We made this series of videos to show the amazing difference a voiceover makes. 

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When/Why/How did you get into VO work?

My first voiceover job was an accident.  I was a radio presenter with client in Glasgow.  The guy from commercial production bumped into me in the corridor with a piece of paper in his hand with the word ‘Script’ written across the top.  He said: “You could voice this commercial”  I said: “I could?” and then I said: ” A what?”  Mind you that was 1976!

 
What do you sound like?

Well, hopefully I sound like me, because I believe voices are like faces.  I don’t believe there are two that are exactly the same.  Well I hope not anyway, otherwise I’m doing somebody else’s work!  And what’s more, I’m getting paid for it.  I’ll never get away with it.

 

What was the weirdest gig you’ve ever done?

Weirdest job?  That has to be getting dressed as a school teacher, motorboat (?), gown, little cane, black board, all in aid of a motor dealership commercial which ran on Scottish television in the late 70s.  …And I wish it hadn’t.

 

What would be your ideal brief?

Ah, that’s easy:  The job is not over-written, I don’t have to be someone else, the job is for a product I like and the writer and producer are sympathetic to the needs of a voice over artist, that is you don’t have to go through the process doing the ‘if’ fourteen times, just because its not quite right.

 

What’s your poison?

Comes in bottles, normally red, either called Shiraz, Syra, Grenache, Merlot and the French are very good at making it…  A fine bottle of red wine!

 

What don’t you leave home without?

I normally don’t leave home without my keys.

 

Do you scream during football matches or shout at your children?

No I tend not to scream during football matches or in fact shout at my children.  I have to admit that I’m too old for that sort of thing.

 

What makes you laugh / cry?

My children.

 

Who do you enjoy working with or have you worked with recently?

That’s a question that really makes you think.  I can remember working with Robbie Coltrain and thinking to myself: “He is so good with his voice” and I can also remember interviewing Billy Connolly when I was a radio presenter and thinking to myself: “This is bloody hilarious!”

 

If you suddenly lost your voice, what would you do for a living?

I’d pray that it came back again, otherwise I really don’t know!

 

 

Rennie Griffiths

When/Why/How did you get into VO work?

Both my parents were in radio, TV and on the stage in Canada, London and Australia, so it seemed inevitable that I follow in their footsteps.  It’s in the blood (a bit like malaria).  I then spectacularly failed High School and ended up getting a job at the local radio station.  After about 10 years, I went freelance and subsequently starved.  I realised that I had better get some qualifications of some sort, so I went to Uni and got a Honours Degree in Biotechnology and I’ve been mainly working in the biopharm area for about 15 years.  But VO has always remained my first love!  I’ve been cultivating the VO business for the last 30 years (on and off).  Now that I’ve been made redundant from my biopharm day job (Yipppeeee!!), I can put more time and effort into making a living out of this crazy industry.

 
What do you sound like?

heeheee… listen to my demo!  I have variously been described as: having a “Dark Chocolate Voice”, “Sounding good with the lights off”, “Looking good with the lights off” and “As smooth as cat poo”

 

What was the weirdest gig you’ve ever done?

An on-camera gig as a talking lawn, advertising a lawn rejuvenation service.  The gig involved me lying on the floor with green makeup all over my face and bits of grass on my eyebrows.  A piece of board with a hole cut in it for my face was placed over me, and the board was covered with lawn.  I had to lie there for about 5 hours doing take after take (yep, the client was present).  It was a lot of fun!!

 

What would be your ideal brief?

Either a documentary series of some description for one of the networks or a big video game or cartoon.

 

What’s your poison?

Woo.  Where do I begin?  Cooper’s Pale Ale, Unicorn Pale Ale or Stout, or Horny Blonde.  Anything red, grape based and in a bottle.

 

What don’t you leave home without?

My clothes.

 

Do you scream during football matches or shout at your children?

Football?  What’s that?  Actually, I do find that the recreational pursuit of shouting at my children can be very therapeutic.  ;)

 

What makes you laugh / cry?

A good joke told well / A good joke told badly.

 

Who do you enjoy working with or have you worked with recently?

hmm…  being out in the bush as I am, I don’t get much of a chance to work with other people.

 

If you suddenly lost your voice, what would you do for a living?

I’d go back to science, I guess  :(

 

Steve Royal