When you read, do you hear a voice narrating the words in your head? So why not read it out loud? More and more people are joining the community of vocal lending. Yes, we’re talking about voice over jobs. Truth is, the quicker technology evolves, the faster knowledge is being put out in the world. The modern-day man gets restless and interest slips away easily. Today, the average human has an attention span of about only 8 seconds. This is 4 seconds shorter than it was 20 years ago!
As every industry competes for attention and engagement, the world of voice over opportunities arose quickly. Why? Because audio allows for multi-tasking as compared to reading. You can’t read a book while driving a car but you can listen to an audiobook while doing a three-point turn. Well, kind of. This is why the entertainment industry is creating more and more voice acting opportunities. And, also why the business and commerce world is putting up more “voice wanted” signs.
A career as a voice actor can be highly rewarding and enjoyable. This article is a gateway for both aspiring voice actors and voice producers alike. We’ll explore different voice over applications and techniques. Plus, we’ll help you to find out if you have what it takes to break into the industry of voice over gigs.
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What is a Voice Over?
Voice over is an off-scene commentary narrated in a film or broadcast. In other words, it is the performance of a vocal script that is not accompanied by the visual image of the speaker. It is applied to an increasing number of industries such as entertainment, commercial, translation, communications, and education. Voice overs are done by voice actors or voice talents. Except for live announcement at events, they are usually pre-recorded. The audio recording can be played over to partially replace or override the original soundtrack. Alternatively, the narrated voice over script can also be an add-on to the original audio.
In many projects, producers do a voice over casting, or voice over auditions, before selecting a suitable voice. In some cases, more than one person is hired to fill a single voice over project. Today, the internet easily connects voice actors with producers from all over the globe. Vocal talents can apply for voice over work online. The trend of in-person casting has gradually shifted to online voice casting, opening up a world of opportunities for both. This means that voice actors no longer have to attend only “voice over auditions near me” or search for “voice over jobs near me”!
Who Offers Voice Over Jobs?
The application of voice over is limitless. No cameras, no inhibitions. The tongue can paint in intricate detail what the eyes cannot see! Voices, especially those of ideas, are never meant to be silenced. They should be embraced and transformed into something as artful and compelling as poetry. The technique is gaining popularity by the years as different industries experiment in their race to grab the audience and consumers’ attention. Whether you are a project seeker or a producer, see if the following applications can inspire you to give your creative talent a run for the money.
Marketing
Good advertising is a dialogue with people. Advertising contributes to a 19% share of the voice over market. Although it’s not a huge share, it can prove to be the most lucrative for voice actors. As advertising is marketing to the masses, it is an easy way to break into the market and get noticed. And it’s not visual media. Voice over this category also includes advertising on audio ads for radio, podcasts, and music streaming channels.
In addition, voice over in marketing is sometimes used for localization. That is the translation of cultural nuances and language of an already existing commercial. They can also be applied to product explainer videos, promotional videos and even the latest trend of interactive dialogue ads.
Today, an increasing number of brands offer voice over jobs. That is, for the reason that they are beginning to acknowledge the beneficial trend of personable branding. A voice can create a more approachable brand image that is more reputable, trustable and relatable.
Entertainment
You guessed right! The entertainment industry is most certainly the biggest contributor to the voice over dollar. It accounts for 58% of the voice over industry. And it’s no surprise especially with the huge budgets allocated to Hollywood, Bollywood and of course, Netflix. Films can now be viewed and understood on the other side of the world with voice over translation.
Netflix especially has been evolving into the king of such. It offers viewers an option to watch films in three ways. Such include a choice of subtitling, dubbing and audio description depending on the selection of titles. The big question is often to dub or to sub. Dubbing is where pre-recorded audio such as dialogue is supplemented or added to the original recording. In most cases, the voice is recorded as a means of translation that replaces the original production sound. The audio is lip-synced to the characters’ visual performance on-screen. This not only includes speech but also sounds like coughs, hiccups, and burps.
