Two of the most recognisable voices in British television delivered a Voiceover Masterclass at a packed event on Tyneside in March. ‘Voice of the Balls’ Alan Dedicoat and ‘The X Factor’s’ Peter Dickson said they were happy to be better known for their vocals than their looks.
The session at Live Theatre in Newcastle was organized by the Royal Television Society (North East and The Border Centre) in partnership with the Radio Academy, and was hosted by the presenter and media executive, John Myers.
Peter Dickson is the voice of a thousand commercials, but is best known for his powerful & distinctive introductions to The X Factor — on both sides of the Atlantic.
The BBC’s Alan Dedicoat is immediately recognizable as a Radio2 newsreader and announcer for Strictly Come Dancing and The Lottery Show.
This was an evening full of laughter and learning from the start as they showcased their talents across a wide variety of platforms including narration, television, radio, social media and gaming. The event took us through the basics required to be a top voice artist today; the variety of roles on offer and valuable tips on dealing with producers — especially those who turn up from advertising agencies! They also agreed that in 2014, accents are in — posh is out.
Working within a live environment can be stressful, and they both played out videos of moments where they more than earned their fee by covering up the hitches and glitches, buying more time for the production team to get back on track. They informed the audience of media professionals and students how to save the voice, protecting it from stress and from those thoughtless people on trains who cough all over us. Moving to another carriage is the key!
The finale was a once-in-a-lifetime moment in the spotlight for a lucky few, who were invited on stage to read scripts and be schooled in the art of presentation from two of the best in the business. In the end Peter finished the evening in true X Factor style, booming out the names of people in the audience.
JOHN MYERS