What You Need To Know About Voice Over Work
If you’re considering adding a voice over element to your business’s marketing plan, here are some of the key industry terms, definitions, and terminology you’ll come across:
Audition Tapes: Along with their applications, potential vocal talent will send an audition tape containing a few brief examples of their work. These are useful in keeping track of your prospects and comparing their individual skills and talents.
Demo Tapes: As part of the interview process, you will want applicants to, in addition to submitting an audition tape, complete a demo tape recording of a sample script that you have picked out. If you choose the right sample script, these demo tapes can be a great help in picking the right actor or actress for the job.
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: These are primarily targeting customers with a direct sales approach, and will push a product or service as part of the script. Commercial voice overs are powerful marketing tools that can deliver a message with high impact.
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: Voice actors and actresses are often part of these professional organizations, which assist them in developing their craft and negotiate market rates. The Screen Artists Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) are the unions you will most frequently encounter in working with voice talent.
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.
Whether you’re working with actors, professional artists, or just sourcing for new talent, you’ll need a process to find the right match for your project. Being comfortable with the terminology of the industry can help you work with professionals and find the right fit with ease.
About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.
