Important Voice Over Definitions and Terminology

Voice overs are quickly becoming one of the most important elements of any marketing strategy and advertising campaign, and are a valuable way to persuade your target market consistently, and effectively. By adding a human element to your marketing messages, you can encourage people to pay attention, boost sales, and most importantly, create a positive brand connection with all customers.

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: These are the demo tapes that your voice over talent will submit during their application. You'll need to keep these on hand as you gauge and interview each submission, and are a simple way to keep track of all applicants to determine the best fit.

Demo Tapes: In addition to the aforementioned audition tapes that accompany voice actors' and actresses' applications, you will want a recording of your prospect reading a sample script of your choosing. This demo tape can be recorded either in your own studio or, if possible at the applicant's own.

Recording Studio: In order to obtain a demo tape, audition tape, or other vocal performance, you'll need a studio in which to records. If your voice actor or actress has a recording studio setup in his or her, you may be able to save on renting a space for your project.

ISDN Voiceover: Professional voice over talent will record most of their work in a home studio that makes use of ISDN technology. These recordings are sharper and more fine-tuned than the average recording 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 not recorded for the express purpose of sales, but accompany some sort of video recording, complementing the story told by the on-screen action. You should not, however, discount their worth in marketing projects, as they can complement video advertisements exceedingly well.

Impressions: These are the types of voice overs that impersonate a famous person, celebrity, or imitate an historically famous personality. Impressions are a great way to make your message stand apart from the competition, and you can find many royalty-free scripts with this distinguishing feature in mind.

Performers' Unions: Unions such as the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Screen Artists Guild, in addition to advocating for the rights of their members and dealing with pay rate issues, provide voice actors and actresses valuable opportunities to grow and develop their skiills.

Actors: Voice over professionals are often individuals who were trained in drama and gravitated to the field of voice work because of their marketable skills and talents. A skilled voice actor or actress is a huge asset to any marketing 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.

What Makes A Great Voice Actor?

If you're reading this article, it's likely that you have already made the decision to hire a professional voice    over 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.The voice over is believable. You need someone who sounds like a real person, not a narrator or announcer. Talented voice over artists should be adept at practicing their 'non-announcer' reading and voices, so ask them to read a variety of pieces to make sure they don't fall into a pattern of reading like a newscaster.

2.The voice over has the right pitch and tone. Voice over artists are constantly practicing different pitches and tones of their voice so that they can create their own 'music.' This ensures that their voice stands apart from the rest; take the time to listen for distinct characteristics that make them different from other actors and actresses.

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.He or she demonstrates the ability to perform in a wide range of vocal styles. During the interviewing process, you will probably ask your potential hires to read from a sample script or scripts of your choosing. Take a advantage of this opportunity and have candidates read in a variety of different styles.

5.He or she exhibits a good vocal flow. In everyday speech, most of us stop and start erratically, and do not have much control over our speed. In the case of a professional voice over artist, this should not be so - a voice actor or actress should be able to speak in a fluid manner.

6.The voice over artist has solid references. Take the time to review references or testimonials to determine if you're working with an amateur or professional. Voice over artists who have a history of quality projects, working with a diverse set of clients, and providing consistency with their work are strong candidates for your project.

7.He or she exhibits enthusiasm and vocal stamina. At times, recording a voice is no picnic; lines will likely need to be repeated over and over to get the exact right take. Be sure to pick a candidate that will maintain a good attitude and a strong voice under these conditions.

If you put forth the time and effort necessary to find a voice over professional with all of these essential traits, you are certain to have a much more pleasant experience completing the project. Finding the perfect candidate may be time-consuming, but it is certainly worth it.

Hiring a Voice Over Artist Over the Web

The sheer number of voice over actors vying for jobs today can be a little overwhelming when you're looking for the one perfect candidate to represent your project. Take your search online can be a great way to streamline the process of finding the right voice actor for the job.

