January 15, 2006

Random Sunday Morning Idling

The six year old currently is playing with the Fact-Blaster she got for Christmas. This is an electronic gadget made by the Leap Frog people that quizes the user on various bits of knowledge. In conducting the quizes, it uses a How much would you pay? Wait! Don't answer yet..... voice, praising correct answers and diplomatically pointing out incorrect ones.

I just got wondering where the voice actually comes from. Is there a Voice-Over Guild out there supplying talkies for toys, games, telephone voicemail and the like? Or do manufacturers simply tap whoever happens to be standing around when they're ready? I just can't fathom the chain of events that would lead to somebody standing in some recording studio at eight o'clock in the morning doing multiple upbeat takes of, "Player Two! Youuuu're up!"

Posted by Robert at January 15, 2006 10:49 AM | TrackBack
Comments

I don't know if there is a guild but your 8:00 studio session is probably right.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at January 15, 2006 01:50 PM

I think I remember reading that they are a part of the Actor's Guild. Voice-over guys are actually voice actors.

Posted by: Brass at January 15, 2006 05:27 PM

In video games, I have used myself and other developers, office people and friends of the team. That was until the quality of audio playback got past "untuned CB radio". After that we went to the Union (Actor's Guild) and hired pros.

I was a shock how much we had to pay until we started working with the pros, then we understood why it was expensive. Usually 1 take and they will do it over and over again, perfectly as you direct them.

Posted by: Sinner at January 16, 2006 10:23 AM