Voice over is also available in the form of an audio description. This is a new feature that was added to Netflix since April 2015. The feature was designed to aid the visually impaired. Audio description is a voice over supplemented in between the pauses of dialogue in films. It audibly describes all details happening on-screen. Such include the facial expression of characters, their physical actions, scene changes, and settings and even clothing worn by actors.
Animation
Although considered a part of the entertainment industry, the animation category is it’s own league of voice over. Oscar Nominee Randy Quaid admits that “Just about every actor wants to be a Disney cartoon voice at some point.”. Stars like Woopi Goldberg have done the voices of many animated films including “A Christmas Carol”, “Monkeybone”, “Toy Story” and the ever-popular “Lion King”.
Technology in animation has advanced from just simple 2D drawings of voice over cartoons to Pixar’s 3D animated films. Many voice actors find animation a ton of fun to work with as it involves a free expression of creativity and imagination. Animation also includes narration of children’s books, video games, movies, and television cartoons.
Education
There’s voice over wanted in the educational sector as well. In this era of social distancing and distance learning, educational videos are taking over the world by storm. Such include instructional videos, training videos and documentaries. Voice overs are not only used in schools and institutions but also in corporate settings. They can include human resource videos, tutorials product videos, and even fitness and inspirational videos.
Audiobooks
The audiobook industry is a massive potential market ripe for the booming. In the U.S. it has seen significant growth of 37.1% in a short time. Audiobooks are for all genres and ages. They are a great alternative for films and television. Even the older generation can benefit from the rise of audiobooks as many struggle with deteriorating eyesight. Likewise, children can still enjoy a rendition of their favorite fairy tale even while they’re still learning to read. Audiobook’s growth is set to continue, bringing more voice over jobs into the market. Publisher or voice actor, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon!
How Much Do Voice Overs Pay?
Let’s just be realistic. We all need to learn a living. If you’re a producer, you need to know that you’re not overpaying. Similarly, if you are an aspiring voice actor, you want to know if you’re going to earn enough to quit that full-time job. There are several ways to base your rate on. To learn more about voice actor salary, check out this article. For now, here’s a quick guide on some numbers.
By Word Count & Duration
Many producers pay on the basis of duration or word count. But though voice artists can earn as low as $20 per hour, let’s only consider the rate of reputable and high-quality work. This can go as low as $100 and as high as $150 for a recording of up to 5 minutes, based on an average speed of 150 words per minute. The amount might sound hefty but don’t forget this is the amount paid for a completed/edited hour of recording for submission. This excludes blooper time, extra takes and rehearsals. Most projects, such as radio ads, usually last not more than a minute. While typically, audiobooks are lengthy projects and might cost anywhere between $2,000 to $5,000.
The duration often correlates with the number of words of the script. This depends on the speed at which the producer is requesting for the voice over. The formula is easy. Divide the total word count by the number of words spoken per minute and you get the duration of the recording. Most voice actors determine their hourly rate based on their experience and range of abilities. Some also include the cost of editing and production, i.e. the amount of time taken to edit the recording as requested by the client.
If you’re looking for a reliable platform to source or post voice over jobs, this website is affordable and ensures a high-quality recording. It also offers a wide range of different languages, accents and voice age. Prices start from $6 per word or $84 per minute depending on your needs.
By Project
Some clients prefer to set their prices based on an entire project. In such cases, it can depend on several factors such as below:
1. Is it a broadcast project?
Some voice actors also may choose to charge more for broadcast projects and even depend on the rate on the duration of the campaign and geographical area (local/national) of the broadcast. Non-broadcast projects include ones such as training videos while broadcast projects are ones that air to the masses such as radio or television. Bear in mind that local SME companies might have significantly smaller budgets to spare. Hence they might only focus on advertising to the local community.
2. Is the brand reputable?
Multinational brands tend to pay more, as they hire more experienced voice actors. They are also the bigger clients who may need translation voice overs different countries.
3. Is the project broken down into segments?
A campaign might involve several different ads and clients might choose to pay a total lump sum instead of per ad recording.
