The micro-second's secret
When we are in the recording studio, behind the large glass, we barely listen to the perfect pronunciation of the words. Our focus is on the space between them. A professional voice actor breathes functionally. That breath gives the listener time to process the information.
When a voice continues without these natural pauses, listeners get an uncomfortable feeling. The message slips away without truly sinking in. It is the imperfection of the human voice that creates credibility.
The seam of the handmade suit
You can compare a voice to the hem of a handmade suit. A machine-made jacket has perfectly straight, almost invisible seams. But it lacks character and suppleness. A handmade suit has tiny irregularities in its stitches. These small deviations ensure the fabric drapes well and the garment comes to life.
It is the same with a voice. The small crack in the vocal cords, the slight delay on an important word, or the soft breath before a conclusion are the stitches that give a corporate film its character.
How we guide silence in the studio
During a recording session with one of our 93 professional voice actors, we deliberately guide these silences. For example, when we work with a Flemish voice like Eveline or Annelies, we pay attention to three specific moments:
- The run-up: the very slight, almost inaudible onset of breath just before the first letter sounds.
- The rest: the deliberate pause of a fraction of a second between two key messages, giving the listener time to think.
- The landing: the way the voice naturally drops in pitch at the end of a sentence, radiating calm and reliability.