Eating Pronunciation for Breakfast

I just finished an in-depth e-Learning project for a pharmaceutical client. It was filled with words I just don’t get around to saying on a daily basis as I’m not a doctor. I won’t say that I play one on TV because it’s a lame joke, and I did once play a doctor in a video shoot for a different pharma client. The client for the video shoot asked if I wore glasses, though - which I don’t. They thought it would make me look more professional. 

But I digress. Much of the work I do is corporate narration: sales training, compliance training. Stuff that sounds “really boring” to people who are initially fascinated that I’m in voiceover. They want to know if they’ve heard me somewhere, not if I can pronounce epinephrine. 

But recently a light clicked on for me: the content may not be interesting, but the words are.  When I’m recording these things that are “really boring,” I’m fascinated by the linguistic hurdles of the text whether it be pronunciation of medical terms, discussion of financial regulations, or just breaking down complex sentences into digestible fragments. As long as I "stick my landing" on these words, my clients walk away happy. (Couldn't resist the metaphor with the Olympics going on...) 

After all, I tell people that I “eat pronunciation for breakfast.” That doesn’t mean I go into each recording session knowing how to pronounce everything. It means that I go into a recording session with a willingness to learn new words, and strategies for doing so so that my clients believe I sound like I know what I’m talking about. 

Just don’t expect me to write a prescription.