When piecing together a multimedia project, you shouldn't underestimate the resources that are freely available on the Internet. Online databases can, for example, allow you to find a perfect sample script at no cost to you, or can serve as valuable reference material if you are writing your own script. Many voice professional nowadays maintain personal websites containing their portfolios and samples of the voice work they have done in the past. Checking out online samples of potential hires' work is a great way to save time during the hiring process.

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. After you you initially contact a potential hire, ask for a sample of their work. If the person in question is the true professional they claim to be, they will have .mpeg samples on hand to send to you, or will direct you to a site where you can heir their work. This first step goes a long way towards weeding out candidates who aren't serious about getting the job.

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.

Choosing Voice Over Scripts For Talent Interviews

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.

In order to decide what sample scripts you will use, you will need to think about several different factors; you will need to select scripts that will give you a good idea of the breadth and nature of your applicants' talents. To make sure that you choose voice talent that is a tonal and stylistic match with what your business is trying to accomplish, you will also want to consider what type of marketing you're trying to create. What are the general themes you're looking to tackle? Will the tone be authoritative, or do you want to make listeners laugh? These decisions will guide you in the selection of your sample scripts.

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.

Why Hiring A Voice Over Artist Is Good For Your Business

No matter how badly you think you need to save money, it is never a good idea for a merchant to read his own commercial—unless, of course, he has a talent for it. The truth is, however, that most people don't. They may succeed in giving their commercial an air of originality, but that isn't a good thing if it results in people laughing at your commercial. And people are less likely to purchase your product or service if they don't respect you.

Many people mistakenly underestimate the importance of the voice over talent they use when approaching the public, because many people mistakenly believe that all they have to do to sell their product or service is to let people know that it's there. As long as they do something memorable, people will buy from them, right? Wrong. They may remember the guy with the funny voice or the guy who read in a monotone or tried to act out a little skit with his brother, but they'll buy from the guy who hired a professional to do his commercial.

And that is the heart of the matter. There is a purpose behind buying airtime and creating a commercial—you are trying to convince people to do something. You're trying to talk them out of their hard-earned cash, to come and give it to you in exchange for what you have to offer. You are trying, in other words, to impress them. If they sense that you didn't care enough about your marketing to do it correctly, then they will not be impressed. In fact, if you attempt to convince them using a very bad commercial, they may even feel as though you are insulting their intelligence, and that is definitely something you don't want.

When your commercial airs, it should sound professional. This makes you look professional. It may be the first contact a potential customer has with your business. In this way, your commercial is like your clothing. You wouldn't wear something sloppy and poorly assembled to go meet a client, so why would you present them with a sloppy and poorly assembled piece of advertising? Even though the voice telling the world about your service has nothing to do with how well you do what you do, in the same way the state of your clothing has nothing to do with how good you are at your job, you want to make the best impression possible with that voice, just as you would with your suit.

So what are the elements of a well-read commercial that a professional voice-over artist can give you? Professionalism is one very important thing that you will get. Your brother-in-law can't give you that in reading your commercial, because he doesn't know how. Just because he's been speaking all his life doesn't mean that he does it well. In fact, most people don't speak well. Speaking well is partly about pronouncing the words clearly so that people can understand, and partly about doing that so that it sounds natural.

Everyone in need of a commercial has to do it in the way they think is best, of course. For some it actually may not matter if they put out a professional-sounding commercials. Some customers may truly not care. However, someone who wants potential customers to associate his business with a voice that sounds professional, then it is vitally important that he hire a professional to do the talking.

Podcasting and Blogging are Becoming Ubiquitous

In the fast paced world of today’s internet communications it can be easy to forget about the success of “old-fashioned” advertising. Now a days, marketing is driven by websites, blogs and email; such as, podcasts, vlogging, and multimedia on the web. This means your business needs a marketing strategy that includes voice overs, creative photography, and videos.

