Voiceover

You’ve been commissioned to hire a voice actor to record a script for an upcoming work project. You have no idea where to choose a voice actor. How do you choose a voice actor? How much does a voice actor cost? Well, don’t worry, because this article will discuss how to evaluate voice over talent and maintain a good working relationship for many years.

What’s the Project?

The first question to ask yourself when being commissioned to hire a voice actor would be, what is the ask? What project am I working on? Is it a commercial, a corporate narration, an e-Learning project, or maybe an animation? Usually, clients have some idea of the type of voice they want for their project and their target market or audience. Companies have large budgets for professional marketers to help them determine their target market. This data helps identify the type of voice they are looking for to generate sales or assist in compliance.

I have seen copywriters write a script in mind for a particular ethnicity, age, and gender. Doing this makes it easier for the actor to help determine if they think they have a good chance of booking the job. Sometimes the writers will include clues like “voice reference: John Krasinski, Rashida Jones, Morgan Freeman, etc.” This information helps the talent know if they are close to booking the job. There also have been times when I see a generic job posting with minimal description of the ideal candidate. In those cases, every voice actor will still audition and hope they are successful. But it’s beneficial for both parties – the actor and the talent- to know the ideal voice they have in mind.

Voice Over Talent Experience 

Experience is one way you can evaluate your voice talent. Is this person a professional voice actor or not? Clients want to trust the talent and see they have the chops to do the job, have a professional-sounding booth, and can deliver the file on time.

At the inception of my career, the fear that someone would discover my lack of experience was crippling. I was brand new and wondered if someone would realize I was not legit. I had to tell myself that although I was new in this field, I deserved to be at the table with other professional actors. I had to realize that although I hadn’t done any voiceover gigs, I had over 15+ years of business experience. I had won drama awards in school and done professional speaking for auditions of over 200+ people for many years.

When looking for talent, feel free to peruse their social media channels, website, Linkedin, and agent websites. Usually, when you review their auditions by email, they will have a professional signature at the bottom, with their website information and social media channels. A quick 5-10 min deep dive will reveal their experience in voice-over. If they did a good job marketing themselves, the information would be easy to find.

Which Skills Does Your Voice Over Talent Need?

Determining a voice talent’s skills will identify the voice talent that’s right for you. There are different ways to classify skills, such as artistic or technical skills. Artistically speaking, Is this voice actor a one-trick pony? Can they only provide one style of voice-over? Maybe that’s ok for the project you are working on, or do you need different character voices and accents? Do you require the actor to voice various genres such as eLearning and animation? Do they take direction well in a live-directed session? Technical skills include the ability to record and edit in a professional setting. Can they add music under the recording? Are they familiar with multiple Digital Audio Workstations?

Do they have the business skills needed to create and send an invoice? Are they set up on PayPal, Wire Transfer, Venmo, etc.? Can they provide you with competitive voice-over rates? Are they aware of industry standards? How are their communication skills? Do they get back to you on time, or are you waiting hours for their emails? Are they crafting communications effectively with correct grammar and punctuation?  Are they respectful and professional? What does their social media show about their business and professional and moral standards?

Level of Education

Education is crucial in evaluating voice talent. Does this individual have any voice-over training? Self-taught voice artists can schedule work. When I first started, I got lower-level jobs and pay compared to what I achieved. If I could do it again, I would get the training before auditioning. There are various types of education that a voice talent could have. Perhaps they went to school and were taught various methods of professional acting. 

Maybe they worked with a coach in various genres such as Commercial, Narration, Animation, eLearning, and Promo. Voice actors can take improv classes which help make characters quickly and find humour in a script. Many cost-effective online and in-person classes are available today that a voice actor can join, so every candidate should have some on their resume. Perhaps the talent doesn’t have voice-over coaching yet, but what is their business education? Have they taken business classes? This helps narrow the voice-over competition.

Evaluate Voice Over Talent Rates

Rates are a significant way to evaluate voice talent for two reasons. Number one, it determines the amount of experience a voice actor has, and two, it identifies how well they understand voice-over industry standards. The GVAA Rate Guide is the most comprehensive resource in the industry, and it lists the various genres of voice-over broken out by usage category and shows how to quote for voice-over projects. At first, I found this guide slightly confusing, but over the years, it has improved tremendously. Now I use it to provide quotes and educate my clients on the going rates.

The Role of Location

The location used to matter when booking voice talent, and most producers required in-person recording, so they had to find the talent and get them to the desired studio. Now that we live in a digital age, less effort is required, and most voice actors have advanced professional home studios. 

