![]() These days, more and more audio is self-recorded and self-directed. The audio was recorded by an audio engineer in the studio. Once upon a time, a voice over artist would just speak in a live session. Is that Cee-Eye-Ess, or Siss? It’s helpful to clarify these before recording.ĥ – Let The Voice-Over Know Where They Fit Into Your Production Process. ![]() For example: Your sub-team is called CIS. It is likely to also flag up any odd pronunciations. It will help make your voice over recording sound human. Does it sound right? Does it flow? Does it fall over and read clumsily? People are self-conscious about reading out loud, but it can make all the difference to your end-product. It’s worth reading your script out loud just to see if it ‘scans’. The point is that we don’t speak as we write. A client might lift the copy from an internal presentation and re-purpose it for their video. Sometimes scripts are lifted from other material. If I knew which demo, and which particular clip clinched it, I’d be much more prepared to give the client exactly what they want.Ĥ – Read Your Script Out-Loud Before You Send It. ![]() I am often told, “we’ve sent your demo to the client, and they picked you”. As such, our demos can feature varying styles of content, even within the same genre. When we put together our demos, we are advised to show our range and capabilities. So, if you’re straightforward in asking for say, 12 months usage, you could save a considerable amount.ģ – If You Hired Them Because Of A Specific Demo Clip, Tell Them. Most content is unlikely to have a shelf life beyond that point. To give you an example, I’ve seen advice from my peer group suggesting that an ‘in perpetuity’ request should carry a usage buy-out fee of at least 5 years. If you want a voiceover for a particular use, be clear, and you’ll be quoted for that use, which will be significantly less that the price for ‘all media, in perpetuity’. Either way, broad sweeping clauses reduce quality. Or you end up with an industry of part-time hobbyists, because it’s not a viable full-time career. If you take away the ability to do the high end jobs, it means the voice over will have to charge more for the smaller jobs. That balance makes their profession viable. Many voice over artists work across a range of projects with varying prices. Do that enough times, in enough sectors, you close down your career. If I agreed to the catch-all use for your project, I cannot guarantee exclusivity for other jobs. That TV commercial may well require broadcast exclusivity in a particular sector. Next week, I could be auditioning for a TV commercial worth £10k. I’m working for you this week on a corporate project worth £500. You might think the catch-all clause above is ideal, but for many professionals it will rule them out. In my experience, most voice over artists want good working relationships and have an expectation of ‘fair use’. ![]() Like the lawyer was covering his backside in case the client wanted to broadcast the ad on Mars. Believe it or not, I was once asked to sign a contract that said, “in the universe”. Sometimes they have a legal department that advises such a catch-all because it simplifies a procedure or negotiation. ![]() Some production companies want to simplify how the client might use the material, so they’ll say – “all media, in perpetuity, worldwide”. What is the outcome? What do you want the viewer or listener to take away from your content? What are we trying to make them do? Who are you? Is the voice over a spokesperson for the company, a happy customer, an impartial observer or someone else? Where are you? Is the voiceover in the factory, shouting over the equipment, or are they in an e-learning module, whispering into the ear of the viewer? That way I approach the voice over from the “same page”. It helps if I am able to share your vision. I like to think I know what I’m doing, but even I occasionally see a rough cut, and go “oh”, as the penny drops. If you’ve got a video, or music, or a storyboard… share it. Personally, I think bringing the voiceover into the loop helps. I’m often amazed at the amount of discussion that goes on between creatives and others in the team back and forth to make the script word perfect, but then it is handed over to the voice-over artist with no guidance or explanation. What is the relationship? Why am I having this conversation? What am I communicating? Of course, a good actor will always interrogate the script, but they may arrive at a different conclusion from you. I always like to be clear about who I’m talking to and why. I would say that some detail is always helpful. You might think that by leaving the brief blank that you are helping the voice-over artist. Here are some tips that you might not have thought of. But, how do you maximise the performance and get the best results for your voice-over project? Working with a voice over artist should be easy. ![]()
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