By Experience
Great advice from the seasoned recommend a good building up of your own voice acting portfolio. Naturally, the more experience, the more you voice actors can demand. Starting up is always difficult. But once you’ve managed to work with a few reputable brands and make yourself known, jobs will present themselves more easily.
Another point to consider is technical equipment. Experienced voice actors tend to work with more sophisticated recording equipment that can produce superior sound quality. Such requires an investment to purchase and a relative amount of skills for editing. That’s why experienced voice actors can charge more. Some million-dollar voice actors include Julie Kavner from the Simpsons whose earnings multiplied tenfold over the years. She earns a whopping $300,000 per episode. Not surprisingly, Matt Stone and Trey Parker who are the stars of South Park falls on the list. They both are worth approximately $300 million.
Understanding Voice Over Roles
Whether you are casting for a voice actor or auditioning for a role, it is important to understand the skill set that comes with each type of project. Going in blind can be a disaster that causes financial and time losses. On the part of the voice actor, applying for a role you do not have the range for can be a waste of auditioning time and a blow to your esteem. Here are some of the voice over formats to look out for.
Creative Roles
“If I’m doing a voice-over session, like animation or something, and I’m doing three different voices, you’ve got to separate them. You’ve got to find different places and do your different things.” Said Pamela Adlon, the voice of Bobby from King of the Hill. Creative roles are that of characters in a plot. They are great fun but require a dash of imagination and, well, creativity.
Characterizing in voice over films adds a more in-depth personality and quirks to fictional and non-fictional characters. The voice over is not only used in animation films and video games, but also in movies and television shows. A voice actor is sometimes hired to be the narrator to aid the understanding of plots between scenes. The script can function as a backstory or the inner thoughts of a character that can add depth to the main character.
Voice over wanted for such roles require someone who has the range bring to life different personalities, accents and voices. The voice actor should be able to also convey emotion and action in his or her voice.
Narration Roles
Documentaries, audiobooks, museum tour information and GPS navigation. All of them would not be possible without voice over narration. Talents hired for these roles usually possess approachable, clearly intelligible and sometimes authoritative voices. Smooth, interesting, pleasant and attractive voice qualities are also desirable. There is less demand for emotional expression in this role. Although, sometimes audiobooks do require a little injection of personality for certain dialogues.
Translation Roles
Celebrity actress and singer Bridgit Mendler said, “The cool thing about doing a voice-over into a different language is that you get to bring the character of your own culture into it.” Voice over required for translation requires one to be strong in language and experienced in pace. This is because translation voice overs need to be in sync with the dialogue that is happening on-screen. Dubbing is sometimes employed which also demands the voice actor to sync speech with the character’s lip movement on the screen.
And it’s not just a matter of reading the script. It’s sometimes also about acting. Depending on the project context, some skills similar to that of creative roles might also be required. Voice acting is expressed in the same tone as the original audio that is replaced.
Descriptive Roles
This style of voice over is mainly used for non-fictional content. Some live telecasts, news broadcasts, and sports events require voice overs as commentators. For this reason, voice talents applying for such roles may need to be natural performers with a quick wit to create impromptu scripts.
Descriptive roles are also a part of the audio description feature used by Netflix. As discussed above, the option allows for visually impaired individuals to still be able to enjoy a movie in a way similar to an audiobook. Other applications requiring descriptive roles include instructional and fitness videos. Timing and pace are very important as the script has to be in sync with the happenings shown on the screen. Enthusiastic and amicable voice qualities are often sought after for such roles.
Commercial Roles
Radio, television or the internet, commercial roles are a huge contributor to the voice over industry. Voice over advertising has an impression rate of 89% of adults in Britain itself. The rise of podcasts and music streaming platforms brings along new formats of audio advertising. Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube are very popular channels. Today, there are even interactive formats where the audience can speak to the ad to elicit a suitable response.
One does not need to own expensive equipment in order to create audio ads. Today there are reliable providers that can help you to develop ready-to-use audio ads all the way from scriptwriting to recording. This platform has a “voice over wanted” sign and always on a lookout for great talent! It works with seasoned and talented voice actors of all accents, ages, and languages. It’s a great place to put your skills to the test if you are hunting for quality voice over clients.
