6. The versatility of voice
From presenting TV news to auctioning a house, from character voice overs to calling AFL, from media training to MC'ing a wedding, Bill McDonald explains the importance of his voice - and why NOW is the time to invest in yours.
Transcript
Sally: I'm Sally Prosser and you're listening to That Voice Podcast. No matter who you are or what you do, your voice matters and unless you sworn a lifetime vow of silence. This is the podcast for you.
Now in this episode, I'm joined by someone who has 30 years experience in broadcast news and the voice to match it. It's my pleasure to chat with Bill McDonald. Now you might remember Bill's face from 10 News Brisbane and more recently Seven News Brisbane, and for the past 18 months or so, Bill's taken a new direction using his vast broadcast skills in a range of areas including auctioneering, which I'd love to explore more today. Hi Bill, thanks for coming on That Voice Podcast.
Bill: Hi Sal. Thanks for asking me to have a chat.
Sally: So to start off, would you like to just fill us in on what you've been up to since you left TV?
Bill: I've been doing a whole bunch of things, so I've got my own business, I guess it's a consultancy, so billmcdonald.com.au - little cheap plug in there and I do a whole range of things. So for a lot of years the voice has been my major tool of trade. So I do voiceovers, so there's some commercial voiceovers, some character voiceovers. I'm also doing some PR and media consulting for the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation. And again, it's important there because you have to use your voice to do pitch presentations. And to train staff in media training, which is another area that I've worked on. So I guess it's a bit of a, been a bit of a portfolio career that I've decided to chase. I like the variety and yes, you're right. Auctioneering and property is something that I'm also getting heavily involved with. It's something I've loved for a long time. I'm also doing - I'm a bit of a knucklehead renovator. So this is our fifth home renovation and I like to be a bit hands on with that. And so we've obviously bought and sold five times and so now I'm going to take it to the next level. And I'm working on auctioneering- - property auctioneering in the industry, which is pretty exciting for me. It's a whole new skill. So on at the bottom learning this new skill, I've done some auctioneering at different charity events and that sort of thing, which is a bit of fun and everyone's had a few drinks and no one notices too much. But when you go to step out and you're going to auction somebody's property, which is normally their biggest investment, it's their pride and joy. Their life's work and memories are tied up in it. You've got to be good and you've got to get it right. So I'm honing my skills to become an auctioneer.
Sally: Yeah. It's such an interesting area. I think most people would only know about auctioneering from maybe The Block or what they see on TV or movies. Can you give us a bit of an insight into what else is involved in it?
Bill: So a lot of work in being an auctioneer, I've been observing a lot for the past few months and I've watched The Block and I've watched those really good guys and I've learnt that there are elite level auctioneers and there are a lot of the guys on The Block and there's a few of them in Brisbane. Like Haesley Cush is right up the top. We've got a guy called Justin Nickerson who I've been working closely with as well and there's another agent in my local area who's an auctioneer Al MacMillan and Phil Parker, who was a legend in the auctioneering scene in Brisbane as well. So I've been really, really lucky to be able to work alongside and watch these guys and they've all got different bits of knowledge they've imparted on us. And I guess the most important thing with auctioneering is why I practice all the time. I practice every day now is you've got to get the numbers right. That's vital. But you have to be clear. It's about being clear and concise and having people understand what the bid is at and what bid you're chasing. So there's a whole bunch of exercises. Again, that you go through to try and make sure that you're pronouncing and enunciating the bidding call because it can in some circumstances get a bit quick. Everyone's got a different style. Some are more laid back. But you want to get into a pattern and a rhythm to do an auction call. And yeah, I'm not there yet. I'm not saying I'm good at it, but I'm on the way Sal, I'm on the way.
Sally: Great. Yeah. And everyone knows I'm a big fan of very nice articulation, but there's not many other industries like auctioneering where big money is on the line and if you don't say something correctly,
Bill: Yeah, that's right. And just to have to start out with basic stuff to try and make sure you get that right. So I go through a whole sequence of things and you build up, so I might do a like a $200 in an hour, $200 bidder chasing three, $300 an hour. Give me four, $400 bidder now let's go five, $500 bidder. Now let's go North to six, six, $600,000 bidder, $600,000 better chasing seven, $700,000 bidder and so it's about trying to say the words properly. I hopefully I did then. And I have a bit of speed to it but you don't do all auctions like that. They don't all have to be that fast and, and whatnot. But yeah.
