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Tips For Securing Regular Voice Over Work Opportunities

2011-08-17T12:32:00Z

Once you've finished voiceover training courses at an on-line or traditional school, the next step is finding voiceover work. Looking for voiceover work in today's competitive industry could be demanding yet there are specific steps you can take in order to place as a good candidate for a high-paying job. Here are some steps you can take to get continuous voiceover work:

1. Update the marketing package. If you made a voiceover promotional profile while you were in voiceover school, you must ensure it's updated and includes every one of the techniques you have developed over time. If you have recently completed new assignments for any client and also have clips to share, include these in your promotional package for the potential client to see more samples of your voiceover talent.

2. Get a established voiceover agent to work with. Working together with a professional agent can help you find voiceover work in a number of markets you may possibly not know about, so it's a good idea to get started pitching your promotional package to well-known voice over agents. A voiceover agent may also be in a position to direct you to high-profile jobs and help to make recommendations as your representative to anyone in the market.

3. Have an online profile. Nowadays, there are a number of voice over marketplaces existing online, and you can set up a profile that displays your abilities. Some jobs are available online, while some will require you to travel to a studio room.

4. Continue rehearsing voiceover scripts. You can find online voice over scripts databases of several types of voice over scripts. Feel free to use these to practice, to make an audio file plus generate more samples. Fine tune your skills by practicing voice over scripts regularly.

5. Get more voiceover training. If you're not one hundred percent confident that you've got the voiceover techniques you need to land your next job, think about improving upon your capabilities through additional voiceover training programs. Additional voiceover coaching and constant practice gives you with an advantage to get better paying jobs and find a lot more voiceover jobs on an regular basis.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

Understanding The Several Types Of Voice Overs

2010-09-24T06:30:00Z

Voice over talents usually are experts in a particular sort of voice over, which include radio scripts, television advertisements or corporate voice over scripts. As outlined by James R. Alburger, author of the book "The Art of Voice Acting: The Craft and Business of Performing for Voice Over", most people mainly think of ads when they hear the phrase "voice over scripts." Today, voice-over scripts are used for not just television and radio commercials. Voiceovers have become a vital part of presentations for mass media, the web, corporate and business promotional materials, and also to advertise certain events. There are various categories of voice over artists, and each role demands quite specific narration and on-the-air speaking skills.

In the radio industry, voice over talents are widely used to create advertisements, promotional materials, in addition to radio DJ clips. For TV, voiceovers are used for news clips, commercials, promo clips and on-air segments to introduce news anchors and other TV celebrities. The marketing promotions team of a TV channel generally deals with the on-the-air promotions of voice over tracks.

In the corporate world, voiceovers are generally utilized to come up with training materials, online presentations and promotional clips. Voice overs are often utilized to produce marketing and advertising presentations, video clip presentations intended for industry events, conventions, and for coaching purposes. Occasionally, a voice-over artist can be used to create a compilation of phone information scripts or to narrate the voice over prompts for inbound callers. Retail stores usually produce voice-over scripts to be able to broadcast in-store promos.

In the movie industry, voiceovers are utilized in order to introduce a new segment, or to provide narration. Voice-over artists chosen to do this type of work normally have experience working with movies as well as animation, and may even need to modify his or her voice in order to play a particular character.

Some other in-demand areas for voice over artists includes the making of audiobooks, Internet streaming audio tracks and web video presentations. These are all rapidly growing areas of the world wide web that require a professional voice to support the programming, and voice over artists that are hired for a lot of these roles usually have professional voice-over training.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

Hiring A Voice Over Artist Over The Web

2010-03-09T08:49:00Z

With thousands of talented voice over artists available across the country, it can be challenging to find just the right match for your marketing campaign or project. Voice over talent is important for creating a distinct, unique, and compelling message for your project, and many companies turn online to find the right fit.

Those working on multimedia would be wise to take advantage of the great online resources available. Need a script? There are plenty of script databases available on the web, and some of them are even free. In order to make the hiring process quicker and more efficient, you can peruse potential hires' websites, which will often contain portfolios. This will help narrow your field of candidates, and give you an idea of what to expect from a candidate early on. In addition to checking out voice talent's resumes and portfolios, some even use the Internet to conduct interviews.