I still see auditions that say “MUST BE LOCAL TO LOS ANGELES or NYC,” so there is still a demand for geographically convenient talent. Sometimes a talent with a specific dialect or accent from a particular region is preferred, or the producer wants to use their studio with perfectly tuned recording equipment. It may also be because the director prefers to work with the talent in person. Animation projects often have these requirements because directors want the whole ensemble together so they can feed off each other’s energy. 

Consider The Talent’s Studio Resources

The voice talent’s quality of recording space can provide a professional edge when booking talent. Technology can improve the voice and recording space, but it’s easier if the space is designed for voice-over from the beginning. That applies to Voice-over recording spaces. Ultimately, the casting director or video producer is looking for clean audio. They want a clean, crisp, clear sound with no vibrations or echoes. The worst space to record a voice-over would be somewhere like a bathroom. The best space to get started would be somewhere like a small closet with a lot of clothes inside to insulate sound and can limit background noises resulting in clean and clear audio with no echo.

I got my voice over career started by using online casting sites. I quickly put together a voice-over recording space by dumping blankets and pillows into my spare bedroom closet. It was certainly not a masterpiece. It took me months of research to understand the science behind a good recording space. Understanding the science of how sound works is essential, and I am continuously learning more. However, I do trust the professionals and their techniques and advice. 

From Stuffed Closet to Custom Sound Booth

A well-treated closet is the most basic of recording spaces, and it can work well. I recorded national television commercials from my closet at the beginning of my career, and no one would have known otherwise. Some of those commercials are still airing on TV today.  The next upgrade would be a travel voice over booth made of moving blankets which can also sound entirely professional. Next would be a portable booth such as a Whisper Room or a Studio Bricks. Many industry professionals use these booths and have long sustainable careers using these coveted spaces. The most expensive booth one can have would be a custom voice-over booth. These are tailor-made to the voice actor and can do wonders for the actor and their business. It’s not common for video producers and casting directors to ask what kind of booth the actor uses, but I have seen it repeatedly. Usually, they are more concerned with what the overall recording sounds like.

Asses Vocal Qualities

The voice is a pretty obvious way to evaluate talent but not always the most important. What type of voice does this person have? Are they smooth, raspy, soft, low, high, or squeaky? Do they possess swagger, or are sound perfectly awkward? Do you like their voice, or would the sound of their voice drive you crazy after listening to a long e-learning module? You don’t necessarily have to like their voice, but is it suitable for your project? I see quite a few requests for “interesting or different voices. Many directors understand the need to pick one that stands out. I’ve also seen quite a few auditions for diverse actors with accents. 

Evaluate Voice Over Talent and What They Offer

What a voice actor can offer is an x-factor in the industry. It is not required but nice to have. At the most basic, a voice actor will record a project and provide you with the file. But what else can they provide? What is their revision policy? Can they split files? What are their terms? What other bells and whistles can they offer? Could they promote your company on their social media? Can they provide a discount on the next project? These factors can help determine how to choose a voice-over talent.

Reviewing the project, experience, skills, education, rates, location, studio, voice, and each offer can help you weed through the sea of voice actors. Take your time, do your homework, and you’ll find the right voice for your project.

I have been a diverse millennial voice actor for about four years. I have worked on hundreds of voice-over projects with clients internationally and felt it would be a good idea to write an article on the exciting topic of how to direct a Voice-over Actor in a live-directed session. Most clients I work with are not professional voice-over casting directors. They may be casting directors for commercials or explainer videos, producers, or the owners of a small business. There is no perfect way to direct a voiceover actor as each is unique, but there are methods that can help make the job a little easier. 

There are many ways to hire a voice actor, such as contacting their agent, social media, email marketing, or online casting sites. By the time you hire them, you will have discussed terms, usage, and budget. It is time to decide how the job will be done. Will the actor do it, or will there be a live-directed session?

Preparation is Key to Getting Started

If I am to record the job on my own, I usually provide two or three takes, depending on the length of the script. Sometimes, if the script is just one sentence, I will provide 8-10 takes varying tone, pitch, and pace. If the client wants a live-directed session, we will discuss a time and date that works for all parties and a method to connect. My clients usually connect by Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Source Connect is the more popular method with agents and prominent casting directors from New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto.

When I’m ready for a live session, I will print out my script in advance if it’s not a long script. Any script longer than two pages, I will read off the screen. But I like to read from print in advance and mark the page with areas where I would like to highlight the tone, pitch, or pace. My commercial voice-over coach Marc Cashman taught me this method, and by doing this in advance, I’ve noticed that it helps prevent a series of re-takes.

