# Documentary Pronunciation and Narration Sheet

> A voice-production handoff for names, places, languages, acronyms, emotional direction, pauses, and approved readings.

Canonical: https://onira.studio/templates/documentary-pronunciation-sheet
Audience: Documentary writers, voice directors, and channel producers
Production job: Narration preparation
Runtime: Audio pre-production artifact
Format: Pronunciation and direction sheet

## Use this brief

Prepare the narration sheet for [film]. For every non-obvious name, place, language, acronym, number, and quotation, provide approved spelling, contextual meaning, phonetic guide, audio reference where lawful, source, stress, and fallback wording. Add beat-level direction for pace, emotion, and pauses.

## Required inputs

- Locked audio script and source-backed proper nouns
- Preferred language or dialect and intended narrator voice
- Reliable pronunciation references or a qualified human reviewer
- Words, accents, impersonations, or emotional readings that must be avoided

## Editorial structure

1. List every proper noun and technical term in order of appearance.
2. Add phonetic guidance, stress, language, source, and an approved alternate phrase.
3. Mark quotations, dates, measurements, acronyms, and numbers that need exact delivery.
4. Annotate emotional turns, breath points, intentional silence, and changes in pace.
5. Measure and approve narration before the final visual beat plan.

## Acceptance checks

- Have a qualified speaker review culturally sensitive or unfamiliar pronunciations where possible.
- Avoid cloning or imitating a recognizable person without appropriate rights and consent.
- Check whether translated names or quotations change meaning in context.
- Listen to the full measured audio rather than approving isolated words only.

## Visual direction

Use pronunciation and pause timing to shape visual holds, transitions, and emphasis instead of cutting at arbitrary intervals.

## Narration direction

Clear, human, and context-aware. Accuracy and intelligibility outrank performative accent or exaggerated drama.

## Product boundary

- Onira delivers a final MP4; it does not upload or schedule posts on YouTube or social platforms.
- Onira provides a reviewable production workflow; creators remain responsible for approving the story, facts, rights, disclosure, and final publication.
- Director chat is limited to regenerating one selected PREVIEW timeline video clip; other available Studio controls are separate direct actions.
- Creators must review facts, sources, rights, realistic-synthetic-media disclosure, and platform policy before publishing.
- Onira does not guarantee YouTube monetization, reach, factual accuracy, or legal clearance.