Johnny George, a very talented voiceover guy (his demos are on his home page), has a newsletter he publishes every month. (A subscription link is also on his home page.) As I was reading the issue for May and June 2007, I noticed an excellent article on working with voice talent.
I’m sure I’m not the only voice actor whose work is always better when I have good direction. And the excellent thoughts that Johnny provides you will help you get a better performance from everyone with whom you work. Here are a couple of key examples…
Be as descriptive as you possibly can so you can get that right delivery or you are just wasting your time, the talents time and everyone connected in producing a good audition in the first place.
Whether you want them to be excited or flat, give them a level to shoot for. Some-what excited, excited, real excited, over the top excited. That desired vocal delivery can experience many levels – please give your talent specifics.
If they are to play a role, define that as well. Doctor, theologian, story-teller. guy-next-door, best friend, lawyer, stubborn receptionist, etc.
There are also excellent suggestions for the number of words to use for specific lengths of commercial announcements, dealing with address and telephone numbers and regional pronunciations, among other things. Read the whole thing. Very worth your time.