How to work with a voice actor
Communication is everything.
A lot of my content focuses on the experience of the voice actor: how to set up a home studio, how to get work on freelance platforms, and other topics relevant to the aspiring voice actor. However, it’s also important to consider the perspective of the client or buyer, and what it’s like to work with a voice actor from that perspective. Today, I want to go over a few important items that will help you get the most out of the voice actor you’ve hired, and show you where you can find the right talent for your project.
Make Sure the Script is Finalized
Before beginning any recruiting for your voice over work, be sure the materials that you intend to provide to the voice over artist are as close to the final product as possible. The ensures that the production can flow smoothly, and reduces a lot of the back and forth during the transaction. Also, it will likely save you money in the long run; revisions aren’t always included in the price of voice over services, especially if you’re paying a la carte on freelance websites. Oftentimes, more experienced voice artists will charge extra per revision that is requested. Save yourself the hassle and make sure your copy is airtight.
Picking the Right Talent
There are many different styles and tones to choose from, when considering a voice actor’s services. Do you need an American English voice, or perhaps a British-sounding voice? Do you want a male or female voice to represent your brand, product, or service? All of these questions and more will help you pick the right talent.
Generally, if you’re searching for voice talent online using freelance websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and others, you will notice that many voice actors specify what they excel at in their profiles. For instance, my specialty is commercial work such as radio, television, or internet advertisements that may require a conversational, friendly voice. Other actors may display other skillsets; perhaps they are adept at character work, the “in a world” deep movie trailer voice, or some other specific style. The point is, once you’ve identified what you need, you should be able to find it rather easily.
Since Fiverr is one of the most prominent marketplaces for voice talent today, I recommend starting there. You can search for exactly what you want as soon as you arrive. Just type something like “American Male Voice Over” or “Movie Trailer Voice” into the search bar, and you will be presented with hundreds or even thousands of results depending on your query.
Setting Expectations
Once you’ve identified the voice talent you want to work with, you want to communicate with them clearly and set the expectations for the service they will be providing. You will need to provide as much detail as you feel is necessary to inform the actor of the role they are playing, the style of delivery you want, the mood or intention of the voice over, etc.
As an example, let’s go back to our example of movie trailer voice overs. Maybe you’re a marketing professional working for an indie film publisher, and you’re developing a trailer for a new action flick. You would tell your voice actor about this film, what kind of mood you expect them to reproduce in the voice over, who the audience may be, and even include specific examples from the actors portfolio if you can. All of that specificity will work wonders and help ensure the end result is one that satisfies your needs.
That’s it!
Once you’ve provided the final copy to your newly hired voice actor, and set the proper expectations, you can sit back and wait for your fresh new content to be delivered to you. That’s the beauty of online freelance communities; there are many professionals voice over artists just waiting for you to take advantage of their talent for your work.
Now that you’ve learned how to work with voice talent, it’s time for you to get started and hire a voice actor. If you’re looking for a professional, American male voice over artist, I suggest listening to my samples on the home page, and placing an order through my online store today. If you have questions about my services, contact me and we can discuss your project in greater detail. Cheers!
