad nilang magpagawa ng demo, six months later after taking an advanced acting class, magpapagawa ulit sila ng demo.
That’s why it’s equally important to work with a reputable voice acting coach who can help draw out yung acting skill mo when you are recording your demo reel.
Animal
Two, an effective demo reel highlights your voice acting.
Merong demo reels na naka-criticized for being over-produced.
Sobrang dami na nung effects na naririnig mo, nandyan na yung barilan, ang dami ng explosions, para ka nang nanonood ng Transformers or Avengers.
Pero sa dami ng effects, natatabunan na yung boses mo.
Minsan naisip ko rin, siguro astig yun kung gagamitin namin ang 3D sound yung demo reel, so that para kang nanonood ng IMAX movie or Avatar.
Pero, a good rule of thumb when producing a demo is that your voice is panned right at the center and it will stick out the most.
Okay sana yun kung maiksing reel siya, but it is a voice acting demo reel, so we should highlight the voice acting, not the effects.
Three, an effective demo reel has a strong hook.
You have four seconds to make sure that casters and directors listen to your demo from start to finish.
That said, hindi uso yung slating sa U.S. style demo reel.
Slating is yung pag-sinimulan mo yung demo mo with a “Dave Soltura, 2005, Animation Demo Reel.”
I guess for some people that’s cool, but it’s also a waste of time, kasi after ng slate, dun ka pa lang magsisimulang mag-perform eh.
Imagine that’s kind of like “Dave Soltura, 2005, Animation Demo Reel. Stay away from my friend!”
Bago ka pa umabot yan sa attention-grabbing part, na-bore na yung casting director and nag-skip na sya.
Disclaimer lang, that this primarily applies to the U.S. voice acting scene.
Here in the Philippines, hindi standardized yung demo reels eh.
So for your hook, or for the first spot in your demo reel, you should use the best voice na kaya mo, or
yung pinakamabenta mong boses, and pair that with your best acting.
Vocal Range
Four, an effective demo reel demonstrates your full vocal range.
By that, I don’t mean na kailangan mong mag-stuff ng one thousand voices sa demo mo.
If you can do that many.
What I mean is, as much as possible, kailangan dingig sa demo mo na kaya mong mag-boses bata, hanggang boses matanda.
Or another perspective is, dingig yung treble mo, dingig din yung bass mo.
As a general rule, the more voices you can make, the more roles you can land, and therefore increasing your overall income.
Emotional Range
Five, an effective demo reel demonstrates your full emotional range.
Full emotional range.
Classic mistake ng mga demo is meron kang two spots na very similar yung emotion na ini-evoke.
Kunwari, yung isang section, “I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was,” tapos yung isang section naman, “Oh boy, I’m so hungry, I could eat a whale!”
Okay naman. Yung na-una is very determined, and pangalawa is very gutom, pero parehas silang bubbly and energetic.
So, as much as possible, try to make the emotions as distinct from each other as possible, making sure na walang emotion na nauulit.
That would be the best.
Emotional Agility
Number six, and this one’s gonna be a bit more advanced, an effective demo reel showcases emotional agility.
One classic demo reel mistake is sa isang scene, isang emotion lang din yung napakita mo.
Okay lang naman yun, but better if you have at least a couple of spots na hina-highlight kung gaano kabilis yung pagpalit mo from one emotion to another.
Something like, “Danica, Daddy’s home. I brought your favorite fried chicken. Danica…? Danica…?”
Okay, I’m not gonna go all out kasi ang lungkot ng premise, but you get the point.
Your demo should have a scene or two that shows that you can go from frightened to confident, despairing to hopeful, etcetera.
Dapat kaya mong magpalit ng emotions in a snap.
So, that’s it for this video. Sana nakatulong. See you guys next time.
If you want to watch more videos like this, please subscribe to our channel, Voice Actors at Home PH, and if you want to go all out on your voice acting career, make sure to hit all notifications.
Or, you can watch this video over here.
Introduction
Hello my KapitVAHays!
My name is Dave Soltura, and I am one of the voice actors at Voice Actors at Home PH, and I’m also a demo reel producer.
