By Jeffrey Hedquist
F: Y’know when I first met you, you had more hair.
M: That’s because I’ve torn so much of it out trying to write…
F: Commercials.
M: Yeah, so they don’t sound so much…
F: …like commercials?
M: Yeah. I have important information to get into the spot, but it’s not stuff that any human being…
F: …would ever say to another human being?
M: That’s it. So what do I do?
VO: Just have the announcer say it
F: Hey, it’s only a radio commercial.
M: I know, but I want it to work for my client.
VO: If you’d only realize that the voice-over could solve your problem.
F: Look, listeners are used to this kind of forced dialogue.
M: That doesn’t mean that it works.
VO: Don’t punish your listeners with lame dialogue, have the announcer do the heavy lifting. I can be the voice of reason, or the voice inside your head, or your conscience, or a voice on the radio in the background, or over a Public Address System on location…
F: C’mon, it’s getting late. Are you coming to bed?
M: As soon as I come up with a solution.
VO: Will you listen to me? You could just insert me between lines of dialogue…
F: That could be never.
VO: …and keep the natural flow of conversation. Let me do the selling.
M: I’ll think of something
F: (walking away) I hope so. I don’t want you to lose any more hair…or sleep.
M: Me either.
VO: You can have the characters react to the voice over person, or ignore him/her.
M: (calls out) Hey Hon!
F: (from distance) Yeah?
M: I think I have a solution!
F: Good. Come to bed.
VO: Ahhh. For lots more on this technique contact Jeffrey Hedquist
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