So as we explored in previous chapters,
there might be some reads or scripts that you get where the client asks you.
I want an emotional tone, or I want you to give me an intimate, emotional read.
This exercise is going to be perfect for that.
While many new voiceover talents try to do is they try to manufacture this
emotional tone, and a lot of the time what happens is it just sounds insincere,
insincere, unforced, and basically you don't want to do that.
What it really is all about and the secret
it's about allowing.
It's about allowing the emotion.
So not not manufacturing the emotion.
Because as humans, it's natural for us to have emotions.
For example, the script says, oh, you know, it's about a mother whose son
just passed away, and immediately in your head you're like, oh, that's sad.
It's a sad thing. It's a normal human.
It will bring up an emotion of sadness
from your lower belly up to your heart and
for most of us, what happens
is that because of society conditioning, things like that, our emotions get blocked
and we try to not be sad or not be joyful or not be happy or angry or whatever.
But with this exercise, what you are giving yourself is a.
Safe.
Space to be able to allow for those emotions,
the natural emotions, to be able to just tumble out of your mouth.
And throughout this exercise, it's a pretty short exercise, but
I want you to do it as many times as possible,
not just to this track, but on your own, in your own explorations,
and to be able to connect your emotions to it.
When you first start out, it's definitely going to be challenging.
You might not be able to vocalize much because it's unfamiliar
and the emotions might be uncomfortable, but I want you to keep doing it.
The more you do it, the more used to breathing and vocalizing on your emotions,
the more used to it that you are, the easier it's going to get, and the more
and more emotions you can access and the more you can release.
So throughout the exercise, when the challenging emotion comes up,
when you feel discomfort, just stick with it.
Be patient and know that miracles don't happen overnight.
It's going to take you a while to get there, but it is 100%
absolutely worth it because now you will have this secret tool
of knowing how to allow the emotion to happen, and it's
going to take you throughout your career a very, very long way.
So let's get into the exercise.
First, find a spot on the floor or a mat
where you can lie down comfortably.
Have your knees bent with the soles of the feet
flat on the ground and the knees pointing to the sky.
Allow your
entire back to sink into the ground, letting it support your weight.
Place both your hands on your lower belly,
allowing the breath to flow in
and out of your body naturally.
Close your eyes and relax.
It's your time.
We're going to take a deep breath into our belly.
Feeling our hands rise up as we inhale
and side out.
Exhaling out through the mouth.
Inhale again.
One more round and this time opening the mouth
and releasing the breath on a side.
Let's do it again.
Inhale.
And this time we gently sound out the side.
And another round.
Allowing the inhale to go deeper
and vocalizing on the side again.
now, take one hand and place it on your chest.
The other hand remains on the belly.
This time, we inhale into
both our chest and our belly at the same time.
Just take a few rounds here to get comfortable.
Feeling your hands rise and fall along with your breath.
And once again, we inhale
and exhale inside out.
And again.
This time on an audible sigh.
Keep going at your own pace.
Inhaling and exhaling on a sigh.
Allowing whatever sound to just tumble out of your body.
the sigh
that is produced might sound strange or shaky.
Let go of judgment and just allow whatever wants to be released.
To be released.
if it makes
you feel more comfortable, you can also place a pillow over your head
just to absorb any sound that might travel outside your room.
This will make sure that
you don't feel judged. Or.
Now I want you to bring to your mind your favorite smell.
It could be freshly cut grass, coffee,
the rain, or cookies baking in the oven.
Choose whatever it is and really visualize it in front of you.
Paint the scene or try to recall the last time you smelled it.
Remember that feeling.
Inhale that smell and release on a voiced
sigh.
Now choose another smell.
Inhale it in and say it out again.
Now think of a pleasant memory.
It could be something that was relaxing, sweet, loving or fun.
Or a moment when you felt very happy.
Recall that moment and see it clearly in your mind's eye.
Recall the scenery, the smells, the sensations.
Inhale all of it and release on a sigh.
And one more time.
The same memory.
Now recall another memory.
And in your own time.
Release.
On a voiced side.
Take note of how you feel as you do this.
Now let's switch gears a little.
I want you to think of a moment when you felt sad or disappointed.
It could be a recent event.
An old memory or a fictional sad moment.
Such as an old man walking alone in the rain.
Or a couple breaking up because their families do not allow them
to be together.
You don't have to pick the huge, life changing memories.
Even smaller ones will do.
If you are making this exercise part
of your regular vocal routine, then make sure you create fictional moments.
Instead of choosing memories.
Now, once you have your moment.
Inhale it in and let it out on a sigh.
and once more,
really paint the scene in your head.
Picture the details.
Now change up the scenario and in your own time.
Release on a voiced sigh.
Take note of how you feel and how you are breathing
as you do this.
Upload.
Now bring to your mind
a moment or memory of conflict.
It could be an argument with a friend or someone cutting you off in traffic.
Maybe your boundaries were crossed and you felt angry.
Or maybe you just felt annoyed or irritated.
Or it could be internal conflict
when you felt self-doubt about your ambitions.
Or it could be a fearful scenario, like a haunted house,
or having financial issues.
Inhale that memory or moment
and release it on a vocalized sigh.
Do it a few times and take note of how you feel
and how you are breathing as you do this.
Okay.
Excellent work.
Now let it all go.
Stretching your legs out in front of you
and placing both hands on the ground by your side.
It's all over now.
Inhale and just let go of the exercise.
bring your legs and hands up to the sky and shake them out like a bug on its back.
Vocalizing the release.
Roll over to one side
and just close your eyes and take a few breaths.
When you're ready, come up to a seated position.
You can rock back and forth a few times, or tap
your hands and your feet on the floor.
Just do whatever you like to get grounded in your body again,
and you're done.
This exercise actually takes more courage
than you may think, so be gentle with yourself.
The more you do it, the easier it will be to get in touch
with and allow your body to vocalize emotions.
I find it especially useful to do at the end of the day,
but instead of visualizing memories or moments,
I just sigh on everything I experienced during the day.
You can try it for yourself too.