Class Session 1
Ashley Desiree for Role
Full details of homework is on Closing Credits
Good read! You’re off to a strong start, but one area to focus on is projecting your voice. Imagine yourself in a large gymnasium packed with people, without a microphone. When I close my eyes and listen to your delivery, it feels more suited to a smaller room with fewer people. To convey the right energy and presence for a gym setting, it’s important to project your voice so that everyone, even those in the farthest corner, can hear and feel your performance. Projection doesn’t mean yelling—it’s about using your diaphragm to create a strong, supported sound that travels effortlessly through the space.
I also noticed that your volume started to dip as you went on, which can weaken the overall impact of your read. Maintaining consistent energy throughout the entire performance is crucial, especially when delivering to a large audience. Visualizing yourself in the scene and imagining the people you’re speaking to can help you stay connected and engaged. Think about the tone, energy, and message you want to convey, and keep that in mind from start to finish.
To help with projection and consistency, focus on your breathing. You took a lot of audible breaths during the read, which suggests that you may be running out of air more quickly than you’d like. Practice taking deeper breaths and using your diaphragm to control your airflow. Exercises like straw breathing can help you strengthen your diaphragm and improve your breath support over time. Another great way to practice is by reading aloud and consciously focusing on your breath placement—find natural spots in the script to pause and take a big breath so that you’re fully powered for the next phrase.
This was a good effort, and with continued practice on projection and breath control, you’ll be able to deliver even more impactful performances. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to seeing how you continue to grow!
Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! Projection has always been a challenge for me as I’m naturally a quieter person. In group settings, if I say something and no one hears me I tend to shy away rather than try again with more volume. This has definitely carried into my voice work, where I find it tricky to project without feeling like I’m yelling.
I really appreciate the suggestions about focusing on breathing and using my diaphragm to control airflow rather than just “being louder.” That mindset shift thinking about projection as strength and clarity rather than volume is something I’ll work on incorporating.😤 Exercises like straw breathing sound like a great way to practice this and I’ll also try to be more intentional about where I take breaths in the script.
I’m excited to implement these tips and improve! Thank you again for the encouragement and actionable advice :) I’ll keep working on maintaining consistent energy and imagining myself in the space to connect better with the audience!