Before television and the internet, the world turned on the radio to get their daily news and commercials. Voice over artists were in high demand back then since many companies turned to radio to advertise and promote their products and services. By the time television became the norm, people were already familiar with ‘hearing’ a lot of advertisements; the T.V. took this to a whole new level with much more sound and images.

Flash forward fifty years and people are turning to another medium for entertainment and knowledge; the internet has grown to become one of the technological forerunners for advertisers and marketers, and prompts visitors to simply read sales letters and pitches as oppose to listening to them. However, this is quickly changing with the development of podcasting, online videos, and other multimedia across the web.

Now that podcasting and blogging are becoming ubiquitous, your company needs a powerful message that impresses visitors and listeners so they remember the brand long-term. The same impact that radio ads had on the listening audience in the 50’s is coming back in full swing with online advertising, videomercials, and podcasting. Voice over actors and actresses now play an important role in presenting your business’s marketing message, slogan, and can even promote your brand. Hiring the best voice over artist (with the assistance of a voice talent agency) is a positive way to create advertisement and attract new customers right away.

Voice overs can be applied to short commercial segments, introducing products on a web site, podcasting, or just making a radio advertisement. If you’re considering about producing a television commercial, you’ll need a voice over artist to perform the script so it is appealing and creates the kind of impact you’re looking for.

For companies that want a competitive edge on the web - voice overs are becoming more and more crucial to their success. Creative slogans, ‘jingles’, and songs can still have a strong influence on visitors and potential customers, and are essential when you’re advertising on the radio as a part of your plan. Introducing voice overs into your marketing helps to strengthen your brand, create an identity, and even build a strong relationship with potential customers.

Print advertising may have less impact as more people turn to audio and video on the web. Why bother investing your marketing budget in an area where people are paying attention? Audio and video segments that are developed with a voice artist can produce the effect you need and make your advertising message stand apart from the competition.

The world is filled with voice overs.

The sounds of voice-over artists are everywhere. In fact, your world is filled with it, and you probably don't even realize it. Or at least you didn't before you started thinking about hiring one of them. If you're wondering why you never noticed voice actors before, it's because you typically aren't supposed to. One of the best things about being a voice actor is the ability to get someone's attention while at the same time redirecting their attention from the speaker to the service being described. That sounds a bit difficult when you begin to actually think about it, doesn't it? If you try to create these results yourself, you are only going to wind up drawing everyone's attention to you and off of your product, which ain’t very good. That's the biggest reason you need to hire a professional if you are in need of a voiceover.

Consider the huge number of places that voice overs wind up, and that is after thinking about jingles and T.V. But you can use voiceover artists to introduce your special event or your commercial website. Heck, you can even use an actor to announce your personal website if you really want it out there badly enough. Many people decide to voice those types of projects for themselves. Maybe it's because they don't think of them as important enough to hire an actor. In that case, why are they bothering with it at all? If it is worth your effort, it is worth doing right.

For example, if you want to produce an audio book, why would you even consider voicing it yourself - unless, of course, you have a professional-grade talent. And most people simply don't. Then you have corporate videos and educational videos, which are very helpful and can be highly lucrative - if done professionally. If you have a good script, and the listeners enjoy hearing the narrator, then you have a message that can bring you a measure of success. But if people can't stand listening to the voice for one reason or another, then your message is in trouble.

“But I talk to people with this voice all the time!” you may protest. True, but your listening audience will tolerate a lot more face-to-face than they will tolerate on a recording. And are there people actually paying to have you speak at this point? Probably not. If they are, then stop reading here. This article is not for you.

You might think that using an amateur or doing it yourself will save you cash. Starting out, yes, but if this is a money-making venture you are planning, it will probably cost you money in the long run. Sounding silly can cost you the respect of the people you're trying to impress. People are more likely to spend their money with businesses who give them the impression that they know what they're doing. If they see you bumbling around in a recording, as so many wannabes do, then they are going to have second thoughts about spending their money with you.