The voice is the primary ingredient of any performance. If the voice artist is good, it will be easier for you to meet your expectations, achieving the desired project goals. A low-grade artist could certainly kill what would have otherwise been a captivating commercial, online ad, movie, or any such project. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the right voice-over artists for your animation.
It explains why auditions are essential in finding the right candidate. As the project owner or producer, you have to scout for the most fitting candidate, especially a natural talent that requires the least training. When you have a perfect fit, you’ll have a head-start in the ad, movie, documentary, or whichever project. The chances of meeting your commercial goals are higher, guaranteeing a better return on investment.
The growing acceptance of animation is making it the perfect style to promote your product or event. Since animation depends on fictional characters, you have to use unique voices that fit these characters. The voice brings the characters to life, helping you to connect easily with your target audience. It would be best to find the perfect professional voice artist to match the personality you have chosen for the animation.
Cartoon Character
Since animation uses cartoon characters, the voice must match the description of the character you have chosen. A wrong choice of voice causes the character to fall flat and fail to inspire the target audience. For instance, you must consider gender, tone, energy, and general perception. Remember that animation voices do not change from one ad to another; else, you will confuse your target audience or lose brand recognition.
The decision you make at the beginning will influence so much of what you do in the future. Give it all the time and consideration it requires so that the actor becomes an asset to your brand and voice over projects.
A lot of producers and brand managers overlook the choice of voice artists. Moreover, a lot of attention goes to the visuals of the cartoon because it is considered to make the first impression. However, cartoon characters come as a package. Since people do not know the character from somewhere else, they will build an image based on the package you present. Therefore, voice is a crucial part of this package because it forms the sound-dimension of animation. Remember, it gives viewers a sound bite to echo as they reenact the ad in their heads.
While the visual creates the initial spark of interest, it is the voice that will sustain this interest in your character. Remember that you will use the same animation several times over a documentary or advert. Although the visuals do not change, the wording does. The animation, therefore, rides on voice to sustain interest while passing the message: Hence the need to make the right decision from the beginning.
Voices Equal Emotion
You can tell the physical and emotional state of someone by the tone of his or her voice. For instance, angry people shout while sad people are quiet or will cry. An excited person will produce a bouncy voice and will be beaming with expectation. Thus, It is these elements of sound that make characters believable. Moreover, the characters must display credible emotions so that the target audience can identify with them or the message they are portraying.
The voice artist at this moment has the crucial role of bringing the emotions and acts to life. It all begins with a voice that matches the envisioned character and can be manipulated to naturally bring-out the character. When choosing a voice over artist for your animation, always remember that animations are cartoon characters that move. It will take a pure voice talent to keep the drawing vibrant while communicating the desired brand message.
The expression of emotions will also differ from one gender to the other. Therefore, the gender of the voice chosen must match that of the character in your animation. Animation voice-over producers rely heavily on gender, and sometimes the age of the artist, to capture the right emotions for the projected character. Any in congruence in the presentation results in a flat and disastrous animated character.
Going Off-model, Visually and Aurally Works Perfectly in Animation
Off-model refers to a scenario where a character appears different from the typical look. It works perfectly for animation because it gives viewers a chance to debate the character and the message. The information is captured in model sheets, with the reference points indicating the gaits and dimensions of each character. The descriptions in the sheets guide animators and artists to bring out the characters better. It also helps animators and character artists to maintain a consistent impression of the characters being discussed.
The animation voice-over artist also picks the character from the model sheets. From the description, the animation voice-over artist will know the tone to adapt, speed of speech, energy, and overall expression of the character. For an animation to perfectly fit the off-model tag, the voice artist must deliver the lines correctly and in convincing fashion.
Voice acting also gives the producers and artists a perfect opportunity to go off-model. For instance, if the role you are playing a shady character, you can twist it to give the artist the accent of an old-timey gangster. It would be best if you shopped around for an artist who can correctly deliver such a voice.
Another example is when the animation character is supposed to sing a popular song. You require a talented artist who can still sing the song without moving out of character. The singing, for example, should bring out the character better without adapting to the perception of the original singer of the song. Producers have the honors of matching the voice with the character regardless of the scenarios and still making the animation character recognizable.
Pick a Memorable Voice
“D’oh!”