How to Get Voice Over Jobs
Is a voice actor’s job all about behind-the-scenes glitz or glamor? Or is it an “all that glitter is not gold” situation? Despite the available postings of voice over jobs online, the industry can be fairly competitive and breaking in is sometimes a challenge. To help aspiring voice actors, here’s a guide on how to clinch voice over jobs.
Phase 1: Getting Ready for Voice Over Jobs
Be patient with yourself and remember that everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re a complete newbie, here’s a great handbook guide on Voice Acting for Beginners. The article will cover the basics of establishing your voice profile as well as a recommendation for the recording equipment. To add to that, here’s a list of things you will need to succeed.
Basic Narration Skills
Clarity is everything in voice over jobs. No one wants to hire an incoherent mumbler! Make sure you enunciate clearly and eloquently. Do apply pauses and speak at an intelligible pace. Furthermore, don’t forget to add variations in your pitch and volume. Creating emphasis in different parts of the script can help to prevent you from coming off as monotonous.
Voice Work Skills
This includes learning how to warm up your voice and achieving different range, qualities, and accents. Roger Love compares vocal exercises to a runner who stretches before running a race. If you haven’t established a vocal warm-up routine for yourself, here’s a great article that can help. Many voice actors begin as stage actors. Hence it might be a good idea to attend courses in voice acting or hire a vocal coach. If you have a creative flair, you might find learning how to do impressions a lot of fun. Mastering different mimicry can expand your vocal range and make you eligible for a wider range of different projects.
A Thick Skin & Loads of Dedication
It’s all about perseverance. A rule of thumb is to never compare yourself to other voice actors and acknowledge that your voice is unique. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. Rather, be a little silly because voice acting is about getting loose and creative. Never sell yourself short, but also be prepared for multiple rejections. It hurts, but you’re not alone! Landing your first role can be tough. But once you start collecting a track record of projects, we promise things will get easier.
Phase 2: The Life of a Voice Actor
It’s all about selling yourself and managing your own time. Many who start out in the scene often find themselves lost as they are the boss of themselves for the first time. The time of a voice actor is usually split between reading scripts, recording, and editing, marketing yourself and, of course, invoicing.
Networking Skills
If you’ve read Voice Acting for Beginners, you would by now already have built your own descriptive profile of your voice, and have demo clips to show. Many naturally begin the routine of cold pitching for voice over jobs as a next step. Unfortunately, the method can sometimes be discouragingly futile. The trick on where to find voice over work is simple. Veterans will recommend that you build a strong network and join the community of voice actors. Building reliable relationships from forums and social media can help bring more projects to your doorstep. Consequently, you will be able to establish your skills set in the industry, as well as draw on the support and help of other voice actors.
Read The Script
Voice over needed? Nope, you can’t just wing it! Never start pitching or recording until you have read the entire script. Only after which you will be able to establish if you have the right voice for the role. Always check with the client if you are unsure about anything. Next, interpret the content and decide for yourself how you would like to define the character. Add in a dash of your own creative direction and you’re good to go.
Rehearse and Record
Especially in the case of cartoon voice over jobs, voices are very open to interpretation and imagination. In such cases, it’s good to rehearse different variations of the character. Mornings are the best time for voice overs. After a warm-up and warm tea, you should be able to slowly get in the flow of things. Practice the script until you’re satisfied, keeping hydrated between sessions. Then record and submit according to the client’s directions. Always review your recording and if possible, take the opportunity to offer different variations of voice for the audition.
Ready to Rock & Roll
Here’s a final tip from Mark Valley. “One of the things that I’m realizing is that in voice-over work, you have to actually do more work with your facial muscles and your mouth. You have to kind of exaggerate your pronunciation a little bit more, whereas, with live-action, you can get away with mumbling sometimes.” Voice over jobs may be in demand, but they are also highly competitive. Once you’ve gotten a couple of roles, its important to identify your strengths and weaknesses so as to create a niche for yourself. One in which you can be confident of. We wish you all the best, and godspeed on your journey towards vocal success!
