Lead-in lines – most voice-over actors use them and they’re a very simple way of getting whatever it is that we’re voicing off to a running start. A lead-in line is something that we say right before we roll into the scripted words. It’s important to say our lead-in lines out loud and not in our heads, because what we’re doing is making sure that when we start reading the script, we are one-hundred percent where we need to be in terms of energy, tone, intonation, and intent.
Doing a lead-in line a few different ways can also help us work towards different styles or tones if we’re sending more than one or two takes.
Many voice actors have issues knowing what to say, or they end up using a lead-in line that isn’t really benefiting their read. So, they end up spouting out a few extra words for no reason.
What I’d like to share is a little trick that’s amazingly helpful to get you off to a running start with strong and believable intention. This tool works with scripts in any genre: commercial, animation, narration, and beyond. It will organically lead you into the first words of your script, as well as provide the ability to have multiple authentic reads. Who doesn’t want that?
All we need to do is marry a technique used by stage actors with the lead-in line. In theatre, we use something called “the moment before”. In any scene, no matter how that scene might start, we know that there was a moment before that scene. This would also be true of the beginning of a book, a movie, a commercial, or a cartoon. Wherever we begin, there is always something happening with the plot and the characters before we, the audience, enter the story.
We could say that the lead-in line is a bridge between the moment before and where we start our story. As voice-actors, our story is what’s going on in the commercial, the book, the cartoon, or whatever we’re voicing.
If you’re one who has trouble finding a lead-in line, this will be life-changing for you.
Here’s an example: let’s say I have an audition for a commercial for an all-purpose cleaner for the kitchen. My script begins with “Whenever I have one of those days where it looks like a bomb went off in my kitchen, I know there’s always one cleaner in my cabinet that will get the job done” – and let’s say, I’ve been asked by the client to submit two different reads. No problem.
The first thing I’m going to do is establish my moment before for this script – I’m going to need two of them. This will help provide me with two different lead-in lines, which will in turn give me two different versions.
To begin, I think I’ll talk to my friend Stephanie for my lead-in line, for both reads. What’s going to change my lead-in line each time, will be my moment before. So here goes.
Where will you be the moment before?
Moment before number one:
Let’s say that my kitchen looks like a bomb went off, and the moment before is that my seven-year-old twins (and no I don’t really have seven year old twins) decided to make me a surprise birthday breakfast. They put pancake mix in the blender without a lid and there’s pancake mix on the ceiling, and all over the counter. The dog is pushing a stick of butter around on the floor with his nose, as the kids are proudly handing me a plate with burnt toast, a few smashed strawberries and a plastic cup with some flowers from the neighbor’s yard. It’s a mess alright, but I love those kids and I appreciate the attempt.
My lead-in line comes easily: “Oh my gosh, Stephanie! (laughing) You won’t believe what the kids did for my birthday this year, but it’ll be fine because, whenever I have one of those days where it looks like a bomb went off in my kitchen…” You can hear how I come into the script with a lighthearted tone.
Here’s moment before number two:
Let’s say that my kitchen looks like a bomb went off, and the moment before is that my husband forgot to close the side door when he went out to take the garbage out, and the neighbor’s crazy hound-dogs, Rufus, and Tarzan, came running into the kitchen and tore through all the food that was on the counter waiting to be prepared for breakfast, while I was in the basement getting the dish towels out of the dryer. Here’s my lead-in line. “Ugh, Stephanie! John left the side door open again and those #@$% dogs ran through my kitchen again just like last Christmas! But, whenever I have one of those days where it looks like a bomb went off in my kitchen…”
Now I have two different reads, with lead-in lines that I didn’t have to wrack my brain over. They came easily because of two different moments before.
This technique is especially fun if you’re working with animation or character voices. If the character needs to be angry, then make sure the moment before is something that would lead you to an angry tone. The same applies for sad, frustrated, silly, or any other tone that’s needed. Simply roll with your lead-in line (in the voice of that character) and you’ll be confident and authentic in your read.
I hope this helps you to generate creative and powerful lead-in lines, while giving you more inventive and original choices that will help you stand out in a crowd.
As always, practicing new techniques and applying them on a regular basis will only make you stronger. Go ahead! Give it a try, stretch yourself; up your voice-over game; and above all, have fun!
Robin Brooke is a voice-over/stage actor, and inspirational coach based in Virginia. Connect via Instagram @babblingbrookevo
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