Want to know the easiest way to tell if you’ve never looped before? In my opinion it’s your volume. Most people that have never looped (or very seldom looped) will be “very mousy” when it’s their turn to speak. Better to be too loud and told to “turn it down” than too soft I always say!
When you are doing call outs, projection is they key! If you’re in a park…yell to your dog like you really would; call to your buddy to grab the water out of the car; etc. If you’re on a street…yell to the street, “taxi”; or your date “wait for me”. Obviously the scene will set you up, but a call out is just that a CALL OUT. It’s definitely not conversational speak. I can always spot a new looper in this scenario. It’ll be…loud call, loud call, regular voice, loud call! That “regular voice” is always the newbie. Make sure to match the volume of the looper before you. It sounds easy, but for some reason even when told to do that, new loopers don’t?!
Always match the volume of those around you so you don’t stick out in the walla “everyone up” cues too. If you are in a library scene, speak as if you are in a library. If you are in a noisy mall or bar speak like you are there. They key here is though, you do need to be heard. There are times when you will be “mumbling” but when you aren’t, make your voice heard and keep up with the voices around you. If you can do that, you won’t seem like a newbie.