Direct a Voiceover Etiquette 

After reviewing the script and making my notes, I will log onto the platform that the client has desired and wait for the casting director, video producer, and clients to join in. I make it a rule to always log onto the session on time. Never be late; always be professional and wait quietly until the participants join. As each person begins to log in, I introduce myself to the group, thank them for hiring me and tell them I look forward to working with them. As they introduce themselves, I write their names and make it a point to use them as the session proceeds and concludes.

Direct a Voiceover in a Practice Run

The client will then usually go into the project and explain the purpose, the target market, and the audience, as well as the tone that they desire. My favourite sessions are the ones where they will send a reference video in advance so you can review the video and see and hear their preferred tone of voice. This technique helps voice actors tremendously. If no video is provided, I listen and write down keywords that they provide and make a mental picture of the tone they prefer. I write words like “Professional, Engaging, Warm, Hopeful” to find the right tone and keep it in mind. After we have the tone nailed down, they will either tell me how the session will run or ask me how I would like it to go. If I have the choice, I usually say that I prefer to read the script top to bottom once, and then they can give me their general notes. If the script is long, I will read one paragraph and ask for notes.

Take One and Feedback

Once they are ready for me to proceed, I ask them to please mute themselves in case any sounds on their end bleed through my recording, and I hit record on my end. I then say thank you, take a deep breath and begin. Once finished, I remain quiet, waiting for them to unmute themselves and provide feedback.

Too Many Cooks in the Demo Booth

It’s important to note that voice actors never really know how many will join the line for the session. In my experience, there has been a minimum of one client and a maximum of 10. I appreciate that clients take voice-over-directed sessions and have their co-workers join but have you ever heard the expression “There are too many cooks in the kitchen?” That applies when there are too many people on the line. Too many opinions can feel overwhelming. I’ve spoken to many voice actors about this subject, and we all agree that the first 1-7 full reads of the script are the best. After more than that, we begin to feel tired, sometimes exasperated, and our confidence wanes. 

When we begin, we are excited, energized, and confident. When too many are on the line giving their opinions, it can be a confidence killer, and we begin to wonder why they even hired us in the first place. I can’t say this always happens, but it has happened a few times throughout my career. Mostly, 2-5 takes of the entire script are enough for variety, and the client is happy. Once the client is content, they ask me how the file will be sent to them. I tell them I will bounce/save the file and can fire it off to them within minutes. 

Direct a Voiceover Actor with Gratitude

Live-directed sessions usually mean the client will receive the raw file with all takes and banter. I don’t touch or split up the file. If they ask me to, there is usually a small fee attached. Most clients prefer the raw file to pick and choose the takes they like. It usually takes me 5-10 minutes to bounce and send the client the file. I send it to them either by email or through the platform on which they hired me, and I always thank them for working with me.

The beauty of live-directed sessions is that the client’s chance to ask for revisions is slim. If a new session is required, then a fee is attached to that. The voice actor also really appreciates getting to speak to clients.

If you want to hire and direct a voiceover actor, remember that we love our job and want to make you happy. We thrive on enthusiasm and affirmation, so if you are happy, let the actor know. It will help build confidence, and that will show in the recording. Contact me if you have more questions about how to direct a voiceover actor!

The voice acting business has changed dramatically over the last 10-15 years, since its inception in the early 20th century.  As a diverse millennial voice actor, I have noticed some changes within the last four years. Today we will discuss how to hire a voice actor.

 

History of Hiring Voice Actors

In times past, voice actors were hired by their agents. They solely relied on their agents for their income. Voice actors were forced to live in urban centres close to the entertainment industry, Los Angeles and New York. They would seek out agents and receive a coveted position on their roster. They would then receive their auditions by phone, and the actor would come to the studio and use their booth to record their audition. If they were successful at booking the job, they would return to the studio, use the recording booth again, and hope that the job was a success.

How to Hire a Voice Actor in the Digital Age

Although the old process is still practiced, things have changed. The more popular method of sending and receiving voice over auditions is digital.

Voice Talent Agents

Agents are still a popular method for voice-over work and are heavily relied on. Yet, they receive the auditions usually by email, and the actor will then record their audition from their home studio and send it back by email. Once hired, a live-directed session will occur at home using Source-Connect, ipdtl, Phone Patch, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Skype. Another less popular method of recording is physically going into the studio and using their recording booth. It’s important to note that although it is free to get an agent, they take 10-20% off the top of the jobs you book as a commission fee.

