Get a voice recording

1. Inspire the crowd

Many VoiceBunny projects state something like, "Please read in a casual voice, not like an announcer." This is very open to interpretation as "casual" means something different to everyone. Remember when your teacher would say "Show, don't tell!" when you were learning to write? In this case, audio is worth a thousand words. Provide a link to a YouTube video or another voiceover that you feel demonstrates the style of read you want. Most importantly, explain to our voice actors WHY you like that voice. Is it the perky, bubbly attitude or the laid-back sense of confidence? Try to pinpoint what makes that voiceover resonate with you.

For fun, we asked a voice actor to read this line in a "normal tone". This can be interpreted a million different ways. The read is still good:

But then, we asked that same voice actor to read it like famous radio DJ, Wolfman Jack, and provided a YouTube link so the voice actor could hear what we meant. Now this is more like it!

We used both the brackets within the script box and special instructions in the "remarks" box to be very descriptive as to what was wanted. You can also record your own voice using the browser, or upload files for the voice actor such as videos, images or additional audio.

2. Don't leave voice actors in the dark

Just what are you doing with this anyway? You speak very differently in a crowded room than you do a library. Voice actors need to know who they are speaking to and how that audience will be listening. Instructions could be, "This is for e-learning software aimed at children age 4 to 6." or "This is for a PA announcement at a trade show."

3. Get voice actors in the mood

Our voice actors don't just read stuff for money with their amazingly sexy voices; they are actors! Set the scene, give them a little something to work with. For example, the line is "Where is the car?". An example of instructions could be, "You just walked out of a store with your wife and realize your car is missing. The parking lot is empty. You are not angry, just puzzled." Or "You are asking a 3 year old child to point to the picture of a car." Same line, two very different ways of saying it!

Here's the read from a voice actor with no instruction provided:

and here is the read received when these instructions were provided, "You come out of the store and the parking lot is empty. Someone must have stolen your car! You begin to panic and you are confused.":

It's very important for all voice actors to understand the purpose of the recording. Will it be an audio-book, a character in a video game, or an ad played on the radio? Whatever the purpose of your recording, please remember to always let the voice actor know who the audience will be. This will put them in the right mindset.

Can you think of 3 keywords that describe the tone of voice you want? What about:

• Soothing, refined and mature?
• Professional, upbeat and fun?
• Sexy, inviting and energetic?

It doesn't matter what 3 words come to your mind, share them with the voice actor, even if you think they're silly. This will always increase the chances of getting the right tone for your read.

Only share 3 keywords along with your description. If you add more, it might end up just confusing the voice actors.

4. Provide pronunciation for tricky words and names

Does everyone pronounce your last name wrong? Chances are the voice actor recording your phone greeting will too. Please, provide some good pronunciation help. For example, "Cape Girardeau" (a little city in Missouri) is pronounced "Cape Juh-RAW-dough". Or better yet, record yourself saying it and provide a link to the audio!

This is the read with no instructions provided:

The read received when this pronunciation of Girardeau was provided: "juh-RAW-dough":

5. Listen objectively and trust the crowd

Yes, you hear it a certain way in your head. Maybe you didn't think about pausing in that part of the script or emphasizing that word, but listen to it again. Let that little voice in your head take a coffee break and just listen with an open mind…uh, ear. VoiceBunny voice actors are professionals. They have voiced hundreds, perhaps thousands of scripts. They have worked with coaches, directors, taken countless classes, they have studied the art of voice over and made it a career. The voice over may not be exactly what you heard in your head, it may be way better.

6. Are you synchronizing your script to existing video or audio? Use time stamps.

If you just have a script for your video but haven't started production yet, we recommend getting the voice over recording first and then creating your video to sync with the digital good. This will be a simpler process for your video production team.

Now, if you have already created a video and need voice over for it, it's cool, we have you covered. When creating your project, follow these steps:

1. When asked "Does the recording need to be synced to a video, presentation, or soundtrack?" select "Yes".
2. In the remarks section, share your video. If you can share an .mp4 file this will make the process easier for the voice actor(s).
3. Use time stamps. This will definitely reduce the chances of having to request revisions when you begin synchronizing the audio to the video. Time stamps are very simple to create. Before each line, just add the time at which the voice actor should read it. For example:

7. Does your project have additional material? Share it with the voice actor!

Is this a video game character? Share the artwork with the voice actors. Do you have a storyboard for your commercial or video? Don't be shy, share! This kind of additional material for your project can be very helpful for voice actors.

It's easy to request revisions to your reads because we know it's necessary sometimes, but revisions cost time and money. Providing great directions will help you get the perfect read right away!