The Internet is easily the most useful and extensive resource at your disposal during the hiring process, but the time you spend searching for voice talent online may amount to nothing if you don't have a good idea of what you're looking for and how to find it. Here are five simple pointers that will go a long way towards making your time spent on the Internet more effective and valuable.

1. When you first contact a voice actor or actress, ask that they send you samples of their work. Any professional voice actor or actress is sure to have some .mpeg files that they can send you, or a website showcasing their work. Actors without any samples can safely be written off as amateurs. This simple screening step will save you a good deal of time and effort.

2. Ask that all potential candidates submit a formal resume. Professional voice talent should also have no trouble providing you with a resume that exhibits their work experience. You will also want to check in on two or more of your potential hire's references, to get an accurate and balanced picture of his or her ability.

3. Ask how the voice actor prefers to be compensated. It's a good idea to ask potential voice talent what their per-hour and per-project rates are. You should also take note of whether her or she will accept payment after completing the job or expects money up front, with the rest delivered afterwards.

4. Interview candidates by telephone. Barring the possibility of meeting your prospect in person, speaking to him or her on the telephone is the best way to familiarize yourself with a potential voice actor or actress. In addition to discussing the candidates' employment history and gauging their experience and professionalism, you can have him them demonstrate their abilities with a brief reading.

5. Ask if the candidate can complete the assignment digitally. Many professional voice actors have home studios in which they can records, save their performances as media files, and upload the finished product to the Internet. If this is a possibility, it's a great way to save on the usual costs associated with enlisting the services of a voice actor or actress.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

Finding Voice Over Scripts For Talent Interviews

2010-02-11T14:47:00Z

While you can learn a lot about potential voice talent through face-to-face interviewing and listening to demo tapes, you will also need a sample script that will help you gauge if an applicant is the right fit for the job. With a well-chosen sample script, you can get a sense for the tone and style of the voice actor or actress you are interviewing, and hear an example of the kind of work they do.

There isn't a hard and fast rule as to how long you should give your applicants to rehearse the sample script. In most cases, an hour or two should be sufficient. This is because this type of reading is most commonly conducted in a studio setting, in which the applicant is free to read off of the script. Once the actor or actress has had time to familiarize him or herself with the script and practice lines, he or she should be ready to perform a reading.

The vocal style and tone of the actor or actress is an important consideration for companies looking to have voice work done. First, you must decide on the demographic at which your marketing is directed. Having a particular group in mind is the first step towards figuring out what you want in a voice actor, and this is doubly important in that it streamlines the hiring process by narrowing the pool of talent and reducing the number of applicants you must interview.

Regardless of exactly what it is that you're marketing, you're going to need several different scripts in order to judge the nature of a particular actor or actress's talents. Think about what your company is trying to produce. Are you looking to create an informal, humorous advertisement, and therefore seeking a voice that will make your audience laugh? Are you trying to create an air of journalistic integrity, necessitating a more authoritative-sounding voice? The tone that you ultimately want in your finished product will serve as the basis for your sample script.

In order to find a suitable voice over sample script, possibly free of charge, all you need to do is consult on of the many script databases available on the Internet. With the resources at your disposal, it should be a cinch to find something that matches the tone and style you have chosen. Even if you've decided to write your own sample script, the scripts you can find online, free of charge, can provide invaluable help as reference materials, if you have a good idea of what you're looking to create.

Last of all, you are going to want to obtain a demo script of each applicant. These demos should allow yourself to compare and contrast the performances of the applicants side by side. To this end, you shouldn't just have your potential voice actors read one script; have them real several, with varying tone and subject matter, so that you can judge the versatility of your applicants, and the styles to which they are each uniquely suited. If you do not want to record these demos in your studio, you can request that applicants submit them with their initial applications.

Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

Room Preparation Tips for Professional Voiceovers

2010-01-14T08:41:00Z

You've found your voiceover talent and are ready to start producing your script, and the next step will be to create a professional recording for advertising. It is possible that you have a videographer or production team helping you create a voiceover script, but did you realize that there are computer software programs and tools that can create the entire project for you from beginning to the end?

There is a significant amount of preparation required to ensure that the environment in which you record the Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE voiceover will help you create a quality advertising and promotion piece. Here are some essential tips when preparing the room for your voice over recording:

1. Check all your equipment. Testing your equipment while making your voiceover talent wait is a waste of time and money. Jay Rose, the author of the book "Producing Great Sound for Digital Video" suggests that you make sure you get the right kind of equipment and test it well before production day. Even testing it a few hours before production time can reduce unforeseen delays.

2. Try to eliminate the echoes in the recording room. The only way you'll know if the room is creating an 'echoing' effect is when you turn on the microphone and shut all the doors and windows. Do some test recordings with all of your equipment to reduce the risk of the echo effect.

3. Consider using background music. In a professional voiceovers, there should not be any noise between the narrator and the listener. You want to create an audio space that sounds as if the narrator is having a face-to-face conversation with the audience. If there is a lot of 'white noise' in the recording, you have the option to add background music.

4. Find the best part of the room for recording. There are no rules about where to position the microphone, so feel free to move the mic setup into different areas of the room to get the right sound. You don't want to record when the sounds seem hollow or filtered in any way. Move around to find the best fit.

5. Outside noise like traffic is not a major concern. Noise like outside traffic and the hum of fluorescent lighting can affect the quality of a voiceover recording. However, most mics do not pick up these sounds. If you do feel like the script is being affected by these outside sounds, consider adding a high-pass filter to the microphone for a crisper recording.

6. Quiet vents, air conditioners and computer fans. If you're working in a very small space, you may have left computers or an A/C on during the recording. Sounds from these machines can cause some turbulence for your recording, so it's a good idea to turn them off for as long as possible during each recording segment.

You should also be able to monitor the voiceover recording throughout the production cycle using a pair of headphones. By using the playback function in a different room to check if production is going smoothly, you can reduce the need of having another 'take' and make any adjustments needed for audio quality of the voiceover recording immediately.

Using Voiceover Demo Tapes to Assess Talent

2009-12-19T01:51:00Z

You must go through the process of interviewing candidates to select a voiceover artist that would fit your project. Demo tapes can greatly help you and the whole panel in judging each candidate and selecting the one who will get the role.

Judging candidates through voice over demo tapes is a more efficient method than asking each candidate to audition and perform a voice over test in your office. A talent will be able to give his or her best performance in a demo tape as a job interview can put undue pressure on anyone, even on seasoned professionals. You just need to set a standard consisting of essential voiceover qualities when judging demo tapes. Here are the qualities you should listen for:

1. Pace. Pay attention to the speed of the actor's delivery. A good voiceover artist is someone who can adjust his pace easily to emphasize different ideas. Rodney Saulsberry, author of "You Can Bank On Your Voice", states that the speed of delivery has an important effect on any voice over piece. Good artists understand that a very slow delivery and an extremely fast delivery are a pain to listen to and they should know how to pace their voice throughout a piece.

2. The attention point. How well did the voiceover talent grab your attention at the beginning of the spot? The right balance of emphasis on specific words and phrases, combined with their personality and tone are indications of skill and experience. Artists who can begin their tape with a strong, decisive or persuasive statement are proving that they can enter the commercial sphere with ease.

3. Accents and Dialects. A good voiceover artist will have a certain style but a talented artist can easily adapt his or her style to imitate different accents and dialects. Artists who can speak in different accents and dialects are usually able to play different characters.

4. Speaking Pattern. The delivery pattern of a voiceover piece is a significant element in any recording. The correct delivery pattern or rhythm can help listeners to remember the script and even identify the brand being promoted. It is important to take note of this when listening to every demo tape.

5. Humor. Having or portraying a sense of humor is often an important element of voiceover scripts, especially those that are more commercial in nature and involve a conversation. Look for examples of lighthearted tones, jokes and humor on the demo tape; can the talent easily share a joke and make you smile? Or is the delivery strained and difficult to understand?