Convenient Online Casting

Online Casting has become a trendy way to hire voice actors in the last 15 years. Casting sites such as mandy.com, voices.com, voice123.com, Voquent, Biddalgo, Fivver, and voiceovers.com lead the pack with the hiring. An actor can sign up with a free or paid membership to access hundreds of auditions and then choose the ones they want. They can scan through a list or receive private notifications when new auditions are added.

Online casting sites have become quite popular due to their market reach. Actors can audition to their heart’s content, depending on their membership level. Talent can create a profile listing experience and voice-over demos but cannot see job postings. Free membership allows you to receive private audition requests from casting directors and buyers.

For paid Premium memberships, you can create a profile, include your demos and experience, and view some job postings. The highest tier of paid memberships is Platinum and includes the same as the others, but you can see all the job postings available. Sometimes you will see the postings hours or even days before others. It’s of a widespread opinion that it’s best to get in your audition as soon as possible as most buyers don’t listen to more than the first 30 auditions. I don’t necessarily agree with that method or rush to get in an audition because the quality may suffer, but it is generally how most online casting sites work.

When filling out your profile, you must include keywords describing your voice, experience, and performing genres. The website’s algorithm will help you be seen if a buyer types in specific words in the search bar. It is important to note that to be successful, and you will have to pay (sometimes a hefty price) for an online casting membership. The most expensive membership is USD 4950. Some companies like voices.com will also charge you an annual fee of USD 600 plus 20+% off the jobs you book.

Marketing Used to Hire a Voice Actor

DIY marketing is a popular way to book voice-over work. Some top-rated talents don’t have an online casting site profile and rely solely on their marketing efforts. Most begin their careers on casting sites, have multiple agents, and do self-marketing. The ones who solely rely on their action have worked up to that point with a lot of time, patience, and effort. Success doesn’t come overnight with self-marketing, and it takes months, sometimes years, to build a client base and a method for finding new opportunities.

Using Social Media to Hire a Voice Actor

One famous voice actor said it took him three years of emailing a client before he hired him. Talent can be hired by email marketing and social media marketing, such as

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• TikTok

All platforms have a direct message feature, and it’s not uncommon for a buyer to message you with more information regarding a project. I do consistent email marketing, Linkedin messaging, the occasional Instagram message, and even cold and warm calls. I don’t prefer one platform over another, but the key is remaining consistent. 

Voice Actor Websites

A voice actors website is another means of self-marketing. I use a voice-over targeted SEO company to help me list keywords on my website that clients may Google, so I appear when they search. I have a contact page on my site that clients fill out and instantly send their requests.

Industry Referrals

Referrals are also a popular way to hire a voice actor. Most of my clients are extremely busy with their projects and don’t have time to sift through online casting sites and agents. They want someone professional, fast, and accurate, so they reach out to their industry contacts for referrals. I keep a running list of voice actors who speak various languages. I can provide names immediately if anyone reaches out to me looking for a French Canadian voice actor.

With modern agents, casting sites, self-marketing, and referrals, there are many effective ways to hire voice actors. All you have to do is choose one and get started. If you’d like to collaborate on your next project, don’t hesitate to contact me.

We are living in an exciting time in history, with multiple generations living and working together. There may be some challenges to so many generations working closely side-by-side, but it has significant benefits. Understanding each generation’s characteristics and expectations can help us communicate efficiently and work together harmoniously. This week we will dive into the different generations of voice over talent working together and how they fit into the wacky world of voice over.

The Silents or Traditionalists (1925-1946)

This group of individuals was born in the beautiful era of the “Roaring Twenties” and World War 2. Think Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Natalie Wood, and Morgan Freeman. The age of radio, milkmen, and rituals of home-cooked meals. They grew up with very little technology and had to overcome adverse circumstances such as poverty and poor healthcare. They are known to be thrifty, respectful, and loyal. It was the early days of voiceover, created by visionaries such as Walt Disney. Mickey Mouse in 1928s Steamboat Willie used a voice-over recorded in 1900.

This group of voice actors was most likely living in large urban centres such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, etc., where the acting and voice acting studios were located. They may have wanted to pursue a career in on-camera acting but stumbled into voice acting as the demand for the service grew. The Silents would have voiced many projects, including the first cartoons and television advertisements. They would have also voiced for radio dramas and live-sporting events. Some may be, but this is generally unlikely. This generation is well into their 80s and 90s and may still dabble slightly in VO performing senior citizen roles. Most are likely enjoying their retirement and time with friends and family.

