Samantha Bennett

Is Script Coverage the Best for Your Script? Script Analysis/Coverage is the quick analysis focusing on identifying flaws and assigning grades to your script’s main elements. Typically 2-3 pages long, this service is often performed by entry level workers or volunteers and though it is the most affordable it provides limited developmental insight. Coverage can be be a fine first set of notes, if done by an experienced story person. But it is by no means the best one. It's for busy execs not writers. Serious writers and producers need serious script development notes. Esp. with paths forward and analysis of the deeper ideas and structure of the story.

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"Oh, I only need voice over sometimes…" If that sounds like you, these 3 tips will help you get the right read faster, so you spend less time feeling audition fatigue and more time struggling to choose the best one. 1️⃣ Use your anchor tone and add supporting adjectives Start with your main direction, like “friendly,” then add adjectives like “warm,” “enthusiastic,” or “calm.” This helps the voice actor deliver different degrees of “friendly” by mixing and matching those descriptors. 2️⃣ Help the talent picture the character’s role Is the character an over-the-shoulder coworker who guides? Or are they a trusted neighbor giving casual advice? Maybe a coach cheering you on? These kinds of examples help the talent understand who your audience is. 3️⃣ Provide examples or references Sharing past recordings or links to styles you like helps talent understand exactly what you’re after and deliver the right tone quickly. If you share examples, explain what you liked about them. Was it the tone, the pace, the energy, the vocal quality, or something else? Friendly isn’t one size fits all. It can be subtle, like a slight smile or eyebrow lift, or it can be fully animated with big shifts in energy and movement. Even my last take, where I smiled with no other expression (which looked silly), still sounded friendly, but it was slightly different than the other two. Three things to remember: 1️⃣ Use your anchor tone with supporting adjectives 2️⃣ Help the talent picture the character’s role 3️⃣ Provide examples or references, and explain what you liked And I always recommend a directed voice over session over Zoom or your preferred remote connection. Live collaboration saves time, reduces guesswork, and helps shape a performance that often goes beyond what you imagined. 🙂 Name a situation where being friendly really made a difference. #digitalmarketing #creativeagency #smallbusinessowner #elearning #instructionaldesign

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Unlike many creative disciplines where there are specific mandated guidelines, "Industry Standard" doesn't seem to be that well defined within the confines of voiceover training, recording setups, or deliverables. Navigating that truth is a challenge for every voice actor and narrator.

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Are your sentences overwhelming your readers? Discover how to write with clarity in the latest Scriptfella YouTube video. Unlock practical tips to make your scripts stand out for agents and producers. #Screenwriting #ScreenwritingTips #Scriptfella #CreativeWriting #Storytelling #WritingCommunity #FilmIndustry #Screenwriters #Hollywood #ContentWriting #LinkedInCreators

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Ever wondered why your presentation or your talk is not as effective as you'd like? It might come down to your use of hand gestures...Or Lack Of. Hand movements serve three vital communication functions: First, they help listeners process information more efficiently by providing visual representation alongside verbal content. Our brains evolved to process visual information more rapidly than verbal information alone. Second, gesturing actually helps speakers articulate thoughts more clearly. Research shows that when people are prevented from using their hands while speaking, their verbal fluency significantly decreases. I've experienced this directly when performing in physically restrictive costumes or positions. Effective gesturing isn't about theatrical movements but rather natural gestures that clarify and reinforce your message - whether on stage or in the boardroom. Here's your guide to help you level up your gesture game. ashwin@ashwinmushran.com www.ashwinmushran.com #milliondollarpresence #Communication #Bodylanguage

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Your content is doing exactly what you trained it to do. And that’s why your inbound is unstable. You trained it to: → explain → reassure → sound helpful So people read you. Agree with you. Scroll past you. Nothing breaks. Nothing escalates. Nothing forces a decision. Recognition feels like progress. It isn’t. Recognition without intent creates passive trust. Passive trust doesn’t book calls. This is why: → effort compounds → visibility grows → pipeline stays unpredictable Not because your content is bad. Because it resolves curiosity before creating urgency. Your posts answer questions buyers haven’t decided to care about yet. So they stay comfortable. And comfortable buyers don’t convert. That’s not a consistency issue. That’s a decision-engineering failure.

