7 Things to Do When Seeking a Professional Voice Over

Voice acting can have a huge impact on a wide range of creative projects, from movies and TV shows to commercials and audiobooks.

But if you’ve never worked with voice actors before, you may not know where to start.

Where do you find a voice actor?

How much will a professional voice over cost?

And how do you choose the right person to match your needs?

These are just a few of the questions you’ll need to answer, but don’t worry.

We’re here to walk you through the 7 most important things to do when seeking a professional voice over.

1. Get Organized

Before you can even think about hiring a voice actor, you need to get organized.

This starts with the following three items:

• Script: A finalized script gives you a clear project scope, ensuring that both you and the actor will know exactly what’s expected. You’ll also need excerpts to share with potential hires so that they can record auditions. Make sure to format your script properly to simplify the recording process and avoid the need for retakes.
• Budget: You should come in with a rough estimate of how much you plan to pay for voice acting. It’s important to provide this information to candidates upfront so that there’s transparency for both sides.
• Artistic Direction: While the voice actor will contribute a unique flair, you should still have an idea of the tone, style, and pacing you’re looking for. This will help you connect with voiceover artists who match your project goals.

You don’t need to have everything figured out in advance, but working out the basics will make the rest of the process that much easier.

2. Compare Your Options

There are virtually infinite options when it comes to finding voice over talent.

It can feel a bit overwhelming if you’re new to the world of voice acting.

To get the best results, look for providers who pre-screen their talent.

This way, you’re guaranteed to receive broadcast-quality recordings from voice actors with proven experience.

You’ll also avoid wasting time listening to candidates who should have been filtered out by the agency.

A good voice over service will take a look at your brief and help narrow down your choices before even getting to the audition stage.

3. Request an Audition

When you browse through our voice talent, you can listen to their commercial voice samples.

These demos contain snippets that showcase each voice actor’s style and delivery.

You can also visit their profile page to find more voice demos in different categories like narration, e-learning, Interactive Voice Response, video games, animation, and more.

If you’re really lucky, you’ll find a perfect fit that you want to hire immediately.

In most cases, it’s better to come up with a shortlist and ask them to submit auditions.

Demo tapes are great, but there’s no replacement for hearing an actor read from your script.

Remember that there’s no such thing as a perfect voice actor — just perfect fits for particular projects.

The right voice actor will make the script “pop” and help you engage with viewers or listeners.

The video below showcases our very own John S. in a commercial for Opel Astra.

John’s strong, sleek voice is an ideal match for the brand’s luxurious image.

One of the most common mistakes we see from clients is coming in with a vague or unclear project concept.

If you don’t know how you want the finished product to look and sound, you’ll have trouble finding a voice actor who can bring it to life.

4. Ask About the Recording Environment

Ideally, professional voice overs should be recorded in a soundproofed studio with acoustic treatment, a high-quality microphone, and top studio monitors.

In practice, most voice actors record from home, and there is lots of variation between setups.

Don’t be shy to ask about the voice actor’s studio (or raw samples from recent recordings).

Audio editing software can improve recording quality, but it’s much easier to edit a recording that’s free of background noise and other imperfections.

At Voice Crafters, we vet every voice actor to ensure they can produce broadcast-quality audio from their home studio.

5. Consider Availability

As football coach Bill Parcells said, the best ability is availability.

Finding an actor with the perfect voice is great, but you need to make sure they can commit to the required workload and reliably meet project deadlines.

Make sure you check the voice actor’s schedule, whether they can make sessions at your desired times, and align on the total commitment so your project can run smoothly.

Remember that you also have responsibilities as a client.

If you’re not fully prepared for a session, you may just waste each other’s time and find yourself paying for retakes later on.

You should have a clear idea of how you want the session to go as well as a plan for directing the talent.

6. Check Reviews and References

You wouldn’t choose a restaurant with a two-star Yelp rating.

Similarly, you should go through a voice actor’s reviews, testimonials, and references before hiring them.

It’s important to know whether previous clients were satisfied with the recording itself as well as the collaborative experience.

This will help you learn things about the voice actor that won’t necessarily be clear from a demo reel or audition tape.

If past customers have negative things to say about their communication, for example, that’s a big red flag.

Can’t find any public reviews? Feel free to ask for references to contact directly.

7. Understand Rates and Pricing

Last but not least, you’ll want to have a good grasp of standard rates and pricing.

If you’re not sure how much to budget, start by checking this industry rate guide.

Of course, there are voice actors who will charge you far more (or less) than the standard guideline.

If you go for a cheaper option, they may or may not offer the quality you’re expecting.

On the other hand, some people will take any opportunity to upsell.

They’ll try to convince you to spend top dollar for their services.

Like hiring any other professional, it’s up to you to compare different voice actors and determine which one offers the best overall value.

If you’re leaning toward an agency, we recommend working with one that pre-screens their talent.

These are usually the ones who look out for the actors’ best interests and are more deeply involved in the industry.

Remember that there’s nothing wrong with making counter-offers and negotiating with actors and agencies.

Getting multiple quotes will put pressure on candidates to offer lower bids, which ultimately helps you save money.

Hire a Professional Voice Actor Today

That’s it! Now that you’re armed with everything you need to hire a professional voice actor, you’re well on your way to bringing your creative project to life.

Don’t forget that hiring and working with voice actor can take a significant amount of time.

You’ll need to decide what to look for, compare options, listen to audition tapes, agree on terms, schedule and complete recording sessions, edit the audio, and finally integrate it into your content.

Make sure to start your search early on in order to avoid delaying the project.

Ready to get started? Take a listen to our voice actors and start requesting quotes + audition tapes!