Henry Willard: A Swiss Army Knife for VO

For those who haven’t had the pleasure yet, allow me to introduce Henry Willard, a highly respected demo producer and audio engineer. He’s thoughtful, and he focuses on the person you are in his approach to voice actor demo production. He doesn't just produce demos. He's a Swiss Army Knife for VO!

I chose Henry to produce my narration demo, and it quickly became clear why so many voice actors trust him with their work. In addition to creating custom demos, Henry is a musician who composes bespoke, fully licensed music, offers professional audio editing for commercials, eLearning, and audiobooks, and runs seamless remote recording sessions that allow talent to focus entirely on performance. I could lavish more praise, but if you read on, you’ll see exactly what I’m getting at. When you’re ready for a new demo, or if some huge project just landed in your lap, or you need extra ears on your studio, reach out to Henry. In minutes, you’ll feel at ease and know you’ve just found a new friend! 

Family is important to you. Who influenced you the most growing up: Mom, Dad, an Uncle/Aunt, an adventurous cousin?

From a young age, I was obsessed with music and sound. My mum would play Dire Straits records when I was really little, and her love of music was certainly an influence.

I then discovered The Beatles when I was seven, which led me to wanting a guitar. It was the mid-90’s, and such an amazing time to grow up with music as there were no distractions from the internet, but I was fortunate to have access to music channels on TV such as MTV and VH1. I spent most of my youth practicing and learning to play guitar, and developed a really deep understanding and love of songwriting, lyrics, words and how sound is put together.

My favorite album as a 9yr old was Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band – That’s a pretty great education!

Although my mum isn’t musical, her father – My grandfather – Is an exceptional musician and a wonderful church organ player.

Talk about your early studio experiences and how they lead here.

I always had two guitar teachers growing up – One in school, and one outside of school.

My teacher outside of school had a small home studio, and I reached a level where we would often record, so that was a really helpful early experience.

I recorded a couple of albums there as a kid before buying my own gear and learning to record and mix my own songs in my bedroom as a teenager.

When you produce demos you have this ingenious concept: the Palette. Talk a bit about how that came about, and its influence on your production process.

Before I made the decision to work for myself in 2021, I was running a physical recording studio for someone else. We’d begun offering cheap demo’s for aspiring young voice actors, mainly musical theatre students, with generic scripts printed off the internet, and I hated it. It never sat right with me. There was no soul, no personality in any of these recordings, and I felt sorry for the kids.

When I went out on my own and launched my own demo production service, I wanted to hear passion. Whenever I listen to a demo, I have a deep desire to hear the person and the soul behind the voice coming through in each read.

I think this links directly to my early love of songwriting and wordcraft – I have the entire Beatles catalogue ingrained in me, but, then growing up I also discovered other incredible songwriters and bands such as Barenaked Ladies, Elliott Smith and Counting Crows.

The ‘Palette’ concept just popped into my head one day whilst trying to visualize and explain how I wanted to write and create incredible sounding demo’s for voice actors.

I was always a stubborn kid at school – All I wanted to do was either be in the music room or out on the playground playing football (soccer). I just wanted to do my passions!

If I was passionate about something or had a keen interest in a certain topic or subject, you would always get so much more out of me!

Although I have massively mellowed as I’ve gotten older and I’m nowhere near as stubborn, I carried this passionate way of thinking into how I wanted to craft demo’s – If I could dig deep into every single voice actor I produce a demo for, learn and build my own record of all their passions, interests, hobbies, their loves in life, what gets them excited – And if I could then use all this knowledge, much like a paint palette, to come up with six, diverse demo spot brands and topics where every single spot not only suits the voice actors style, their voice, their target client, target audience and market, but also has a link to something they are personally passionate about, or have a keen interest in – If that was to bring out an extra 10, 15 or 20% in their performance level because of that underlying enthusiasm and connection to the brand and/or topic, then I know that I am producing a demo that is a beautiful representation of not only the voice, but the person behind the voice.

What gets your creativity flowing?

Every demo is new and different, and because I’m working from a voice actors ‘Palette’ of themselves, I feel so strongly about producing a demo that represents their passions. That represents them! I’m providing an extremely personal service, and I feel it is my duty to create something that sounds spectacular.

They’re investing a big sum of money in their demo, and I am privileged that they have chosen to work with me and embark on this journey together.

I can hear a vision in my head for every single spot I write, and once we have recorded the VO and the time comes to start implementing music and sound design, I get excited to bring my vision to life whilst showcasing an incredible voice.

When you’re producing a demo, what’s the number one quality you’re listening for?

