JayBeacham.com-A Voice as an Instrument

A voice over job became available today:
CASTING CALL / VOICE OVER / 11 ROLES18.08.2016
Today we start castings for 11 voice over positions…
Type: TV / WEB / RADIO commercial

Category: International car company

Required: We are looking for a male and female voice over actors for one of Europe’s largest car companies new TV/ WEB/ Radio commercial. Language: English (US). Voice age : 18-24(2 positions) and 30-45(3 positions)
Spanish(1 position), Italian ( 2 positions) , Russian (3 position)

Payment: Paid job

Expiring: 28th of September, 2016

This was what was requested:
“English (US). Voice age : 18-24(2 positions) and 30-45(3 positions)“

About the age of voices.
When I was about 14 yrs old my voice changed from a fine boy soprano to a very deep bass.
At age 16, I began work as an announcer-DJ at the local radio station.
This June, just past, I turned 66 years old.
From 14 to now, my voice has sounded virtually the same unless I try to sound younger or older.

Physical age doesn’t change voice quality or sound necessarily.
Some very old women that I know have very child like voices.
One is a voice talent who does children voices exclusively.

Walter Brennan never sounded young after an accident changed his voice timber.
“Throughout his career, Brennan was frequently called upon to play characters considerably older than he was in real life.
The loss of many teeth in a 1932 accident, rapidly thinning hair, thin build, and unusual vocal intonations all made him seem older than he really was.   He used these features to great effect. In many of his film roles, Brennan wore dentures…”

Age of a voice?
That’s why they call them voice talents. At least those who can do different sounding voices.
But trying to make a voice sound what is perceived as a certain age of an adult, say over 16, is stupid.
I sound the same now as I did at age 16.
My point is, “Physical age doesn’t determine the sound of a voice.”

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“We want a college age voice.”

What?

“We need a 20 to 40 year old voice.” 

Searching for voice over, voice talent jobs these and other like statements were in the demo-requirements I found.

Who are they kidding?

There is no particular voice sound that depicts a college age student. And Now every one from all age groups are in college.

And 20 to 40? So you can tell?

I was a radio announcer at age 16  and sounded very much not like a child. And I am not an ‘exception’.

I understand that some casting directors didn’t cast Deanna Durbin when she was a teenager because she sounded to old.

I think these folks who are asking for the ‘age related voice’ are insane.

I sold a bare root apricot tree to a woman once.  From her voice she could have been in her twenties.  She was 11.

I have a friend who is 55 now and she sounds like a young girl where as her two daughters sounded very mature as teens.

So what’s in your mind about an age related voice sound?

You tell me what does a college age voice sound like?

I suppose if you were a “toother” and had no teeth you might sound old. I know folks who started wearing ‘dentures’ while still in their twenties. Without their chompers, they sound old.

Take Walter Brennan for instance.  He never played the part of a young man from the 1930s until he died in 1974 at age 80.

Here is an excerpt from a Wikipedia post about him:  ” Throughout his career, Brennan was frequently called upon to play characters considerably older than he was in real life. The loss of many teeth in a 1932 accident, rapidly thinning hair, thin build, and unusual vocal intonations all made him seem older than he really was. He used these features to great effect. In many of his film roles, Brennan wore ‘dentures‘; in Northwest Passage — a film set in the late 18th century—he wore a special dental prosthesis which made him appear to have rotting and broken teeth.”

These age requirements for a voice are so dumb.

Its all in people’s minds as to what makes someone sound young or old or in between or even look a certain age for that matter.

Now what do you think?

 Another matter before I’m out of here.

To those dorks who are putting links to keywords on my sites and posts, I hope you never sell a cent’s worth of product. If you had any integrity you’d pay for the advertising I and others are forced to give you.

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