VOICE AND ARTICULATION
Analysis of Katie Courics Voice
The background for the video of Katie Couric, managing editor and anchor person for CBS Evening News, could be construed to reflect the typical faade the news journalist must routinely wear to report the news with little emotion a bit cool. In the background of the 849 minute YouTube video, the viewer can plainly see the world outside Courics news set through a huge picture window. Snow still covered the ground outside when this video segment was filmed January 8, 2009, the night Couric reported the New Hampshire primary election results The viewer may also see what appears to be the edge of a dog house at the far right corner behind Couric and two thin tree trunks mid-left behind her. A satellite news truck appears to be parked in the middle distance far behind Couric. As she speaks, Couric regularly pauses to take a sip of what appears to be a hot beverage from an oversized, black coffee cup, with a white interior.
Nothing in the video segment posted on YouTube indicates whether Couric realized she was being recorded other than during the few seconds she reported one result that had just come in as being still too close to call (354). This particular speaking situation, set up for prime-time TV viewers watching CBS, also included Courics supporting team. Although sometimes, Courics voice was pleasant to listen to, much of the time during this behind the scene scenario, her voice did not sound so pleasant. Two particular examples of the not so pleasant times occurred at timed points, 314 and 834 when Couric verbalized the same words each time in a much too low pitched voice Time for the weather and Al. These two instances replicated the tone in one other instance when Couric deliberately lowered her voice to an unnatural tone and stated My voice is so low with this cold (310). Several times, due to Courics cold, although her voice did not sound distorted, it did reflect the undesirable quality of a too-high pitch.
During the times Couric was not on the air, she maintained extreme expressiveness. Some of the material she presented while off the air was not meaningfully interpreted. Some comments Couric made, with an extremely varied voice, appeared to be borderline sarcastic. Sometimes Courics pitch was much too high, due to her cold. Other times, as noted earlier, he pitch sounded entirely too low when she deliberately lowered her voice. On the air, however, Courics pitch sounded just right, while when off the air, her pitch as well as her volume varied from one extreme to the other. One time, her voice sounded a bit too loud another time too soft, and then yet at another time - just right. This occurred, the writer asserts, due to Courics cold and her joking with her team members.
The rate of Courics speech varied from too slow, to too fast, to just right. At one point, when Couric asked members of her team whether the town of Wheatland should be pronounced Wheatland or Wheatland (136-147), she spoke in a high-pitch, at a bit too fast rate. Couric demonstrated active lip, jaw and tongue movement during the video.
Based on the writers analysis, Courics key voice strengths appear to be her articulation and sound quality. One area where she seems to perhaps need voice improvement include when she spoke in a too high pitch. That area, however, may be attributed to Couric having a cold.
Analysis of Robin Williams Voice
The YouTube 507 video segment spotlighting Robin Williams comprises part of a TV special, I Love Liberty, created by Norman Lear and presented by The People for the American Way (PFAW). The two-hour version originally aired back on March 21st, 1982. This video, filmed in front of a life audience, is almost 28-years old and still draws viewers.
Robin Williams tunes in to and targets his live audience held in an amphitheater style convention center. As his audience of fans surrounds him from every angle, the majority of the mixed-race crowd appears to between 20 and 40 years old. At one point, during a brief cut-a-way made during the filming, the cameraman shows a close-up frame of Ted Turner, a prominent TV personality, seated in the audience.
The material Williams presented on stage was meaningfully interpreted. When the I Love Liberty, video excerpt starring Williams begins, he, dressed in a shirt replicating the American flag, stands at the front of the stage with a majestic, gigantic American flag positioned behind him in the distance. Although the viewer does not hear the song, Robbins makes a comment that leads the viewer to believe the song The Star Spangled Banner had just been played. Robbins starts out his routine with the words, Im the one that theyre singing about Just call me Flag (14- 24).
