Tone and Delivery
As we highlighted above, a great VO for movie trailers immediately matches the tone and mood, and therefore also the genre of the film.
In other words, there should be no question as to whether the viewer is about to get a taster of an up-and-coming horror flick, rom-com, or action movie.
Achieving this comes down to the voice artist’s vocal tones and delivery.
Both are essential in evoking the right emotions and setting the stage (so to speak) for the film to come.
For example, if you’re working on a suspense or horror movie, a voice over with a deep ominous tone would immediately convey these genres—and likely raise hairs on the back of the neck in the process!
For a lighter, romantic film, an upbeat or even more sensual style of voice would better signal what the film is about and, importantly, who it’s targeting.
Finally, delivering the script with an eye to employing the right variations in volume and pace helps maintain the mood and keep the audience engaged.
Personality
For years, the industry standard in VOs was set by the master of movie trailer recordings, Don LaFontaine.
His deep commanding voice and signature phrase, “In a world…” was hugely distinctive and became famous across the globe.
Many movie trailers today continue to use similar rich or raspy voice overs that signal a suspenseful, dramatic, or action-packed film.
The intensity and gravitas of this kind of voice create an immediate emotional connection with the target audience.
In doing so, it sets up their expectations regarding the experience they can expect when finally settling down to watch the full-length film.
Others, however, may look for a distinctive voice with a different kind of personality.
If your film is a comedy or fun animated movie, for example, a voice with a charismatic or cheeky tone may better reflect the movie’s spirit and resonate more easily with an audience up for a good time and a few laughs.
The voice of the great actor, Geoffrey Rush, who narrated the Minions movie, was also used in the film’s trailer and is a perfect example of a voice with a wonderfully playful personality.
