Recording with a voice actor? Here are 6 to-do’s

Are you getting ready for a recording with a voice actor? While creating a great video with high-quality audio takes considerable time, you can speed up the whole voice over recording session by planning well. Consequently, to ensure you get the perfect performance from your voice actor, start well in advance of the actual booking.

The Art of direction

Recording with a voice actor? Image of director directing an actor
Image: Shutterstock

When voice recording sessions go wrong, it’s easy for both the voice actor and the client/director to point fingers at one another. Frustrated and irate users on the line at Voice123 are not altogether uncommon occurrences. Accusations like “the client has no idea what s/he wants,” or “that voice actor just can’t get it right,” will have our customer success team doing their best to resolve misunderstandings.

As much as it takes talent and experience to interpret a brief correctly, so it does to direct a voice actor. Alignment and preparation are key variables in the success equation.

Prepare your voice actor well in advance. Even the most talented voice actors will deliver better performances if they know what kind of performance they’re supposed to provide.

Here are 6 to-do’s:

1.  Identify the voice actor’s role

What role must the voice artist play, to ensure your video project comes alive? Are they playing the bold salesman (in the case of product launch videos)? Or an educator (in an eLearning video)? Do you want them to take on a gentler tone (to better connect with an audience and show empathy)? Let your voice actor know beforehand. The more comprehensive the brief, the better.


2. Describe your audience. 

While you probably know your audience like the back of your hand, your voice actor may not know anything about you or your company.

Your voice actor will be able to give a better voice over if they have thorough background information on who their audience will be. Share specific details about your target audience so that the voice artist knows whom they will be addressing. For example, a video about an antidepressant will need a voice that is very different from one selling a luxury brand car!

3. Describe the kind of presentation you want

Recording with a voice actor? female hands tapping away at a laptop keyboard
Image: Shutterstock

You can provide the voice actor with all the information about the audience and product, as well as what you aim to achieve through the video, but it still might not be enough. 

To ensure complete alignment, be very specific about the kind of presentation you expect. Use descriptive words like warm, friendly, comic, quirky, sassy, emotionless, hip, or serious. Avoid using words like flat, nice, sweet, or normal to describe “sound” as these are ambiguous terms that could further confuse the actor. Give specific directions for each tone. For example:

  • “This read should sound exciting.
  • “I want your read to sound inspirational.
  • “Don’t make it sound too serious.”

4. Provide clarity with specific examples

Professional voice artists have a portfolio of voice work created over time. You could refer to any one of these as an example and for more clarity of what you are expecting. Or, if you don’t find relevant examples in their portfolio, you could send them links to videos on a streaming service like YouTube. That will help them nail the desired delivery.

5. Provide information on the video/slideshow/music

Provide the video/slideshow to the artist beforehand. When s/he knows how and where their voice will be used, they can create the perfect voice-over. 

If you are planning on using music in the video, provide the music track to the voice artist beforehand as well. One common trick used by professional voice artists is to listen to the music to set the mood of the recording and help them get motivated and into character. 

6. Provide a thorough script

Provide the voice actor with the script beforehand to give them time to rehearse and make a note of difficult words, foreign words, and uncommon names. Avoid making changes to the script at the last minute. Again, this is likely to slow down the recording process. While watching the clock is probably inevitable in the world of commercial voice over, unnecessary pressure does more harm than good.

The script must provide:

Clear instructions

Provide clear direction on the pronunciation of specific terms and numbers. Provide a phonetic spelling of difficult words, as well as similar rhyming words or syllables. For example:

  • Should 5501 be said as five-five-zero-one, or fifty-five hundred and one, or five-five-oh-one, or fifty-five–oh-one)? There are several different ways to say it.
  • Some words are pronounced in several different ways, like ‘either’ and ‘neither.’
  • Clarify foreign phrases and unfamiliar words that need practice.
Clear direction

Provide precise and concise instructions that are highlighted or marked in brackets. 

If the script requires voice over acting moments, then use parentheses to mark the tones and emotions needed at specific times. Keep it very specific and use terms like “happily surprised,” “shocked,” “stoic or unemotional,” and avoid vague words as noted above under point 3. 

Clear timing

Is the voice track timed to a video or timeframe? With a heads-up on the timeframe, the voice actor can practice the speed of vocal delivery. Professional actors like those you’ll find on Voice123 can fit the copy into the timeframe as long as the copy is not too long! The moment a voice over races, it starts sounding rushed and uncomfortable — and listeners are likely to feel the same way. You’ll end up with time wasted in edits and retakes.

Finally, all that’s left is for us to wish you a great recording session with your chosen voice actor!

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