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reading & comprehension

Hispanic-Accented English Voiceover: Turning Lemons Into Limonada

May 10, 2017 by Brian Amador

“What? I have an accent?”brian amador hispanic accented voiceover

My name is Brian Amador. I was born in the great state of New Mexico, and until I moved away, I never thought I had an accent in English. I spoke like most of the people around me.

It wasn’t until I moved to the East Coast that I discovered that yes, I do in fact speak with a slight Hispanic accent when I’m not thinking about it.

After having this pointed out to me by too many people to ignore, I concluded that my accented English might be affecting my ability to land voiceover jobs. I decided to try some accent-reduction coaching.

My coach gave me specific feedback about which letter sounds gave me away, and I worked on being able to neutralize my accent. But one of the things she told me, which I’m glad I heeded, was “DON’T lose your accent! It will come in handy sometimes.”

How right she was! As we broke down last year’s voiceover work by genre and language, it became clear that Hispanic-Accented English voiceover represented a small but significant share of my work.

Work with what you’ve got.

It turns out that there is a market for Hispanic-accented voiceover, and it’s quite broad. We’ve been hired for accented English VO for Commercials, eLearning, medical and corporate projects. There’s never been a greater demand for voiceover that reflects the diversity that is the U.S.A.

About the time that I decided to learn to neutralize my Hispanic Accent, I also decided it would also be a good idea to learn to emphasize it, or to vary it. There are many types of Hispanic accents, and someone born in the U.S. won’t speak like someone who immigrated.

How much accent, and which?

While being able to faithfully reproduce all the Hispanic accents in this country would be impossible, it made sense to study certain characteristics of a few of the more common ones. I listen to the differences in speech patterns between East Coast Hispanics of Caribbean descent and Chicanos from California, and how those are both quite different from the accent that I heard growing up in New Mexico.

It’s an ongoing study that’s become kind of a game. When I get an audition or job request in Hispanic-accented English, I consider whether to use my Rubén Blades, my Cheech Marín, my Grandma, or something else.

Meanwhile, my wife Rosi and my daughter Alisa have also been able to parlay accented English into profitable work. Rosi’s big discovery was how just a touch of British accent can make a Hispanic accent sound more Chilean, and for Argentine, she just channels her Papi.

The Payoff

While Hispanic-accented English voiceover doesn’t represent a huge percentage of my work, I have to say that it has brought some of my most fun jobs, and even some recognition in the Industry.

I recently got to do a commercial for a major sandwich chain in the style of a soap opera, playing a Latin lover type. Then a colleague notified me that I had won a prestigious Earphones Award from AudioFile Magazine for an accented read of the beloved children’s book THE STORY OF FERDINAND. These are two really fun, rewarding projects that never would have come my way if I had lost my accent!

Filed Under: Commercial Voiceovers, Demos, E-Learning Narration, English Blog, Reading & Comprehension, Videos, Voiceover Tagged With: bilingual, bilingual voiceover, Brian Amador, Commercial Voiceovers, Demos, E-Learning Narration, English Narration, english narrator, english voice actor, Hispanic Accent, Hispanic heritage, Hispanic-accented English, reading & comprehension, Spanish Narration, Spanish narrator, spanish voice actor, videos, voiceover, Voiceover narration

Guest Blogger – Allison Schneider of StudySync

November 4, 2016 by Brian Amador

allison schneider guest bloggerIt’s our great pleasure this month to feature a guest blog by one of our favorite clients, Allison Schneider of StudySync, developers of digital Language Arts curriculum. The entire ABVO family (Rosi, Brian, Sonia and Alisa Amador, plus our honorary Amador, engineer Camilo) have had the pleasure of recording a LOT of wonderful literature for Allison and her team in English and Spanish.

About StudySync

PrintAllison here with StudySync. It’s a joy to share a bit about the work that StudySync and the Amadors do together. As a digital English Language Arts/English Language Development curriculum, StudySync engages students with media and technology. One of the foundations of our product is a growing library of over 1,200 text selections, many of which include voiceover readings to help students better access and understand the text. That’s where the Amadors fit into the StudySync picture, and it’s where they’ve made a lasting impact on students across the country. I’d like to share a couple of particulars about what makes our collaboration with them so rewarding.

Engaging Students Through Literature

In their work with StudySync, the Amadors engage and inspire students through great works of literature in English and in Spanish, exposing them to the works of prominent multicultural authors including Sandra Cisneros and others. The voiceovers provided by the Amadors help bring Spanish-speaking students along on Tom Sawyer’s adventures by voicing a Spanish translation of Mark Twain’s beloved work. They’ve contributed several dozen voiceovers to StudySync, and with each one, they strengthen our ability to inspire students of diverse backgrounds.

A Shared Passion

StudySync’s work with the Amadors is especially strong because they share our passion for education. That shared commitment shows in every voiceover that they create for StudySync. It makes every project that we work on together meaningful.

A Family Affair

When you work with the Amadors, you’re working with family. Working with the Amadors and their team is a true family experience. First, you don’t get just one talented voiceover artist—you get five! Second—and most importantly—they make you feel like you’re a part of the family. The Amadors don’t just bring talent to the table. They bring friendship and a collaborative spirit.

As StudySync’s curriculum continues to grow, we look forward to having the Amadors along for the journey. Gracias, Amadors, for sharing your talents with us!

Filed Under: English Blog, Voiceover Tagged With: Alisa Amador, bilingual, bilingual voiceover, Brian Amador, Demos, diversity, E-Learning Narration, eLearning narration, English Narration, english voice actor, English voiceover, Family, literature, reading & comprehension, review, Rosi Amador, Sonia Amador, Spanish Narration, spanish voice actor, spanish voiceover, voiceover

Children’s Audiobook ‘Mañana Iguana’ Narrated by Rosi and Brian Amador

March 10, 2010 by Brian Amador

WINNER 2010 “Notable Children’s Recordings” Children’s Audiobook Narration by Rosi & Brian Amador ~ Original Compositions: Brian Amador

childrens audiobook mañana iguana“A comical takeoff on the familiar Little Red Hen story, this upbeat read-along is brought vividly to life through Brian and Rosi Amador’s tandem narration. There is so much to enjoy here: the familiar motif of three friends who can’t be bothered to help industrious Iguana prepare for a fiesta, a southwestern desert setting, Spanish words sprinkled throughout, and a  creative and positive ending.
[Read more…] about Children’s Audiobook ‘Mañana Iguana’ Narrated by Rosi and Brian Amador

Filed Under: E-Learning Narration, English Blog, Music, Reading & Comprehension, Videos, Voiceover Tagged With: audiobook, bilingual, bilingual narration, bilingual voiceover, Brian Amador, character voices, children audiobook, E-Learning Narration, English Narration, english voice actor, Hispanic Accent, Hispanic heritage, Hispanic-accented English, music, reading & comprehension, Rosi Amador, Spanish Narration, spanish voice actor, videos, voiceover

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