Voiceovers: professional practice
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- Course Code: DMA034
- Dates: 04/10/24 - 01/11/24
- Time: 19:15 - 21:30
- Taught: Fri, Evening
- Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: David Thorpe
Course Code: DMA034
Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Exploring “real life” recording sessions, as they would be run in professional voiceover studios across a range of genres. The course will include a small group recording, and recording a piece of each student’s own choosing.
What will we cover?
The demands of professional voiceover work for genres including Radio Commercials, Audiobooks and Audio Guides. The tutor will touch on the editing process. There will be a small group recording and a piece of the student’s own choosing.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Have an understanding of what it’s like to work professionally in voiceovers.
Describe the experience of a professional voiceover artist working across a range of genres.
Identify ways to explore work opportunities.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is only for those who have completed the sequence of Voiceovers courses at City Lit, at least to Improvers level, or have equivalent experience and are familiar with the demands of the areas we will be covering e.g. have worked professionally in other areas of voiceover work. You need to contact the Voice Co-ordinator via drama@citylit.ac.uk for a short interview, unless you have been invited to progress by the tutor.
In order to get the most from the course you will be able to:
• Follow written and spoken instructions in English
• Work within groups and pairs safely.
• Take your own notes.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through recording and playback, with tutor and peer feedback. The course will be held in our media studio.
After session 1, you must prepare scripts prior to each class, including a 10-minute audiobook narration.
All handouts and recordings will be available through Google Classroom.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
On advanced level courses only such as this, students are given raw unedited footage for their own use.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may be interested in other courses in Performing Arts, especially in Voiceover and Radio, which includes Radio presenting, Character voice and Narration skills, and other Voice classes such as Accents.
You may also be interested in related career-focused courses such as Wordpress or Business and marketing.
David Thorpe was born in Sheffield, grew up on the Isle of Wight, and has lived in London all his adult life. He has appeared in numerous plays in rep and on tour, including as The Fool in a production of King Lear directed by Jonathan Miller. David has also devised and performed three one-man shows, Confessions of a Toytown Revolutionary, This Way Up! and l Demand A Recount! In 2020 he released an album of his songs and spoken word entitled Trickle-down. Twice a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company, David has been heard in over a hundred radio plays and was a presenter at BBC World Service for 5 years. He has worked in many areas of audio - ADR, ELT, Audio Guides, Animations, Games, Commercials, etc. - but now mostly narrates audiobooks (over 700 so far) for which he has won various awards. Dave has taught radio acting and audio work in a number of drama schools and centres. He now teaches exclusively at City Lit., where he hosts Voiceover courses from beginners to advanced level.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