I do love a voice actor who is able to mix it up a bit with their takes and naturally provide different variations of the read without prompting.

Sometimes it does require a little more direction to bring that out of a voice actor, and that’s where my skills come in to direct and try and bring the best out of someone.

I also pay close attention to enunciation details. Unless we’re purposely going for a certain regional accent or a more relaxed style of read, I like to hear the end letters of words, and also ensure words don’t drop off at the end of a sentence. 

How do you help talent who struggle to see their own strengths and bring out their best performance?

First & foremost, I love to create a warm, relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable recording environment. I want voice actors to absolutely love the experience, and come away from recording a demo with me, super excited and itching to tell their friends & peers!

If a voice actor is perhaps struggling to hit a mark during the recording, I like to try and paint pictures in their head, create scenarios, I may engage in a lead-in to the script, or we may just need to move on and circle back later in the session.

There are lots of little tricks and techniques that can be used, but the important thing is that there is no pressure. We’re in the session to have a blast, and record some fantastic VO together. We’re on the same team.

You make remote sessions feel effortless for talent, but there’s obviously a lot happening on your end to make that possible. Can you walk us through what goes into creating that kind of smooth, stress-free recording environment?

I love running remote sessions for voice talent and their clients, as I know that just by me taking care of the entire recording and engineering side, I’m allowing the voice talent to focus purely on the script, listening to their clients’ needs, and delivering a stellar VO.

When running a remote session, I let every voice actor I work with know that I’m on their side. That I am their personal engineer, and I have their back from start to finish. I think that it is so vitally important for the voice talent to feel and know that the engineer is in their corner.

I’m also creating a space where the client and/or creative team can rely on me to capture all the takes we need, playback any takes we record, comp together favorite lines, and keep the session ticking along smoothly.

I use SessionLinkPRO to record all voice talent, as unlike Source-Connect, it doesn’t require the voice actor to purchase, download or install anything – I just send them my connection link, and I receive their booth mic feed directly into my Pro Tools session – And it sounds pristine.

I can then loop in the client and/or creative team via Zoom, Google Meet or Teams etc, and I route all audio through my Pro Tools Ultimate session so everyone can hear each other, talk to one another and communicate seamlessly.

During a session, whilst the client is talking or giving feedback to the voice talent, I’m always working away in the background managing the recordings, labelling files, marking takes, and organizing my session within Pro Tools so that once the session has finished, I’m able to locate everything I need quickly and easily, and I can get all the applicable recordings sent over to the client swiftly. 

I’ve been running remote sessions for many, many years, working with talent and clients around the world, and have run sessions in probably 15+ different languages, from French, German, Spanish & Italian, to Chinese, Japanese and Bulgarian! 

You have also produced a dizzying number of audiobooks! Do you have a favorite?

That’s a tough question, but I would have to say my favorite projects are the ones where I’ve worked directly with, or in close-contact with the author.

Sister Lost by Heather Hancock was a very special project as Heather reached out to me looking for full production including casting, and wanted a very specific narrator to tell her incredible story. After an extensive search, we found Rachel Gilbert from London, Ontario, who was just so wonderful to work with, and is an amazing narrator. Rachel did a sterling job, is brilliant to work with, and Sister Lost is also a really incredible story.

Goddess from the Machine by Daniel Rodrigues-Martin was another favorite – I was brought on board to provide full editing & mastering by voice actor Rhiannon Moushall who had already landed the narration role, and it was another really wonderful experience as the communication was excellent, Rhiannon did the most outstanding job, and the story is enthralling! I was captivated throughout the entire edit and couldn’t wait for the next chapter!

I will also give honorary mentions to both Kelly Bargabos and Harvey Lee who self-narrated their own books, and both did a great job – Kelly’s novel, Loving Lavender Finch is a really brilliant story, and Harvey’s autobiography/business motivation book, Backstage Pass is also fantastic. It was really great to work with both Kelly and Harvey as well, and producing their audiobooks was a real pleasure.

What makes your process special from narration to final master?

A lot is being made of AI proofing software in audiobooks at the moment, and although I have tried it myself, extensively, I actually choose to edit & proof every audiobook I work on in real-time, with just my ears and expertise.

If budget allows, then some books may also get treated to additional third-party proofing after my work is done, but generally I work through every second and every word using my own expert ears, from start-to-finish.

I deliver audiobooks to a first-class standard, and I’m not willing to cut any corners. As well as ensuring the script is followed correctly, it’s also vitally important for me to hear how every breath lands, how every beat and pause sits, and ensure enunciation is clear throughout.

What part of the audiobook process do you find most rewarding — or most challenging? Also, what’s your favorite genre?