Generations of Voice Over Among Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

Baby Boomers encompass a large number of individuals today. They were born post-WWII when soldiers had returned home ready to settle down and start a family. This is the era of black and white televisions, TV dinners, and hippie culture. Think Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, and Madonna. Baby Boomers are known to be workaholics, dedicated to quality over quantity, goal-oriented, and love the idea of stability. I’ve personally found this generation particularly interesting and transitional. The face of the world really changed during this period and is reflected in what we see today.

This group of voice actors lived in large urban city centres where work was available. At this time, more agents appeared in the voice over world, representing talent and booking good-paying jobs. Although radio-drama series were phasing out by the mid-1950s, voice actors were booking more work for television and cartoons. Audiobooks were also gaining popularity in the 1970s, providing another stream of income for Baby Boomers as well as new lines of work such as movie trailers and documentaries.

There is still quite a demand for the Baby Boomer voice. Think commercials for financial institutions, comfort food, and legal advice. The Baby Boomer voice projects warmth, compassion, and a feeling of security. They also voice quite a bit of e-learning and corporate narration. The voice style popular during the Baby-boomer period tends to have a hard-sell approach, which is less prevalent but still requested now and again. The Baby Boomers are phasing out slowly, but as long as they can speak, the work will come.

Generation X (1964 – 1981)

Generation X is the largest group of voice actors today, although they are called the forgotten generation squeezed between Boomers and Millennials. The evolution of technology shapes them. Think Elon Musk, John Krasinski, Tiger Woods, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio. Gen X’ers are more educated than previous generations, self-reliant, individualistic, and hardworking. Their infamy comes from the Brat Pack, MTV, and the ’80s.

Generation X is still going strong with voice-over gigs for television and digital commercials, in-show narration, IVR, and audiobooks. They are the popular choice for anything corporate related such as e-learning and corporate narration, a big piece of the voiceover industry. This generation has begun to bring in diverse voice actors from different cultures and ethnicities. The Generation X voice is kind, engaging, and professional, yet doesn’t come across as bossy or parental.

The majority of the castings are Middle-Aged talent (35-54). Gen X’ers may have voice agents but are savvy enough to find their own business through cold-calling, networking events, online casting sites, and referrals. Persistent and consistent are good descriptors of the Gen-X voice.

Generations of Voice Over Among Millennials or Gen Y (1982-1995)

Millennials, also called Gen Y, are the children of the Baby Boomers and were born between 1982-1995. They grew during the digital age and are great with technology, creative, open-minded, and curious. Think Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone, Drake, Lebron James, and Mark Zuckerberg. They are skilled in various industries and love to bounce from job to job, try new experiences, and care for their health.

Millennials are pretty busy in the voice-over world. You’ll hear them often on national TV commercials. They’re usually the ones with raspy voices and sound very relaxed. They don’t like the hard-sell commercial tone and favor sounding like the guy or gal next door. There is a high demand for this diverse generation, especially anyone with various accents and ethnicities. Millennials provide voice work for audiobooks, narration, and Artificial Intelligence. They value freedom and creativity, so living in large urban centres to find work isn’t for them.

Millennials are just getting into the thick of their careers and still have a long way to go before retirement, so they are open to new and creative methods to increase their income. They may have an agent or two, but most of their business is generated through their marketing efforts, website, or online casting sites. They want to take control of their income and are very open to the next hot thing in VO.

Generation Z (1995-2010)

Generation Z, or Zoomers as they are sometimes called, are children born after 1995. They are incredibly familiar with technology and masters of the IoT (the internet of things). They grew up with lots of screen time and all the modern conveniences of life and were encouraged by their parents to jump into the unknown. They are socially conscious, risk-takers and entrepreneurs. Famous Zoomers include Greta Thunberg, Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and Max Verstappen. Zoomers hate to be sold to and prefer purchasing items from social media channels such as Tik Tok, Instagram, or YouTube.

Like Millennials, they appreciate the flexibility of finding work from many sources. They love to find voice work online, anywhere, and anytime. They prefer online contact rather than communicating on the phone, and instead of being open to trying new things, they’re the ones creating them. Gen Z talent books a lot of animation work and commercial and audiobooks. They are Digital Nomads who are just starting their careers and appreciate the flexible lifestyle available today. 

Generations of Voice Over For Every Project

It is clear to see that there is a voice for everyone today. One generation isn’t better than another, and they all combine to create a wonderful community that supports and encourages one another. The industry is constantly changing, and limitless opportunities are ahead for the next generations of voice over.