An ‘Outside-the-Box’ Corporate Voice Over

Every VO is unique. That’s true of all art, acting roles and professions. But still, it’s an important lesson I’ve learned intimately over 15 years of performing corporate voice overs for clients in many industries.

Every project is different.

I’ll admit, I used to worry that AI might overshadow the need for human creativity, especially in voiceover work. But nothing is more satisfying than when everything falls into place, reminding me why the human voice is irreplaceable. That’s exactly what happened when I got to work on Micron’s new AI-focused video – a project that not only reassured me about my craft but also showed how AI and humanity can work hand in hand.

In this blog post, I share what made this piece successful.

Micron and the new world of AI

AI is all the buzz these days. It’s changing the way we work, collaborate, create and solve problems. Chances are, you’re probably already using some form of artificial intelligence in your life – 77% of consumers do (even though many people don’t even realize it, statistics show).

When we talk about AI, so much of the conversation is about the exciting possibilities (more on that in a second.) We don’t think much about what’s powering that AI. That’s because the answer is kind of boring, right? It’s computers. Or more accurately: data centers – those big, boxy buildings filled with servers and hardware that make all of this possible.

Micron is flipping that conversation on its head.

A new way of thinking ‘outside the box’

Okay, so who is Micron and why does all of this matter?

In short, Micron makes a lot of the technology that powers today’s AI – like memory and storage hardware.

Our new AI-powered world is going to need a lot more of those big, boxy data centers. Because AI isn’t just about the “chat” apps. It’s a superintelligence that’s going to help us solve some of the world’s greatest challenges: cancer, climate change, food scarcity – the really big stuff.

When you frame it that way, that “box” is pretty beautiful, isn’t it? It’s a game-changer.

I love how Micron is reframing that conversation, and it got me thinking more about how an “outside-the-box” approach is so important – for creative projects, problem-solving and corporate voice-over work.

The importance of unboxed thinking

When I used to coach other voice actors for hire, they often asked me, “How do I get ahead?” “How do I stand out?” “How do I get those ‘big’ voiceover freelance jobs?”

Well, there are lots of factors involved. (I cover many of them extensively in my blog, videos and coaching on “How to Be a Voice Actor.”)

But another big, underrated factor is thinking outside the box.

Being successful in voice-acting – and most things in life – requires unboxed thinking. In other words, you can’t just read the words on the page and call it a day. You have to bring something new to it. Something different. Otherwise, you’ll blend in with everyone else.

But also, for a commercial voice artist especially, you have to think about the bigger picture: the message, the audience, what the goal is and why it all matters. If you don’t, you’ll never understand what’s needed for it to be successful.

Micron gets it – they know that being a leader in innovation requires unboxed thinking. That same mentality applies to so many other fields.

Why this all matters to me?

For me, voice acting isn’t just a profession – it’s an art. It’s deeply personal. When I was approached to narrate for Micron, a leading AI company, I felt both excited and hesitant. Here was a company at the forefront of artificial intelligence, but they were choosing to tell their story with the human voice. That decision reinforced my belief that, no matter how advanced technology gets, it can’t replace the emotional connection of human storytelling.

As with any art form, I believe in constantly improving, evolving and pushing boundaries. Having a human voice is critical to every voiceover. But also, the voice needs to be authentic and compelling to the audience that hears it. That’s why improvisation and creative thinking are so important.

Also, I’m not just a commercial voice artist – I’m a poet and a philosopher. Creative thinking is central to everything I do. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

So, for me personally, thinking outside the box is essential. But let me be very clear: It’s not just about me…

Collaboration makes all the difference

Yes, my voice is the only one you hear in Micron’s video, but I’ll never forget the magic of our team discussions. Whether it was bouncing ideas with the producers or improvising new cadences at the director’s suggestion, the collaboration reminded me that creativity thrives when diverse minds come together. It’s these moments that fuel my passion for this work. Also, it’s the other critical factor that makes this video so successful: the team.

To create something fresh and unique, you need collaborators … diverse minds and voices who all bring something unique to the table. For the voice-over session specifically, it requires a team of producers and directors really playing with cadence, flow and ad-libs in the script. It’s a collaborative environment that takes the whole project to the next level.

A closer analysis of the voiceover

Finally, I want to take a closer look at the voiceover itself to reiterate some of the strategies I used and how they differ from conventional corporate narration.

Above, I mentioned how ad-libbing and improvisation played a part. But I encourage you to watch the video to listen closely for those moments. That’s where the human voice element really comes out. It’s those subtle changes in inflection and conversational bits that catch your attention – like someone is speaking to you, not just reading off a script.

The cadence changes are also key. The voiceover slowly builds along with the music and the message. It gets louder, more energetic, more hopeful and more confident as the script touches on the most exciting possibilities of AI. Then, it descends back down as the video reminds you of the purpose of all of this: preserving our existence on this fragile planet.

If this had been a straightforward read about datacenters, the whole thing would have fallen flat.

Instead, this entire video came together beautifully.

Special thanks

I want to give a sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to this project and gave me the opportunity to be part of it. Special thanks to Micron, as well as the production company VisionKit and the many people at ad agency Palmer.