As a client, it’s often inevitable that a measure of self-doubt creeps in once you’ve pulled the trigger on booking a voice actor – especially if you’re new at it. Consequently, you sit back and sigh, hearing a little voice whisper: Have you chosen the best voice for your project?
Truth is, choosing the best voice for your project is almost a talent in itself. There are plenty of online marketplaces. What’s more, you’re searching globally these days. Working through an agency or employing a casting director takes time you probably don’t have. And, most times, you don’t have the budget to bring anyone else on board, anyway.
While Voice123 makes finding and booking a voice actor as simple and intuitive as possible, it will help you a great deal if you give the process involved some thought beforehand.
First of all, thinking can be intimidating. We know. Particularly a whole lot of thinking. But thinking and planning will save you both time and effort. It will also reward you with the kickass voice over you’d like. Here’s how.
Start with you
Yup: we mean that. Start with you. Why? Because one of the keys to the ultimate success of your project is knowing what you want. By the same token, you need to know your project. As a result, ask yourself:
- Who’s the intended audience?
- What’s the media format?
- How long is the voice over?
- Where will people hear it?
If you know these details about your project, then you know what you’re looking for in a voice actor. Are the audience members young adults who are looking for financial security? You might want a voice actor who sounds like a friendly young adult.
Is your project an audiobook that spans a few hours? You’ll want to find voice talent that’s easy on the ears for long periods of time.
The better you know your project, the more efficient your search goes for a voice actor. At the same time, you’ll be setting a rock-solid foundation for the voice over, and you’ll be ready to answer any questions your voice actor might have. Which is really going to upgrade the end result!
Experience
It’ll be good to pick a voice actor who’s experienced in the same project type you’re working on. Voice123 has one of the best search functionalities in the business. Use keywords in the search bar to narrow your search down.
You don’t always have to look for the voice actor who has the most years of experience in eBook voice overs per se, as experience doesn’t always equate to quality. On top of that, there’s a chance that a newbie can fulfill the role better.
But as long as the voice actor has some experience in the project type, it’s likely to make the whole recording process not only faster, but better.
The role
Even if the voice over doesn’t involve a character, there’s going to be a role to play. The nondescript, generic voice to reach as many people as possible — this too is a role.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which a voice is completely devoid of personality, but even so, there’s intention behind the voice. Who is the voice speaking to? How is the speaker feeling? Is the message serious and resolute, or is it playful and cheerful?
Knowing the role of the voice over, whether it’s an enthusiastic teacher, or a nonfiction eBook narrator, will help you imagine the voice you’re looking for. All that remains is finding the actor.
Sampling
So you’ve done your homework, you know what your project type is and the role of the voice over. You’ve even filtered your search and found several voice actors who have experience with the project type.
Now, it’s time to sample their voice samples. A sample is a short audio clip usually cut from work that’s already been broadcast. A word of caution, here: be careful of longwinded demos.
A demo can be meticulously crafted in the studio with just the right amount of post-processing. It’s not necessarily a voice over that’s actually been used in a commercial.
Audition for the best voice
We’d like to suggest – and if you have the time – that you ask for auditions; a reading of part of your script. That way, you’ll be able to determine whether the voice you have in mind sounds as great reading your own script as it does on their demo or in the samples you listened to on their profile.
Some things to note about the audition: the voice actor’s reading of your script may not sound exactly as you expected, and that’s ok. Why? Because each project is different, each script is different, and each time it’s interpreted will be different.
That’s where briefing comes in, as well as speaking the language your voice actor will understand so he gets what you’re trying to say. You and your chosen voice actor need to communicate well.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there’s a lot that can go into choosing the best voice for your project. Mostly, it’s about getting to know your project well and drawing all the variables into the equation we’ve mentioned above.
There’s no reason why the process can’t be smooth sailing. Don’t be afraid of asking the voice actor if you’re uncertain about something, either. Voice123 has many of the finest professional voice actors in the world on its roster. Because they read scripts for a living and have probably read thousands of them, they know what they’re doing – and some of them do a lot more than just recording a voice. They can package the entire project for you!
And with that – finally – we wish you the greatest success because we know you’ve chosen the best voice for your project!