Maintaining focus and alertness whilst editing can most definitely be a challenge, especially if I’m working late. I therefore make sure I take regular short breaks to keep my ears fresh, get my legs movin and give my eyes a little rest before jumping back in.Having the privilege to listen to an audiobook before anyone else, and follow a great story is certainly a rewarding aspect!

I wouldn’t say I necessarily have a favourite genre. I’ve edited some really interesting autobiographies, insightful business titles, as well as some incredible novels!

I’m sure talent come back to you again and again. Have authors started reaching out for talent recommendations? 

I do have repeat clients across all the services I offer, including audiobooks, with both authors and narrators reaching out with new work.

I do get asked for talent recommendations for titles from time-to-time where the author would like me to take on the full production and cast the narrator to the type of voice, and sometimes the type of individual they would like telling their story.

Casting is always a fun process!

I swear, you are a Swiss Army Knife for VO! It's not just demos. It’s not just audiobooks. You also offer short and long form editing. So I’m a voice talent, and let’s say I’m overbooked and just got one more project that I really want to do but I’m just not confident I have the time. This is where you don the cape, no?

That’s exactly right! I do a huge amount of both short and long-form editing. From eLearning to documentaries, commercials, medical narration, corporate jobs & educational projects.

With some jobs, the voice actor may not have actually started recording yet, but are perhaps at the discussion/negotiating stage with their client about the job. It could be a big eLearning, for example where the voice actor knows the edit is going to be colossal, and so they reach out to me, check my availability and bring me on board to handle the entire edit to the client spec for delivery on a particular date or within a certain time-frame.I do get contacted about a lot of last-minute jobs as well. A lot of the time these are short-form jobs and relatively quick edits, but the voice actor may have an emergency they need to run to, or go pick the kids up from school, or be away & in a hotel room and they simply don’t have the time to carry out the edit, and so they contact me with an SOS!If budget allows, for long-form jobs the voice actor may be able to build my fee into the fee they charge their client. Some voice actors on the other hand just swallow my fee themselves, especially for last-minute short-form jobs.

With the explosion in home studios I see you’re offering studio support. Expert advice and an experienced ear! Tell me more.

I am regularly helping voice actors of all experience levels and stages of their careers who would like a booth audit, advice or support for tech problems or issues they may be having in their home recording space.

I’m not one of these “tech guru’s” you see across social media offering a multitude of courses and tutorial videos for this and that, simply because I have nowhere near enough time to do anything like that!

But word-of-mouth is powerful, and I get recommended all the time between voice actors across the industry when someone is facing a tech issue, and I’m always on hand to help and set up a Zoom call.

Being a voiceover industry expert, I’m not just a ‘tech’ guy - I know what’s really required to get your VO sounding its best.

Surveying your battery of services, capabilities and artistry, what’s one lesson you learned early on that’s still shaping how you work today?

I used to run a men’s soccer team for 15 years. I founded the club way back in 2007, and we enjoyed some really great success in our time.

One player who joined us early on was an incredible guy called Jim, and Jim always had a big, beaming smile on his face. His enthusiasm, his great warmth, his energy and his smile was infectious, and I always felt better just being around him.

Although we haven’t spoken for many years just through growing up, becoming parents, life etc, Jim’s smile has never left me to this day, and I look to implement Jim’s warmth and ‘buzz’ into every single conversation and encounter that I have with clients and voice actors.

I believe that energy and warmth helps to quickly establish a bond and trust with everyone I speak and work with, and I will always have Jim to thank for making me a smilier person.

What’s your “can’t live without it” piece of studio gear?

I would have to say my Direct Sound Studio Plus headphones. They are just so clear, natural & neutral in their sound, and super comfortable to wear, too. I wouldn’t be without them!

Last question: You’re producing an audiobook about your life. Are you battling zombies while striving for the perfect edit, directing a demo from a ship sailing the high seas, stopping a heist between room tone checks…how would you like your story told? Who’s narrating?

I think I would maybe get a multitude of voice actors who I know and love to narrate a chapter each!

I adore the outdoors, travelling, nature and wildlife, particularly birds, and I have a particularly keen love of US National Parks, so I think I would like for my story to be told in the style of a cinematic & beautiful documentary!

I really want to thank you for your time, Henry. I know that any talent that comes to you for advice, a demo or editing will have an amazing experience. I know I did!Please share your website, email and handles so they can reach you easily.

Sure!

My website is www.henrywillard.com, my email is henry@henrywillard.com, and I currently just use LinkedIn and Instagram. You can connect with me there at www.linkedin.com/in/henrywillard and https://www.instagram.com/henrywillard.audioengineer.