The process of finding the perfect voiceover artist that will match your project is tedious. Use voiceover demo tapes to evaluate the abilities and skills of every applicant. Evaluate each applicant's demo tape with these five criteria. Skilled artists will be able to show that they have mastered each of these criteria over the duration of their demo.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

How to Modify Voiceover Scripts for Better Flow

2009-11-11T09:21:00Z

The success of your podcast or radio and TV commercials will largely depend on your voiceover script. Composing an effective voiceover script that gets results is unlike writing print ads for publication or online advertisements.

You shoud be "writing for the ear, not the eye", so says Peter Drew, a professional voiceover talent who has done countless voiceovers for internet and radio ads. Writing for the ear entails writing in a conversational manner. This technique requires short and concisely written messages. This technique may look unusual initially, but you'll produce very effective messages as you get used to it.

Listed here are some techniques you can immediately apply to improve your voiceover copies and get results out of them.

1. State everything in the active voice. Using active voice in your script will make your ad seem to talk to its listeners in real time. This technique can create instantaneous credibility and rapport with your listeners.

2. Use a windscreen to protect the mic. If your voiceover script contains a lot of words that begin with the letters 'P', 'B' and 'T', the talent may have difficulty reading the sentence without distorting it. A windscreen can help eliminate this problem and help them deliver a more smooth-sounding sentence.

3. Mark up the copy for inflection. Bolding certain words, highlighting parts of the copy or using something simple as underlines can really help your voiceover artist understand the gist of the message and deliver a quality piece. Read the copy out loud yourself to identify what parts of the sentence you want to emphasize, then mark up the copy so that the artist understands exactly what you need.

4. Write down phone numbers in word form. Numbers are also words that would need to be read. Spell each number so that you can detect if there are any blockages to your script's overall impact. Be prepare to edit your script if any part sounds inappropriate.

5. Instantly grab your listeners' attention. Headlines are what lure audiences to listen to any advertisement. Your headline will serve as an opening to your ad's body. A great headline would be composed of less than ten words and contain at least one compelling benefit or statement.

Since a narrator will be delivering the copy, the writer of the script will need to account for breathing and the overall tone and personality of the voiceover artists. Once you have selected your voice over talent for an upcoming promotion, you may need to tweak the script slightly so that it flows with the talent's strongest skills and abilities. Make sure you're developing a strong and persuasive script using these guidelines, and give the voiceover talent plenty of time to practice so that you can modify your script as needed.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since'91.

Quality Voice Over Piece Recording

2009-06-30T01:47:00Z

You're ready to do a professional recording after you've found a talent and have made a script. Doing a recording might seem daunting however there are some computer softwares that will provide you the tools you need to craft the whole project on your own even without the help of a videographer or a production team.

However, you need to prepare extensively for your recording. Preparation is key to make your whole project seamless. Below are some tips you can use in preparation for recording a quality piece.

Check all your equipment. Booking the voiceover talent for the project and then wasting several hours testing equipment will cost you. Jay Rose, the author of the book "Producing Great Sound for Digital Video" suggests that you make sure you get the right kind of equipment and test it well before production day. Even testing it a few hours before production time can reduce unforeseen delays.

Make sure the room does not create echoes. The only way you'll know if the room is creating an 'echoing' effect is when you turn on the microphone and shut all the doors and windows. Do some test recordings with all of your equipment to reduce the risk of the echo effect.

Consider using background music. In a professional voiceover, there should not be any noise between the narrator and the listener. You want to create an audio space that sounds as if the narrator is having a face-to-face conversation with the audience. If you have a lot of 'white noise', consider adding background music.

Look for the perfect spot to record in the room. There are no concrete guidelines when it comes to finding the best position for your mic and other equipments. This can only be done through trial and error by adjusting the position of your microphone. Find the best spot but just make sure your recordings don't sound unnatural in anyway.

