Writing Radio Copy
Voices and other audio to reach a multitude of listeners and consumers
Rule 1: Make it project. Use sound effects and the human voice to gain attention.
A. Straight voice - the news announcer style. It has little personality. It appeals particularly to men and is good for messages about banks, loan companies, cars and trucks, auto accessories, hardware, sports event tickets, gasoline, farm equipment and insurance.
B. Disk jockey announcer - this voice is young, contemporary, modern and probably tenor. Casual. Appeals to young people, and it is ideal for clothes musical happenings, night spots, music stores, hair care products and fads.
C. Pound-pound, hard hitter, fast talker announcer - much more assertive than the voice of print reader. He does discount store and second had car commercials. To hearers who are not used to it, the voice may have a con man sound.
D. Folksy announcer - usually relies on regional patterns of speech and delivery. Phony accents of any kind can be a disaster.
E. Cosmetic voice - the name comes from its use in perfume and cosmetics commercials, frequetnly as voicerover in TV. Usually involves a softer, sexier voice that seems to speak of basic drives and emotions.
F. Impersonator voice - bogus Humphrey Bogarts, Gary Coopers, James Cagneys and Mae Wests move in and out of the commercial scene with regularity. They have a "campy" appeal for some women and young people.
G. Character voice - the henpecked husband, the Scotchman, the dowager, the Southern belle - all work well if not overdone.
H. Real people - not trained voices, usually man on the street type cuts.
I. Singing voices - may be classified much like musical comedy roles such as sweet young thing, romantic interest, tempter or tempress, mature adult, grandparent, comedy interest or dramatic heavy.
J. Visual imagination - practically no literal picture power is as great as human imagination, and if used properly in radio it can create vivid mental pictures. Voices do their part; sound and must complete the work. Radio is "Theater of the Mind."
B. Disk jockey announcer - this voice is young, contemporary, modern and probably tenor. Casual. Appeals to young people, and it is ideal for clothes musical happenings, night spots, music stores, hair care products and fads.
C. Pound-pound, hard hitter, fast talker announcer - much more assertive than the voice of print reader. He does discount store and second had car commercials. To hearers who are not used to it, the voice may have a con man sound.
D. Folksy announcer - usually relies on regional patterns of speech and delivery. Phony accents of any kind can be a disaster.
E. Cosmetic voice - the name comes from its use in perfume and cosmetics commercials, frequetnly as voicerover in TV. Usually involves a softer, sexier voice that seems to speak of basic drives and emotions.
F. Impersonator voice - bogus Humphrey Bogarts, Gary Coopers, James Cagneys and Mae Wests move in and out of the commercial scene with regularity. They have a "campy" appeal for some women and young people.
G. Character voice - the henpecked husband, the Scotchman, the dowager, the Southern belle - all work well if not overdone.
H. Real people - not trained voices, usually man on the street type cuts.
I. Singing voices - may be classified much like musical comedy roles such as sweet young thing, romantic interest, tempter or tempress, mature adult, grandparent, comedy interest or dramatic heavy.
J. Visual imagination - practically no literal picture power is as great as human imagination, and if used properly in radio it can create vivid mental pictures. Voices do their part; sound and must complete the work. Radio is "Theater of the Mind."
Rule 2: Use sound effects. Here are ways they are used.
A. Background sounds - hotels, lounges, traffic, a playground, a theater lobby, outside noises. Many of these are available for immediate use.
B. Transitional sounds - two background sounds can be cross-faded, one reduced in volume as the other is increased to show movement over miles or time
C. Product benefit sounds - a new motor purring, ice tinkling in a glass, a refreshing fizz, a solid car door slamming.
D. Natural product sounds - pop of a cork, hiss of a spray can. These are often faded down, once they are established, so they don't distrct from copy.
E. Action sounds - a door closes, quiet steps cross the floor, a refrigerator door opens, bottles and plates clink as someone searches inside, then there is the click of a light switch, and a voice says, "Caught you." Also, you may choose unrealistic sounds to create a dramatic, poetic, dreamworld quality.
B. Transitional sounds - two background sounds can be cross-faded, one reduced in volume as the other is increased to show movement over miles or time
C. Product benefit sounds - a new motor purring, ice tinkling in a glass, a refreshing fizz, a solid car door slamming.
D. Natural product sounds - pop of a cork, hiss of a spray can. These are often faded down, once they are established, so they don't distrct from copy.
E. Action sounds - a door closes, quiet steps cross the floor, a refrigerator door opens, bottles and plates clink as someone searches inside, then there is the click of a light switch, and a voice says, "Caught you." Also, you may choose unrealistic sounds to create a dramatic, poetic, dreamworld quality.
Rule 3: Use music: classify musical effects according to these uses:
A. Backgrounds - a band at a football game, a piano in a cocktail lounge.
B. Fanfare - a drum roll, or trumpets or any bright instrument.
C. Movement - a sliding whistle, or a trombone, or a gong.
D. Jingles may be original, purchased rights or in the public domain.
A practical one-minute commercial is usually constructed in a form the trade calls "the doughnut." The first 20 seconds is music, a 20-second "hole" for talk. The last 10 seconds is a "tag."Musical logos - a few notes that last five seconds or less such as J-E-L-L-O.
B. Fanfare - a drum roll, or trumpets or any bright instrument.
C. Movement - a sliding whistle, or a trombone, or a gong.
D. Jingles may be original, purchased rights or in the public domain.
A practical one-minute commercial is usually constructed in a form the trade calls "the doughnut." The first 20 seconds is music, a 20-second "hole" for talk. The last 10 seconds is a "tag."Musical logos - a few notes that last five seconds or less such as J-E-L-L-O.