VO Editing for Commercial

Tools and Techniques:

• Pro Tools

• Crossfades and Edits

• Pacing and Inflection Matching

• EQ and Audio Cleanup

Skills Demonstrated:

• VO Editing and Assembly

• Precision Audio Editing

• Crossfade and Timing Techniques

• Audio Cleanup and Noise Removal

Project Overview:

This project involved editing and constructing a cohesive voiceover (VO) track for a commercial, using three different takes provided by the client. The task required assembling a final VO from selected segments of the existing recordings to create a smooth and natural delivery that met strict timing and quality requirements. The project was completed in Pro Tools, using advanced editing techniques to ensure clean transitions and proper pacing.

1. VO Assembly and Pacing:

• Segment Selection:

• Analyzed the three takes and selected the best segments from each to form the final voiceover, ensuring the entire script was present and accurate.

• Combined whole sentences and carefully fitted together fragments to maintain a natural flow.

• Pacing:

• Paid close attention to the pacing, treating the speech with a musical mindset to maintain a natural and rhythmic tempo.

• Ensured that the final VO fit within the 17-18 second requirement, making precise timing adjustments as needed.

2. Inflection Matching:

• Word Stress and Inflection:

• Paired the correct inflections and word stresses from different takes to create a coherent and emotionally consistent voiceover.

• Experimented with various fade combinations to achieve seamless edits between different phrases and words, ensuring the final cut sounded natural and uninterrupted.

3. Crossfades and Edits:

• Clean Edits:

• Used Equal Power fades for most edits to maintain smooth transitions between segments. For edits involving transients or consonant sounds, I applied hybrid or combo fades, such as Bow & Arrow, to ensure clean and defined transitions.

• Carefully edited and adjusted segments to eliminate any awkward cuts or unnatural transitions.

4. Audio Cleanup:

• Noise and Artifact Removal:

• Applied light EQ to clean up the track and ensure consistency between different takes, matching levels and tonal characteristics as needed.

• Removed any lip smacks, mouth noises, and unwanted background sounds from the original recordings.

• Identified and removed problematic artifacts such as clicks, pops, half-breaths, and double-breaths, ensuring the final VO was clean and professional.

• Final Polish:

• Topped and tailed the audio file to ensure smooth entry and exit, and performed a final pass to check for any lingering issues.

This project highlights my expertise in VO editing, demonstrating precision in pacing, inflection matching, and clean editing techniques. The final product was a polished and professional voiceover, adhering to strict timing and quality guidelines for commercial use.