Don't worry about outside traffic or small rumbles. Even simple things like fluorescent lighting or distant traffic outside the window can effect the sound quality of your voiceover recording. However, most mics do not pick up these sounds. If you do feel like the script is being affected by these outside sounds, consider adding a high-pass filter to the microphone for a crisper recording.

Switch off fans and blowers. Fans on computers, air-cons and other blower devices can affect the air atmosphere of your recording room as they produce turbulence. This is more evident in a small room than a large one. The solution to this is to switch of these equipment while doing a recording. You can turn them on in between segments.

As a final advice, oversee your production using a pair of headphones. Go to a different room and make use of playback functions to hear mistakes as soon as possible. This will save you a lot of time as it allows you to address audio quality issues on the recording day itself.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

6 Reasons Why Your Advertising Plan Needs Voice Over

2009-04-30T09:46:00Z

As you develop a successful marketing and advertising plan, your creative strategy may include multimedia channels such as audio and video segments. Many companies continue to use radio and television as their primary sources of advertising, but now there are even more options with web-based advertising such as podcasting, webinars, and video commercials broadcast across the internet.

Any of these media or any combination thereof allow you valuable lines of communication, but you should never neglect to develop an effective, professionally done audio element to supplant visual or textual marketing. In addition to utilizing music and other contextual sonic elements, you may want to consider things like narration or a catchy slogan to accent your message.

Hiring a voice over artist will help you create a compelling and high-impact segment for your target market. No matter what type of advertising method you choose, any audio segments need to be developed with voice over talent; here are six reasons why:

1. Voice overs can enhance your brand. Voice overs help to enhance your company's brand image and set your message apart from the rest. Consumers today are bombarded with advertising messages in print and online, and voice overs help to deliver your message in a unique way.

2. A high-quality voice over shows professionalism. When you're speaking to a large potential audience, you're going to want to ensure that you're expressing your message in a manner that makes you look good. The right voice over talent will make your marketing seem polished and professional, and this will reflect on your organization as a whole.

3. Voice overs differentiate you from your competition. For marketers attempting to sell a product or service in an already-crowded market, the only way to position yourself as a leading member of your industry is to immediately evoke a unique, powerful presence. Professional voice overs are a great way to achieve this.

4. To create a harder-hitting advertisement. Print and visual media are all well and good-- in fact, they're essential facets of communicating effectively in marketing. Audio, specifically speech, however, is likely the most important of all. When customers are addressed by the right voice actor or actress, they're sure to listen, and sales will increase as a result.

5. Hiring a voice over artist will help get your website more traffic. The customers of today are becoming more and more tuned in to newer innovations in online media, such as webinars and podcasts, so asserting your online presence through these channels is sure to bring results. Even more traditional media like television and radio can give you the opportunity to direct consumers to your website.

6. To make the most of your marketing dollar. Television spots are great, but let's face it: they're expensive. Production costs can also be restrictive when it comes to creating online video. Investing in a voice of by a professional voice actor or actress can be a cost-effective way to increase the impact of your marketing.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

How Professionals Talk About Voice Over Work

2009-03-24T09:35:00Z

Voice acting has become more and more important in modern marketing campaigns, and there's no indication that this trend will change anytime soon. Voice overs are a great, effective way to make a human connection with your target while extolling the virtues or your product or service.

Those who are considering using voice actors in their marketing projects would do well to learn a few key terms and definitions that are commonly used to talk about the voice over field.

Audition Tapes: Prospective voice actors and actresses will submit their audition tapes as they apply for the job. In addition to allowing you to judge the abilities of each actor, these tapes also can be kept on hand to help you keep track of the numerous applicants you will be interviewing.

Demo Tapes: Demo tapes are also part of the interview and audition process, and can be recorded in your own studio, or completed by the voice over talent. These tapes will be a recording of the sample scripts you provide as part of the interview.

Recording Studio: To complete any voice work, you will need a studio in which it can be recorded. While you always have the option of renting a studio for a project, you should always ask voice talent if they have the equipment to record at home, as this will save you the cost of studio time.

