Decoding "Be More You": How to Bring Your Authentic Self to Every Voiceover Script
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
with Lau Lapides
Authentic Voiceover Performance
BOSSes, Anne Ganguzza and Lau Lapides dive into one of the most common pieces of feedback in the industry: "Give me more you." For many actors , this direction feels abstract and confusing. This episode demystifies the request, explaining that an authentic voiceover performance isn't about revealing your deepest secrets—it's about reacting naturally, finding the human "pain points" in a script, and trusting your unique vocal spirit.
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Chapter Summaries
Chapter Summaries:
The Casting Director's Dilemma
(01:04) Lau points out a liberating truth: casting directors often don't know exactly what they want until they hear it. When they ask for "more you," they are usually asking for a break from mundane or mediocre deliveries. They want a "surprise" or an "epiphany" that feels like a real person making a discovery in real-time.
Acting is Reacting (Authentically)
(05:00) The hosts emphasize that the key to being "you" is reacting. Life is full of surprises, and humans don't deliver information in a vacuum. By mentally internalizing the situation and reacting to the "news" of the script, you avoid becoming a caricature and instead provide the genuine human connection clients crave.
Identifying the "Pain Point"
(08:51) In sales and corporate work, authentic voiceover performance comes from understanding the listener’s problem and speaking directly to how the product or service helps solve it. The “you” in the copy isn’t about the voice actor’s experience—it represents a clear, thoughtful guide who recognizes what the listener needs and offers a solution with intention and care. When the performance is grounded in service and a genuine desire to help, the read feels real, relevant, and human, rather than polished or performative.
Don't Over-Layer the Cake
(07:04) Lau cautions against "schmaltzy" overacting. We are storytellers and messengers; layering ten layers of "character" onto a script gets in the way of the message. The most authentic reads often have just one layer of genuine care or curiosity.
The Spec Trap
(19:55) Anne and Lau suggest a radical approach: don't read the specs first. Auditioning while trying to mimic a celebrity or a specific tone often results in an impersonation rather than a performance. Record what you naturally come up with first to capture your unique vocal print, then adjust based on the specs later.
The "Who Am I?" Exercise
(25:40) To find your unique value proposition, the hosts suggest a stream-of-consciousness writing exercise. By exploring your own traits—whether you're a "people pleaser," a "vibrant mom," or an "empath"—you can learn how to infuse those genuine qualities into your scripts, making your delivery undeniable and unique.
Top 10 Takeaways for Voice Actors:
React, Don't Just Read: Treat every script as a discovery. How would you genuinely react to this information if you heard it for the first time?
Find the Discomfort: Connect to the script by identifying the "pain point" it's trying to solve. Authentic humans are rarely in a state of 100% polished perfection.
Trust Your Vocal Print: No one else has your specific vocal spirit. Stop trying to take the "you" out of the read to sound like someone else.
Empathy is Your Superpower: You must care about the audience and the product. If you don't care, your listener won't either.
Stop "Announcing": Casting directors are looking for actors, not announcers. Move past the "pretty voice" and find the story.
Use AI for Context: If you don't understand an industry (like stocks or medical), use AI to ask "Who cares about this and why?" to find your empathy angle.
The "Hugs Blanket" Moment: Authenticity often sounds like a tangent. Find the thing you truly love (like Anne’s Minky Couture blanket) and bring that level of genuine enthusiasm to your work.
Internalize, Don't Externalize: You don't have to shout your emotions. Mentally internalizing the feeling is often enough to shift your vocal tone naturally.
Ignore Specs (Initially): Try recording the script once before reading the specs to see what your natural, unfiltered interpretation is.
Details Matter: Casting wants detail and "beats." Don't fly through the moments—give the listener time to process the epiphany.
Referenced in this Episode
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