Audio - Auditions

Here I have made a short video with the test audio on:


Audio Test from Eughan Wooding on Vimeo.

I will be assessing the participants generally and on a separate basis.


Me:
Quite a nasally voice, seems to struggle with enunciation. In terms of delivery it is relatively standard and isn't too offensive to listen to. The pace is fine but too fast in some parts, which would need work on.

Jon:
Well pronounced and clear. The pace in which the text is read is great and establishes a clear and informative tone. Perhaps too formal, the idea behind my project is to create a very casual and accessible or entertaining means of learning.

Daniel:
Loud enough and quite clear and confident. I know for a fact that Daniel is well-read on the topic of the crusades and would be able to pronounce key terms very well, however in this audition he speaks far too quickly and so his pace would need to slow down for the final piece if he were chosen.

Niall:
A very friendly voice and clearly spoken. Issue at the time (as can be heard after a few listens) is that Niall is very smiley and would often laugh or smile due to feeling the session was 'awkward' due to the silent nature I assumed while he recorded; his inability to take the session seriously may otherwise affect the outcome of the audio, which would need work if he were chosen.

Mo:
A very deep and distinct voice, this is important in creating a memorable video that will perhaps help people learn. His voice might be too low but I think that it would be ideal for the information being presented; names of key events, forces, places and people would have a very cool sound in Mo's voice. In terms of speed  I think he was fine, although I would have to work on my script to ensure he has enough points to rest and breath as he seems to strain a little towards the end.

Holly:
The speech was very clear and calm, which makes the video seem more accessible. I think it is important to offer the role to both genders as media often sees a lack of female narration; as a result, I sought out Holly who is well-read on the crusades and would therefore be able to comprehend the information and not necessarily read it in a confused manner. The only issue I could find would be volume but I am also aware that she is capable of speaking louder.


Final thoughts and judgement:
I think that it is important to note that recording in the music rooms proved difficult to organise and as a result I don't believe either of the candidates are able to fully commit to narrating for me. In the future, I can't guarantee that we will be able to record in the area and therefore think that I should consider recording myself at home, in case the narrators are unable to commit to the project.

I would rank the best as Mo, Holly and Jon due to the clarity they offer in speaking. Their voices are distinct and offer a great range of narrators for me, I think that if one of them can't read my script for me then I'll be able to ask the others. However, I will definitely be recording myself at home, this way I will still be able to finish my product if none are able to record in time.