While Williams spoke, his voice remained pleasant to listen to. The writer did not note any undesirable qualities in his voice or articulation, as his voice remained clear, distinct, and easy to understand, except for one intentional distorted sentence. The line, after Williams, portraying himself as the American Flag, reported that he had been to the moon One small step was intentionally distorted to mimic the static heard during the communication when the first men stepped on the moons surface (344). Williams demonstrated active lip, jaw and tongue movement during his monologue.
While pointing to several particular stars depicting states, Williams spoke with various accents. In reference to Tennessee, Williams said with a distinct southern accent We got yur Tennessee, How yew doin today (229). This segment demonstrates what Lynn K. Wells (2003) explained in the text book, The Articulate Voice An axiom is generally thought to be that of persons within the same linguistic community, while a dialect is often considered to be that of a person with another primary language (p, 135). The writer did not notice any signs of dialect when Williams spoke, only that he complimented this one part of his monologue with axioms.
Williams remained extremely animated during the video. His voice varied and was flexible. His pitch varied regularly from too high to too low to just right, however the inflections and changes in pitch were deliberate. His high pitch proved particularly effective when he stated Im in my birthday suit (42). Williams also appropriately varied his volume. Even when it could have been technically considered too loud or too soft, each time, in regard to this criteria, proved to be just right as each change in volume effectively accented the words. Williams speech rate varied and at one point may have been a bit too fast. In his past, Williams admitted to having used cocaine. The writer does not know whether this may have been a factor in his life at this time or it may have contributed to him demonstrating excessive speed during the video. At the end of the video, Williams rate of speech proves particularly powerful. As he kneels down on one knee to mirror the American flag being flown at half staff, Williams states This is not my favorite Look at it as if you are saluting yourselves. Im just a flag, a symbol And if I may say so from here pointing to his heart - long may you wave (404-431).
Williams pitch, like the waves of the ocean, rolled up and down... His speech effectively shows how a person can deliberately control the flow as he paces his words from slow to fast and in between.
He animated his actions when responding to the question addressed to the flag at 204 years old Flag, how do you stay so young Is it Jogging
No.
Is it tennis
No.
Its waving.
Williams demonstrates that in comedy, the ability to flexibly change ones voice to present a range of pitches high, low pitch, and in between, serves as one of many keys to not only target ones audience, but to use ones voice to best do so.
Conclusion
In this paper, the background and audience differed for Couric and Williams. Couriss speaking situation placed her at a distance from most of her audience, while Williams positioned himself in the midst of his. The quality of Courics voice may have been adversely affected her cold. The writer did not note any concerns regarding the quality of Williams voice. Both Couric and Williams proved to be articulate in their speech their voices were basically clear, distinct and easy to understand. Both speakers demonstrated active lip, jaw and tongue movements. Williams deliberately distorted the sound to replicate the communication between the earth and the moon. Neither Couric nor Williams spoke in a dialect.
Couric and Williams were both expressive when they spoke. The writer considered Williams to appear more natural, however. Some of Courics expressions seemed a bit feigned. When Williams varied his pitch and rate it seemed natural. When Couric used the same tactics, they did not seem as effective. The variations in volume also seemed to work for Williams, but appeared flat at times for Couric. Volume was the volume varied, too loud, too soft, just right. Couric, reportedly relates just the facts when she knows she is on the air something that may be perceived as a strength andor a weakness. Even when she thinks the camera may not be recording, it appears that Courics modus operandi, her habitual way of operating in front of the camera, continues to determine the way she speaks and how she articulates her words. The primary strength for Williams seems to be that he knows to adjust his speech and articulate his words to maintain continuity. He also naturally adjusts his delivery to effectively target his audience.
That, the writer asserts, depicts the main difference. A news anchor like Couric is a talking head, reading a script. A good comedian, like Williams becomes so intimate with his material he does not appear to even need notes. No matter if one is a public speaker, news anchorreporter, politician or comedian, the writer contends that vital keys to consider in any presentation include quality, articulation, movement, and expressions, which include pitch volume and rate. Then, as one targets his audience and offers words with substance, his YouTube video excerpt could possibly survive, even if he does not know the camera is recording. It could perhaps draw viewers up to 28 years after it is first videoed or perhaps, even longer.
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment