beedBlidala
Joined: 03 May 2010
Posts: 1
Location: Malawi
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 9:04 pm Post subject: voice overs |
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So as to get any voice over work you, it is critical which make a demo or showreel. Voice over agents will judge you on what you sound like and assess whether they can take you on or not. It is in some ways your audio resume, or C.V.
But what are the voiceover agencies looking ( or listening ) for? Basically, they want to hear what you sound like so they can categorise your voice and see whether you have the potential to make them, and you, cash. The technical quality must be good. It should be brief and not go on for hours on end. A good length for a voice reel would be around 3 or four minutes, but maybe even shorter. Let's look at the sort of material you must record.
For voice-overs you need to ask yourself where voiceover artists are getting the work. Radio and TV commercials spring to mind, as do trailers, but you must also think about narration and the business or corporate sector. Then there is IVR, or interactive voice recording, which is another name for on-hold phone messages. All of these offer a rich seam of jobs for the voice actor. But where do you find the scripts in the first place?
One cheap way is to draft them yourself. Sit yourself down in front of the TV or radio and listen to the huge range of tones and styles on offer : hard, medium and soft sell advertisements plus trails promoting programmes and, in the uk and Europe, the ever-present continuity press releases. Map out several alternative styles and products. Then try writing your own. Make it simple and avoid using real company names as these can date very quickly. The agent listening may also think you have really recorded a commercial for that company, so it's best to make up your own names. Consider writing a 30 second story excerpt and some words that could promote a company or organisation.
don't forget to keep the scripts short ; 30 to fifty seconds each is excellent
Now it is time to record. You will need your computer, some software and a mike. USB mics can be very good, but always try and buy the very best you can afford, whether or not that suggests second hand. There is masses of free software around, so hunt round the net for something that looks straightforward to download and use.
Place duvets or pillows round the mike and this will deaden the ambient room noise, providing a much more professional recording environment.
When you record your words, always play the piece back. Listen for technical quality and your performance ; are you too swiftly, too slow, lacking energy or over dramatising the read? Learn how to trust your own ears. Remember to include some variety ; an agent doesn't want to hear you doing the same style over again.
Check that you've a good range : commercials, narration and company material and when you are happy with each of your tracks, burn them to a CD. Make a simple covering letter and headline with your voice description, for example'young, fresh sounding female voice ; genuine British accent'.
Now you are prepared to send the material out to voice over agencies. Do not be surprised if you get refusals as this goes with the territory, but hopefully if your demo is of an adequate quality and they like your voice you could be considered. |
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