I am sure you have read that in Homer Simpson’s voice. What makes Homer and the entire Simpson clan famous is the uniqueness of their voices. The voices are recognizable even without seeing the art that represents the cartoon character. Hence, Every producer and brand owner must endeavor to produce iconic voices that perfectly match the characters you have envisioned in your animation. Any mismatch will cause your animation to fall flat.
“Hi diddly ho, neighborino?”
This is just another exemplification of the need to create an iconic voice. If you’ve been watching TV over the last 26 years in America, you must have read the expression with Ned Flanders’s voice. The phrase identifies the voice, plus anyone who comes across it can recognize the character. It is such perfection in character building that demands more in-depth scrutiny when building a character or writing a script. You can imagine maintaining a character for 26 years without fatigue– It will take more than ‘I think that will work’ attitude. You must be deliberate in your choice of voice over artist and intentionally describe your envisioned character.
Remember, branding requires that the product be memorable to target customers. If they struggle to pronounce or build a character around the brand, they will abandon your work. Further, the average person sees, hears, and interacts with several hundreds of adverts each day. It will take a strong performance to capture the attention of an already overwhelmed listener.
As a producer, remember that branding goes beyond the duration of the advert. It would help if you had a strong performer who makes a voice memorable and outstanding among the many commercials your target audience will encounter each day. A remarkable voice allows you to build a pool of brand-ambassadors and fans that replay the ads or stop to listen every time it comes up. It is a long term strategy that helps you to retain the customers for the long haul.
Animation Voice Over Artist Acting Is Different From Other Versions; Treat It As Such
A voice actor for animation is a unique talent that you cannot find just anywhere. When you need one, it takes time, resources, and deliberate steps to land the right person. Do not wake up one day, call a few guys, and pick one. It has nothing to do with choosing the most experienced or amateurish. Deliberately look for a person who will fit the character and deliver the emotions you want for your animation. Do not even settle for a person who is almost about to capture the character. It will result in total failure.
While actors on screen or radio drama may experience some emotions, their performance during animation may differ. The skills required from an actor differ from those demanded from an animation voice-over actor. As a producer, you must respect the differences in the two art forms. Diligently search, casting your net as wide as possible. Be ready to invest in a character who will offer value and shove your brand position higher. That investment will bear fruits when the animation captures the imagination of your target audience.
Animating is a different piece of art from your ordinary acting. Remember, while actors are recognized by a combination of their voices and acts on the screen, animation does not come with such privilege. The art presented on the screen is what makes a cartoon character believable. Bagging such a talent and personality is hard work. However, since brands are built for the long haul, it helps to select more profound thought before picking any talent.
Your Goals Will Only Be Met If You Use An Effective Voice Artist
Producers and content marketers have the simple role of promoting particular products. The character you create and the voice over artist you use in the project will determine how well you help the brand or project owners to achieve their goals. In such a case, it is not just about voicing the visuals. It is about the voice and image portrayed connecting naturally with the character your artists have created.
Animation producers and content marketers have the additional responsibility of generating sales. The packaging of the message will determine the market response. This packaging is a combination of artistic characterization and the voice you choose. You must thus select an agent that will effectively resonate with the target market and elicit the desired buying response.
The ads are also used to improve brand awareness. It should, therefore, dawn on you that the voice and character imagery will form a part of the brand. The intonation, words used, and how these words are delivered, forming a part of brand awareness. The crucial aspect that should inform your choices and decisions is that branding is done for the long term. Because it cannot be changed at will, it must be perfect from the beginning.
Summing Up
Voice-over artists become a part of the brand since their voices represent the perception of the market towards your brand. If the brand targets male consumers, the voice must give such an impression. Any incongruence becomes confusing to target customers. As the audio producer, you must select an artist with the right tone, pronunciation, volume, and overall texture. Until the voice fits perfectly, do not begin the project or stop searching for the right candidate.
In the world of social media, the target market will usually provide feedback through likes, comments, shares, and views, among other reactions. Social media platforms refer to such impressions as engagements. If the voice fits the brand and the target market is happy, you will get likes and shares that make your video go viral, enhancing your brand position in the market.
Do not ignore the impressions you receive on social media. It is these impressions that turn into sales. However, social media success for animated videos depends on a solid sound and a character to match. The choices you make, therefore, will have a significant impact on your performance in the market and brand position in the industry.
To enhance the performance of your animation video project, talk to experts at VoiceBunny for the best selection of professional voice over artists. With talents drawn from all corners of the world, you are guaranteed an impactful video.
