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Film Narration: Voice Over profiling resourcefulness of Yemeni Engineers
Accurately labeled a “crisis within a crisis,” the 2020 coronavirus pandemic was an immediate, existential threat to millions in Yemen; a nation still ravaged by years of armed conflict and Civil War. Without a dependable infrastructure to import life-saving supplies, the war-torn country was powerless against COVID-19’s spread.
However, thanks to the determined ingenuity of young Yemeni engineers, local communities quickly learned how to scale-up production of desperately needed supplies and personal protective equipment. Together, with limited resources, the people of Yemen improvised and innovated to save lives. These efforts can only be described as brilliant and heroic.
With technical support from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Engineers without Borders, and the United Nations Development Programme – a dozen Yemeni mechatronic engineers used available materials and technology to manufacture ventilators and PPE. Through a popular massaging app, they trained fellow Yemeni’s how to manufacture face-shields and build high-capacity face-mask production machines.
Through their resourcefulness and creativity, the engineers and those they trained continue to save countless lives. The quiet resilience of the Yemeni people remains inspirational – to those who choose to pay attention. And it is high-time that the entire global community start paying attention.
Our client likes the audio. We will be using it in a documentary film.
Nader | dotnotion advertising media & production, Yemen
Additional Andy Taylor Voice Over for dotnotion advertising & media production
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Voice Over Andy Taylor: Video narration for short films and documentaries
Andy Taylor provides voice over for all genres of film.
Most notably, he narrates several documentary shorts that chronicle relief efforts in Yemen. For example, he voices films for organizations like the United Nations Development Program, the EU-funded Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen Project, Unicef and the World Health Organization.
The ongoing civil war continues to devastate innocent civilians in the Arab world’s poorest country. But few outside the region take time to understand the conflict. As a result, relief organizations contract Dot Notion to film and produce this content. Clearly, the hope is to boost awareness of an increasingly desperate humanitarian situation.
Essentially, what started as a local conflict after 2011’s Arab Spring, quickly escalated into a full blown civil war between Sunni and Shia. Even worse, when the Houthi movement (supported by Iran and Yemen’s Shia minority) began claiming territory, the acting Sunni president fled the country.
Consequently, Saudi Arabia and eight other Sunni-majority states entered the conflict. Fearful of Iran’s growing influence in Yemen, those nations continue to launch air assaults against Houthi forces. To put it another way, Saudi Arabia and Iran are at war against each other, without spilling a single drop of blood inside their own borders. Meanwhile, innocent civilians in the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest nation suffer.
Sadly, the humanitarian strides Andy often narrates are short lived, due to frequent escalations from both sides of the proxy war.
Andy, thanks for being part of this and coming projects as well. #YemenNotAlone
Hashim Hamoud Hashim. dotnotion advertising & media production
Documentary and Comedic Mockumentary Narration
Additionally, on the comedic side, Andy Taylor narrates a mockumentary entitled Barry, The Making of American Icon. Harnessing the edge and attitude of 1970’s documentary narration, Andy guides viewers through the sensational life of musician Barry Blowenthal.
The Toast of the Town in the late 1950’s, Barry rises to fame as one of the preeminent saxophonists in music. However, his fall from grace is just as epic as his climb to stardom. Without giving away the whole story, basically a freak accident, thanks to Jackie Onassis, destroys Barry’s career. Yet Barry suddenly rediscovers his relevance – after a prostitute lends him a sports whistle to prevent thugs from attacking him on the street.
I truly enjoyed working with you and super psyched you also got to experience the screening. Your VO is pitch perfect and really brings the piece to life.
Director Joan Hathaway. Barry The Making of An American Icon
Thanks to other similar projects, Andy is often asked to bring attitude and “character” to a documentary script. As a result, he often books documentary reads for projects profiling Gangsters and the Mob. In 2018, he voiced the sizzle reel for a series in development titled American Gangsters: Faces of the Underworld. Later that Fall, director Thomas Salme contracted Andy to narrate his upcoming biopic profiling CIA and FBI informant, Ron Fino.
Film Narration: Character Required
While many projects that Andy Taylor narrates simply require a voice of authority, compassion or conversational tone – film narration requires a read that fits the attitude of the project’s subject matter. But just as importantly, it requires a reliable voice talent who understands deadlines and can repeatedly deliver narration consistent in character. This way, producers and directors can do what they do best – build a memorable story with impact.
If a documentary or short film is in your future, reach out to a dependable voice actor like Andy Taylor. Above all, find a talent who can flexibly adjust to build the unique sound and character of your production’s narrator.