Today, we’re going to answer the question: What are the characteristics of an effective demo reel?
Voice Acting
One, an effective demo reel has great voice acting.
Even if you are the best demo reel producer in the world, you cannot fix bad acting with bad mixing.
But, if you are the best voice actor in the world, even if your demo producer is an amateur and all they can do is normalize the audio, your acting will still shine through.
That’s why the best demo producers will tell you, “Hey, hold on, it seems like we need to workshop your voice acting a bit.”
So, before you get a demo reel produced, try to get some voice acting training first so your payment for the demo is worth it.
I know a lot of people who, because they want to have a demo made right away, six months later after taking an advanced acting class, they will have another demo made.
That’s why it’s equally important to work with a reputable voice acting coach who can help draw out your acting skill when you are recording your demo reel.
Animal
Two, an effective demo reel highlights your voice acting.
There are demo reels that are criticized for being over-produced.
There are so many effects that you can hear, there’s gunfire, there are a lot of explosions, it’s like you’re watching Transformers or Avengers.
But with so many effects, your voice is drowned out.
Sometimes I also thought, maybe it would be cool if we used 3D sound for the demo reel, so that it’s like you’re watching an IMAX movie or Avatar.
But, a good rule of thumb when producing a demo is that your voice is panned right at the center and it will stick out the most.
That would be okay if it’s a short reel, but it is a voice acting demo reel, so we should highlight the voice acting, not the effects.
Three, an effective demo reel has a strong hook.
You have four seconds to make sure that casters and directors listen to your demo from start to finish.
That said, slating is not common in U.S. style demo reels.
Slating is when you start your demo with a “Dave Soltura, 2005, Animation Demo Reel.”
I guess for some people that’s cool, but it’s also a waste of time, because after the slate, that’s when you start to perform.
Imagine that’s kind of like “Dave Soltura, 2005, Animation Demo Reel. Stay away from my friend!”
Before you even reach the attention-grabbing part, the casting director is already bored and has skipped it.
Just a disclaimer, this primarily applies to the U.S. voice acting scene.
Here in the Philippines, demo reels are not standardized.
So for your hook, or for the first spot in your demo reel, you should use the best voice you can do, or
the voice that sells the most, and pair that with your best acting.
Vocal Range
Four, an effective demo reel demonstrates your full vocal range.
By that, I don’t mean that you need to stuff a thousand voices into your demo.
If you can do that many.
What I mean is, as much as possible, your demo should be able to hear that you can do a child’s voice, up to an old person’s voice.
Or another perspective is, your treble should be heard, your bass should also be heard.
As a general rule, the more voices you can make, the more roles you can land, and therefore increasing
your overall income.
Emotional Range
Five, an effective demo reel demonstrates your full emotional range.
Full emotional range.
A classic mistake in demos is having two spots that evoke very similar emotions.
For instance, one section, “I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was,” then another section, “Oh boy, I’m so hungry, I could eat a whale!”
Okay, sure. The first one is very determined, and the second one is very hungry, but they are both bubbly and energetic.
So, as much as possible, try to make the emotions as distinct from each other as possible, making sure no emotion is repeated.
That would be the best.
Emotional Agility
Number six, and this one’s gonna be a bit more advanced, an effective demo reel showcases emotional agility.
One classic demo reel mistake is in one scene, only one emotion is shown.
That’s okay, but it’s better if you have at least a couple of spots that highlight how quickly you can switch from one emotion to another.
Something like, “Danica, Daddy’s home. I brought your favorite fried chicken. Danica…? Danica…?”
Okay, I’m not gonna go all out because the premise is really sad, but you get the point.
Your demo should have a scene or two that shows that you can go from frightened to confident, despairing to hopeful, etc.
You should be able to switch emotions in a snap.
So, that’s it for this video. I hope it helped. See you guys next time.
If you want to watch more videos like this, please subscribe to our channel, Voice Actors at Home PH, and if you want to go all out on your voice acting career, make sure to hit all notifications.
Or, you can watch this video over here.