ISDN Voice Over: Recording studios used for professional voice over work should be equipped with ISDN technology. ISDN produces clearer, better-quality recordings than you could obtain from a run-of the mill studio.

Commercial Voice Overs: Intended to push a service or product, commercial voice over scripts take a direct sales approach. With the right actor or actress, a commercial voice over can make your campaign much more effective and memorable.

Narrative Voice Overs: These voice overs are intended to entertain the audience by helping to tell a story, and are often included in media such as television and film. You still may require a narrative voice over, however, for your ad campaign, if it tells some type of story.

Impressions: A voice actor or actress who can impersonate a famous voice can add an extra layer of humor to your ad campaign, and advertisements including impressions never fail to capture the attention of an audience. This is an easy way to make your product or service stand out from the pack.

Performers' Unions: Voice actors and actresses are often part of these professional organizations, which assist them in developing their craft and negotiate market rates. The Screen Artists Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) are the unions you will most frequently encounter in working with voice talent.

Actors: Many actors choose jump into the voice over market because of their skill set and background in impressions, imitation, and being able to dramatize concepts. You may find many talented actors who can read scripts and develop creative and unique voices for a specific project.

Familiarity with these key concepts and the associated terminology will help you immensely in your dealing with professionals in the voice over business. If you approach interviewing talent from an organized, educated perspective, you are sure to find a voice over professional who will boost the appeal of your advertising campaign.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

What Makes A Great Voice Actor?

2009-02-24T11:36:00Z

If you're reading this article, it's likely that you have already made the decision to hire a professional voice actor or actress for your marketing project- congratulations! A voice over professional can add a lot to just about any project. After this decision, however, comes perhaps the most difficult yet essential part of the process: interviewing. Those who have not done extensive work involving voice over may be wondering what exactly it is that sets truly great voice actors and actresses apart from the rest of the pack.

These are a few of the characteristics that add up to an outstanding voice over artist:

1.A natural sounding voice. Unless you're advertising an upcoming monster truck rally, you're going to want a voice actor or actress who can speak in a manner that sounds natural. Just about anyone can speak in an exaggerated cartoon voice, or imitate the wooden diction of a newscaster-- the real test of vocal skill is whether one can perform in a natural, fluid manner.

2.A good sense of pitch. Beautiful voices don't happen by accident - they are cultivated with much practice. Many of the best voice actors are also accomplished singers, and this is because both disciplines require a studied grasp of pitch and tone.

3.High-quality demo tapes. The tapes you receive from potential voice actors and actresses will be a great asset to you once your face-to-face interviews are over. Take advantage of the snapshot of an actor or actress's work that these tapes provide, and use this insight in making your final decision.

4.The voice over talent can change and adapt to different types of readings. You can ask the artist to read from different styles of literature to gain an understanding of how flexible and adaptable they are. This is especially important if you're marketing to different types of people and need varied voices for each segment.

5.The voice over talent can pace themselves. Creating a fluid, seamless voice over takes time, but you need an artist who already has a strong sense of how to pause, speed up, and slow down the message to deliver just the right message.

6.He or she can provide you with references. You should always ask for references from potential voice talent, and, furthermore, you should always take the few minutes necessary to look into them. Don't underestimate the importance of this part of the interviewing process.

7.Energy, enthusiasm, and stamina. Those with experience in voice over know that it it is never a matter of simply reading a few lines and collecting a paycheck. Your voice actor or actress should be able to withstand the sometimes lengthy series of takes required to get it right, without becoming either mentally or vocally fatigued.

Hiring the right voice over talent can take time, but there are some key traits to look for during the interview and testing process. Look for any or all of these important qualities during your hiring process to ensure you find the perfect match for your marketing initiative.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

Finding A Voice Over Talent Over The Internet

2008-11-11T08:54:00Z

Though there is certainly no shortage of potential voice talent for the hiring, picking through the thousands available to find the voice actor that is perfect for the job can seem like a daunting task. Since the actor or actress you choose will affect the tone and message of your project, it's essential to make the right selection.

