LIVE WORKSHOP series | starting mondays, september 11, 1-3 PM CENTRAL / 2-4 PM EASTERN / 11AM-1pm PACIFIC:

Copy Decoding with John McKinney

here's a note from john

Master the fine art of commercial voiceover

I don't have to tell you how insanely competitive the commercial voiceover field is.

And yet, with all those legions of talented actors out there, it's rare to find even one who can interpret commercial copy correctly and book jobs consistently. 

The reason is simple.  Actors are provided with almost no direction in commercials whatsoever, and generally have very little insight into the tastes and preferences of ad agencies, the people who actually hire the actors.  (Even most casting directors are lacking in this regard, since they are never in the room when the final casting is being decided.)  Only someone experienced in making those hiring decisions for many years and for many different products and brands would know such things.

Someone like me, for instance. :)

As a former advertising creative as well as a longtime voiceover actor myself, I can reveal the many secrets to deciphering those confounding or "selly" sounding scripts, allowing you to perform them artfully and correctly.  Because at the end of the day, great voiceover work is still about great acting. Once you learn the code, you'll be able to approach that seemingly silly, vapid or confusing copy with the same kind of conviction and nuance you bring to your film and stage work – leading to a higher level of performance as well as a higher booking rate.

Webinar Date & Time:

Mondays September 11-October 9 | 1-3 PM Central / 2-4PM Eastern / 11AM-1PM Pacific

Host:

John McKinney

What You'll Learn

A revealing, 5-week online course in copy interpretation and performance. Participants must have some voiceover experience. Class size is limited.

1

Monday, Sept 11

• Principles of commercial acting
• "Role Rules" – Announcers, Characters, Testimonials

2

Monday, Sept 18

• Advanced announcer technique
• Copy architecture and script breakdown

3

Monday, Sept 25

• Commercial concepts
• Tonality and subtext

4

Monday, Oct 2

• Product categories
• Brand personality
• Special genres (Retail, Promos, Beauty, etc.)

5

Monday, Oct 9

• Breaking down characters
• Animation
• Announcer-character hybrids

Copy Decoding with John McKinney

Carrie Olsen Voiceover