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The Neuroscience of Your Reality https://buff.ly/Gj0mIo6 Your brain is not a camera recording reality. It is an organ interpreting and constructing it. It filters incoming information through prior experiences, learned patterns, and expectations. This process influences what you perceive, how you feel, and how you respond. Research shows: ✔️ Perception is shaped by past experience ✔️ Emotional state affects interpretation ✔️ Attention strengthens certain brain pathways ✔️ These patterns can change through neuroplasticity 👍 Understanding this explains why mindset, training, and intentional habits can have such a powerful effect on mental health and performance. #Brain #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #Neuroplasticity #Mindset #CognitiveHealth #Reality #Subconsciousbrain #senses #EmotionalIntelligence #Thursdaythoughts #subjective

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"This audition is great! I'm booking you. When can I have this back?" We've all gotten that email. Your gut reaction is to be the hero and type "ASAP!" or "In an hour!" Hold up. I've conducted the autopsy on this mistake more times than I can count. Giving a knee-jerk answer to the turnaround question is one of the fastest ways to destroy client trust and torpedo your own business. Quoting your turnaround time isn't a guess. It's a calculation. It’s a core part of your risk management and client expectation strategy. Before you ever reply, you must account for the hidden variables: Genre vs. Performance: A 150-word, high-energy commercial script takes a totally different toll (and amount of time) than a 500-word calm narration. Format vs. Length: Is it one 10,000-word file or 100 individual 100-word files? The second one isn't a VO job; it's a massive post-production project. Editing vs. "Finished": Does the client want "raw" audio (warts and all) or "processed/wet" audio? That difference can literally double or triple your time. Directed Sessions: A "1-hour session" is never 1 hour. It's a 2-hour immovable block on your calendar once you add setup, file delivery, and the inevitable "can we try one more?" It is always better to promise a 24-hour turnaround and deliver in 20 (making you a hero) than to promise 4 hours and deliver in 5 (making you a failure). Your turnaround time is your promise. It's a key part of your brand. Stop guessing and start calculating. In my new blog post, I share my checklist for confidently (and accurately) quoting your delivery time. Read it at the link in the first comment. What's the biggest variable you often forget to account for when quoting a timeline? Let's discuss! And save this post for the next time a client puts you on the spot. #VoiceOver #FreelanceBusiness #ClientManagement #VoiceActor #BusinessStrategy

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Have you ever read a blog from start to finish and wondered … "What on earth was that blog about?" That wasn’t your fault; that was the writer’s fault. It’s not that you weren’t smart enough; it’s that the writer wasn’t clear enough. But this concept also works in reverse: chances are, someone has read one of your blogs and wondered what it was about. So when you write blogs, you need to make sure they're crystal clear. To do that, you should: * Stick to one topic per blog * Be concise * Use simple words * Avoid jargon – or, if you can't, explain what it means P.S. If you don't have the time or capacity to write crystal-clear blogs, I can help. #blogs #blogging #copywriting My website: https://lnkd.in/gidqJKQ

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Free quick writing tip: Often, sentences that begin with, “As” become stronger if you eliminate “as” and start with the next word. Examples: “As I turned the corner, I saw my former boss, but he didn’t recognize me.” VS. “I turned the corner and saw my former boss, but he didn’t recognize me.” Here’s another one… “As I scanned the horizon, looking for an answer, I saw no other way.” VS. “I scanned the horizon, looking for an answer. I saw no other way.” Why use more words than you need? Check your sentences beginning with “As…” and see if a little extra magic emerges if you delete that little two-letter word.

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