The internet offers many resource and options for putting together your multimedia project. You can locate scripts from a database, or create a script of your own and find just the right tone and theme by reviewing samples of other companies in a few clicks. The web allows you to view artist portfolios and samples with ease; many professionals upload clips of previous projects as samples which saves you time during your hiring process, and can help you narrow down your search. From reviewing resumes to conducting online interviews, the internet is making the voice over talent search much easier and effective.

Though the web can definitely make your search for talent quicker and more efficient, without the appropriate strategy it can turn into a gigantic waste of time. Potential voice actors you find online, for example, may not be as reliable as they first appear, and may delay your progress by failing to submit their samples in a timely manner. These kinds of obstacles can be easily surmounted, however, with a little bit of know-how. Here are some valuable tips on hiring voice talent on the web:

1. Ask for web-based samples after initial contact. Professionals will be able to send over an .mpeg sample or direct you to samples they have available online; this can make it much easier to distinguish the professionals from the amateurs, and save you time in sending and receiving demo tapes, or setting up an audition. You can use this step as the first part of your screening process.

2. Ask potential hires for a resume. Any serious voice actor or actress should be able to provide a formal resume, complete with his or her employment history and references. Speaking of references, they're there for a reason; you should make sure to contact two or more of the past employers listed in order to get a balanced assessment of the performance you can expect from a potential hire.

3. Request a preferred rate. Many voice over professionals have an expected rate for each project, and you'll want to know about both hourly and per-project rates. Some professionals will request payment only after final delivery, while others will require a portion upfront with the remainder due at the end of the project.

4. Conduct a telephone interview. Telephone interviews are best for any talent you may not have the opportunity to meet with in person. Telephone interviews can touch upon previous work, a brief script reading, and to gauge the confidence level of your candidate.

5. Ask if they can provide all services digitally. Some professionals have the equipment and skills to record the voice over in their home studio, convert it into a media file for review, and allow you to download it directly from the web. Find out what your options are, and plan accordingly to save on mailing fees, travel expenses, and other costs typically incurred for projects of this scope.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, MN and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

Selecting Sample Scripts For Voice Over Actor

2008-09-22T10:37:00Z

If you're considering hiring voice over talent for an upcoming project, you'll need to schedule an interview, review demo tapes, and request a sample script reading from potential applicants. Voice over scripts make it easier to find just the right match for your business, and can make the interview process much more valuable. Think of the script as a sample of work your applicants can produce for you.

There isn't a hard and fast rule as to how long you should give your applicants to rehearse the sample script. In most cases, an hour or two should be sufficient. This is because this type of reading is most commonly conducted in a studio setting, in which the applicant is free to read off of the script. Once the actor or actress has had time to familiarize him or herself with the script and practice lines, he or she should be ready to perform a reading.

The general demographic group that you are targeting will be the chief determining factor in the style and tone of the sample script you ultimately choose. Deciding in advance as to what vocal styles will be appropriate for your target market is important for the efficiency of the hiring process, as you will otherwise find yourself performing excessive numbers of interviews with applicants who are not right for the job.

No matter what type of business or industry you're in, you'll need to compile a collection of different types of scripts to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of each applicant. The best way to do this is narrow down your field to a few key themes. Is your business producing a comedic advertisement? A serious monologue? A public service announcement that requires a more journalistic or reporting tone? Once you've established the general theme and tone of your campaign, the next step is tracking down a similar script that encourages the talent to adopt, or in some cases create, the unique voice.

In order to find a suitable voice over sample script, possibly free of charge, all you need to do is consult on of the many script databases available on the Internet. With the resources at your disposal, it should be a cinch to find something that matches the tone and style you have chosen. Even if you've decided to write your own sample script, the scripts you can find online, free of charge, can provide invaluable help as reference materials, if you have a good idea of what you're looking to create.

The final step involves completing a demo script. Demo scripts need to be recorded so you can review them side by side with the entire applicant pool; it's important to capture at least two to three different scripts per applicant that demonstrate the talent's ability to be flexible, and gauge their comfort level with various styles. Demos can be recorded in your own recording studio, or requested as part of the initial application.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.