Sally: Yeah. So are those the exercises that you take yourself through to get ready?
Bill: Well, just to start out with even basic stuff like one now two now three now, four now, five now, six now or $1 now. $2 now, $3 now $4 now, $5 now, and then build it up. $1 bidder now, $2 bidder now, $200 bidder now $225 and just working through those, you also go through some number sequences that might be a quarter a half, 75, one quarter a half 75 two quarter a half 75, three two and a half, five, seven and a half, 10, 12 and a half, 15, 17 and a half, 20. So that's helping with your number sequencing and then you use what they call filler words, which is the other stuff that I was doing earlier. And you gradually introduce more into your vocab. So you know, $1,000 now will you give me 2000 now? $2,000 bidder now, will you take me north to four? Take me north, bidder now. Can I have this, bidder can I say this? Will you give me this? Will you go there? Will you go over this, will you take the lead back? So it's about building a whole vocab. Yeah, it's been interesting, I must admit, because I've called AFL football, which is really challenging as well because the, and I find them similar in that calling an AFL game, the speed of the game is so quick that you really have to be on your game and, again, you've got to learn and know your player numbers, your player ID, because if you don't know that the game moves on so fast, you can get caught and stumble and get all muddled up. So yeah, it's a different skill, but I'm enjoying it. I love it. I can't wait to get out there and do it.
Sally: Yeah. I guess with auctioneering as well, it's so important for your delivery to keep that energy and that excitement in the crowd. So I can imagine, yeah, calling the AFL would be a great training ground for this.
Bill: Yeah, it is cause, again, the same sort of thing. You want to keep the excitement level up all of the time, but you've got to, and you'll understand this, you can't be up on level 10 the whole time. So it's the same with an auction. You've got to moderate where you're at so you can't be peaking the whole time through an auction. So you've got to really pick your moments as you do with an AFL game. There's lots of play in an AFL game where there's not a lot happening. So you can't be up here the whole time and you know it's all go runs through the 25 hits a goal, that's a beauty for the Lions - you can't be up there the whole time. You've got to just read the game and call for what you see in front of you and save those exciting high pitch moments for when they do happen. And there's a few happening at the moment for the Lions I have to say.
Sally: I'm loving this. I'd like to chat a bit now about your voiceover work cause I find that totally fascinating and I know that you really enjoy taking on different characters. Can you take us through some of the processes that you go through to become those different characters with your voice?
Bill: It's a funny one that people ask that a few times that you know, so mimicking or imitating some voices or making up voices of characters and I like to watch, I don't know if there's a science to it, there's probably someone out there that knows there is. But I like to watch someone, I like to watch the way their mouth moves, the facial features and then you sort of create a mental picture in your head of you know, what someone may look like and then you try to just come up with a twist your voice around and come up with something. Or there may be like a, you know, Richie Benaud 'two for 222', so it's what you do with your lips or it could be Homer J Simpson. Again, it's all about the way you screw your mouth around it. I dunno the science to it, but I just sort of, I enjoy doing that and playing around and experimenting and yeah probably a lot of people don't realize that I do a little bit of that because I haven't been able to do that being on the news desk cause you're obviously delivering serious news so they wouldn't want you sitting up there doing Homer, Homer Simpson impersonation and taking on other characters. But yeah, it's another side that I'm hoping to indulge a bit more now that I'm away from news.
Sally: That's a pretty good impersonation. Do you have any other favorites?
Bill: Yeah, you try to do a different accent or old lady if you have to. Just depends on what the auditions require. You can throw some accents in there and The Simpsons there was groundskeeper Willie. We used to do a bit of him when The Simpsons movie came out I did a couple of bits and pieces of Simpsons impressions even though I didn't watch them all that much. I used to do some of the wide world of sports commentary team. Yes, yes Bill, Bill Laurie. Yeah. I love it all. Yeah. Shut up Bill, will Tony Greig get that pigeon off my score card. I'm just mucking around. But there's a guy called Danny McMaster on the coast and he's an impersonator and he is brilliant. I'm nowhere near as good as someone like that. I just have a go and a muck around and try and get close and sound a little bit like the real person. But it's good fun trying.
