Behind the Scenes of a Higher Education Voiceover: Bishop State

The Art of a Poetic Voiceover: My Journey with CDE and CO5

There’s a unique magic in the art of a voiceover. When everything falls into place, a mere voice can breathe life into a story, evoke emotion and give soul to a mission. It’s a craft I’ve dedicated many years of my life to. And every so often, a project comes along that’s more than just a basic voice-over “job” … it’s an opportunity to be part of something meaningful.

My recent collaborations with CDE Group, a company that’s literally reshaping our world, and the brilliant production team at CO5, has been one such journey.

The Beginnings of a Creative Partnership

I was first introduced to the team at Circle of 5ths (CO5) a few years ago. CO5 is a creative production company led by 10-time Grammy-nominated producer Paimon “Farsi” Jahanbin and Senior Artist Manager Summer Wiebe.

I have more to say about CO5 below, but what I love about this team is their approach to crafting narratives, not just formulaic content. There’s a poetic and nuanced quality to their work that elevates every project they touch. When they brought me on board for a campaign for CDE, I knew this was a special partnership.

CDE: Building a Better Future, a Ton at a Time

I’ll admit, before this project, I didn’t think much about sand, rocks and minerals. But my work with CDE has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for these essential materials and the incredible innovation that goes into managing them sustainably. These natural resources are the bedrock of our civilization.

CDE is a company with a powerful mission: to create “our best world, a ton at a time.” They are global leaders in wet processing technology, which, in basic terms, means they’ve developed innovative ways to recycle construction and demolition waste and to process natural materials more efficiently and with minimal environmental impact. Their work is vital to the future of the global economy and the globe itself.

You can explore their world-changing work on their website: https://www.cdegroup.com/.

CO5: The Architects of Inspiration

Take a second to watch the videos above and you’ll see that CDE’s message is one of hope, ingenuity and respect for the world we inhabit.

This is where the genius of CO5 comes in.

As a production company and a creative agency, CO5 has this incredible ability to take the complex, technical work of a company like CDE and translate it into a story that is not only understandable but also deeply inspiring. They don’t just present facts and figures. They weave a poetic narrative that makes you see the beauty and importance of these raw materials. They transform sand and stone into the building blocks of a better tomorrow – which is what CDE is all about.

You can see some of CO5’s other impressive work at https://co5inc.com/.

Collaborating for an Inspiring & Poetic Voiceover

Working with the CO5 team is a uniquely collaborative and rewarding experience. It’s not just about me stepping into a booth and reading a script. The recording sessions are a collaboration of creative minds with directors, producers and writers all contributing their input, fine-tuning every sentence, every phrase, every pause. There’s a meticulous attention to detail, and a constant search for the perfect rhythm to complement the visuals and the music.

This collaborative spirit is what makes the final product so powerful and resonant. It’s why I enjoy working with this team so much.

Voiceover Analysis: Breathing Life into the Mission

I’ve had the honor of lending my voice to a few CDE projects, including 2 videos from the most recent campaign, which I’ve shared above. These videos are a testament to the powerful synergy between CDE’s vision and CO5’s creative execution.

The stories that CDE tells are not just about rocks and sand; they are about progress, sustainability and the future of our planet. They are about creating a world where we can continue to grow and build without depleting our precious natural resources. It’s a message of hope, ingenuity and respect for the world we inhabit.

A Rhythmic & Compelling Call to Action

The first video tackles a serious issue – the global sand crisis – with an inspiring, hopeful and confident tone. Sand is the second most used natural resource in the world, and we’re using it up at an unsustainable rate. This video is a call to action to recognize the value of this finite resource and to highlight CDE’s innovations as a sustainable solution.

For this voiceover, the challenge was to strike a balance between a sense of urgency and a message of hope. I needed to convey the gravity of the situation without being alarmist. The tone is reflective, but it ultimately leads to a place of optimism, highlighting the game-changing solutions that CDE provides. It’s a voice that acknowledges the problem but also points the way to a better future.

The copy is extremely powerful. But without the right tone, the voiceover could have sounded more like someone reading a textbook. Collaborating with CO5, I gave this voiceover a rhythmic beat that steadily builds, inspires and compels the audience to stay engaged all the way to the end.

A Steady Tone of Confidence and Wonder

This second video is another beautiful and inspiring look at how CDE is transforming construction, demolition and excavation waste into valuable resources.

In this video, the goal of my voice-over was to capture the hope and innovation at the heart of this message. I wanted my voice to convey a sense of wonder and optimism, to reflect the transformative power of CDE’s work. The tone is meant to be both confident and gentle, a voice that you can trust to guide you through this story of a truly circular economy.

A Case Study in Great Storytelling

In both videos, my voice is just one element in a much larger symphony. The cinematic visuals, the evocative music and the powerful storytelling all work together to create a message that is both informative and deeply moving. As the voice artist, my role is to be the human connection, guiding the viewer through the story and helping them connect with the mission on an emotional level.

I want to thank all the amazing people at CO5 and CDE who collaborated on this campaign and who helped make it so powerful. It’s a privilege to work with a team that is so dedicated to their craft and so committed to making a difference.