Sally: Yeah. And do you find that when you're just speaking out and about, does anybody say, Oh wow, you can tell you were a news reader.
Bill: Yeah, a lot of people. I'm like, I get this and you probably would get it as well. They sometimes don't know your name or they don't know your face or they think they know your face, but they hear the voice and they're looking at you and you can tell they're going, Oh gosh, I know that. I know that voice. What is it now you're that news guy or the sport guy. So yeah, the voice tends to be a bit of an identifier for me, which, as I said, yeah, it's nice. People still recognize that and has some sort of resonance with them and that people get, wow, you've really got a great broadcast voice and you've got a great voice for radio. And it's just always been my voice. So I never think of it that way. I don't think I've got a great voice at all. But anyway.
Sally: You definitely do. You've got beautiful resonance and a beautiful register. Have you ever done any voice training?
Bill: I did when I first started with television back in 1987. I ended up doing training for about five years with a woman by the name of Blanche Lather and lovely, lovely lady over at East Brisbane. And I say that because when I first went there, it was Blanche Lather and I really had to work on the voice and get some occa-ness out. And she taught me a lot of things, so I'd have to credit Blanche with with helping me speak a little bit better and getting a better broadcast voice and even things like, sounding out your letters, your T's. And none of this Ozstraya - pronouncing words correctly. And so Blanche was, yeah, it was five years though. So it wasn't just a, let's do it for a few weeks. It was a process and it's certainly valuable and I would recommend it to anybody if they've got some aspirations to work with their voice in the industry, no matter what it is, to want to do a little bit of voice coaching with someone like yourself Sal.
Sally: Oh, thank you. Well, it's certainly served you well now because even after leaving broadcast, it seems that everything you're doing, it's a common theme that runs through it, except perhaps renovating. Maybe that's an area where you don't need to speak too much.
Bill: Yeah. When you're yelling out, when you hit your thumb with a hammer, you don't really need to be that perfect with it. It's just, just like whenever it comes out, come out Sal. But yeah, you're right. And I see this more that now, I'm doing some business development as well with the foundation who I work with. And you realize that you're using your voice and representing yourself is so important across so many areas. Whether you're pitching up to do a business deal whether you're emceeing a function, which I do a lot of and I think you'd probably do the same thing. If you want to be heard, you've got to be able to use your voice and harness your voice correctly because I think it says so much about you, I think it tells a lot of your personality. And just by listening to somebody's voice, it can be a really accurate way of working someone out, reading the emotion in their voice. And it's a real art to be able to get up in front of a group and pitch a story, as you will know. And so it's important not only in your personal life, if you've got to stand up in front of friends at a party and make a speech at a 21st or all the way up to standing in front of a boardroom and pitching up for business. It's such an important skill. Or whether you're selling your home and you're an auctioneer or you're working in the media or these days, whether you're on podcasts, which are really popular, if you're going to do a podcast, well, you got to make sure you've got the tools of the trade and the voice. Here's me telling you this when you should, you're telling me all of this. You're the expert.
Sally: Although Bill. You've got so much more range in your voice than I do because I tried to give some voice over work a go and I'll never forget I did this voiceover for Australian bananas and it was "Need a quick snack, get a banana in ya. Healthy Australian bananas." It was really funny. But after I did a few of them, they said oh Sal pretty much everything you voice sounds like you're reading the news.
Bill: Yeah, I've got a bit of that for a long time. A really long time. And it's a hard habit to get out of because, and I think I've seen it on some of your bits on social media - a lot of young people today, they get the news game and they think they have to have the radio or the TV voice the whole time. So they talk like this and this is what's happening now and that's how we go. And I'll often say in media training, that you don't sit across the table with a friend and talk like that about, gee, did you see that football game today? Wasn't it amazing? And so it's a skill to be able to to use your voice and be conversational. And that's how I think the best delivery should be when you're doing news presentation is to be conversational because that's how people relate to one another. They don't sit there and talk like that the whole time. And it's a bit of a skill, a bit of a knack, but I had to get out of that habit as well because there is a level of presentation of course, and performance when you're reading news or sport. And so getting out of that, a lot of the voice work you do, they'd say, no, no, just pull it back, pull it back. And you'd think you'd pull it back. And they go no pull it right back, right back and, and you'd do something that you almost felt was lazy and they go, yeah, that's great. Yeah, I like it. And I was like, Oh, okay.
Sally: Yeah, interesting isn't it? The longer I've been out of news, I am starting to get that way a little bit, but even some of my videos on social media, people say, wow, you seem really animated. But actually in real life you're really animated as well.
Bill: Yeah, that's good. I think you'd rather be a little more animated and be able to dial it back a bit then perhaps go the other way. Which I was at the beginning, I had to really amp up. And this is one of the things that Blanche, when we did the training she would get me to go really over the top to lift my sort of performance and levels and uncomfortably over the top. Like I was an American news anchor. And funnily enough, she said, we'll do that and we'll find a level or just below there, which is about right where you need to be. And she was correct. So yeah, a lot of people don't realize that it's a tricky one, but if you do the work, you'll get there.
Sally: Yeah. Worth their weight in gold those voice coaches aren't they?
Bill: Oh look, you are, and you're one of the best, I think Sal, I love your pieces on social. You've got a great way of attacking it, which is nice and friendly and conversational. Cause people can be feeling really conscious and self conscious about their voice as you know, and then getting up and using it and talking and trying to be better at it. So if you can disarm them a little bit, and I think you do that well, yeah, people will get results. They'll get results with you Sal.
Sally: Oh, and that's the reason I do this podcast as well. It's because I really want to bring voice to the people. I want people like everybody to feel like it's a skill set that they can improve upon. You know, it's not just the broadcasters or the auctioneer as you've been talking about, no matter who you are or what you do, then if you can use your voice well it's going to help you, not just in your career, but in your life. Like you said at the parties, at the funerals, at the, you know, buying a house, all of that.
Bill: Yeah. Yeah. Everyone's got their own voice. You just need to find it and and use it and harness it to the best of your ability. And you're right. I've given eulogies. I've talked at weddings. And I've broadcast from cyclones and disaster zones and Olympics and called AFL and auctioneering. There's there's nothing you can't do if you're in control and harnessing your voice. It's a powerful thing and we're all lucky to have one.
Sally: We'll have to use that in my marketing for sure. Before we wrap things up, as you know, I work with a lot of young journalists and I was wondering if you have any advice for them?
Bill: Well, it's a tough industry at the moment because there's obviously a lot of pressures on media, traditional media right around the world. I would say have as broad a skill set as possible. Work on your voice because, well, you shouldn't be limiting yourself to one particular area of the media I think now. I think the more diverse and more capable you are of switching across and being able to do a podcast, using your voice for that, being able to perhaps do some radio to also present while you're on camera and you've got more factors that are coming into there cause you've all of a sudden you'll find that maybe the focus isn't on your voice. Maybe you're wondering, Oh, what do I look like? Am I looking natural, am I looking in the right place? So sometimes you can tend to forget about your pipes and the voice and making sure that you're sitting up straight and you've got the diaphragm open. So if you can, if you can do all of them, I think that puts you in the best position to have success in the current market because you can work across so many areas and the traditional media businesses now are trying to be a little bit of everything because they have to be to earn market share and to win advertising revenue. Look at Nine, Nine have now a newspaper with Fairfax. They put a big money bid in for Macquarie. So I think you'll find that's an example of how media organizations will be going. So you may work for Nine and you could find yourself being doing some radio, doing some podcasts, doing some television work. So I think lift your eyes, broaden your skillset and do some voice training because in that media area, voice is really important.
Sally: Oh, what fantastic advice. And finally Bill one more time. Where can people find you these days?
Bill: Billmcdonald.com.au it's an easy one. I've spent a lot of time working on that name so you can go there and it's got a little bit of my background and history and ways to get in contact and all my voiceover demos are there as well. So yeah, go and check it out and get in touch if you'd like a silly voiceover or a serious voiceover or a newsy voiceover, whatever you like. But yeah, thanks Sal for having a chat to us too!
Sally: Fantastic. Thanks for coming on That Voice Podcast.
Bill: Cheers Sal, all the best.
Sally: Thanks for listening to That Voice Podcast. To find out more head to the podcast page, it's www.thatvoicepodcast.com.