Following is a second career-related piece by guest essayist Leslie Campos of Well Parents. For Leslie’s first contribution to this site go to June 2021 in the archives. Enjoy!
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Simple Tips for Becoming a Freelance Voice Over Artist by Leslie Campos
Most of us hear voice-over artists every day. Their voices are on advertisements, TV shows, audiobooks, radio, and many other forms of media. But did you know that most voice artists also enjoy their craft?
Though it involves reading from a script, a voice-over allows room for personality and passion, and it can lead to a fulfilling career if you approach it the right way. Of course, the right way means that you do it as professionally as possible! Today, Bill Ryan Writings outlines how to do just that.
What Is a Voice Artist?
You probably have a vague idea of what voice-over is. But do you know exactly what being a voice artist entails? Whether you want to build a full-time career or start a side gig, it’s critical to know the true meaning of voice-over. Essentially, voice-over is a production technique executed in television production, filmmaking, theater, advertisements, and so forth. Most of the time, the voice is in the background of the media.
Voice artists typically read from a script and record their work before it is included in the final product. Everything from documentaries to award presentations, from video games to movies and voice-overs are everywhere. It’s easy to see how much potential there is for a career as a voice artist.
What Are the Requirements?
You will also need to understand what will be required of voice artists. You don’t technically need a college degree or professional qualification to get your foot in the door as a freelance voice artist. Many of the world’s most respected voice artists began as amateurs with minimal equipment and worked hard to build their brand.
However, the voice-over industry is fiercely competitive, whether trying to work for a studio or yourself. The good news is that many companies — large and small — are looking for talented, dedicated voice artists. But considering the competition, seeking professional certification could help set you apart from other voice artists and help you get off to a faster start.
If you’re looking to freelance as a voice artist, you’ll eventually want your own professional in-home studio. You need the room to be both soundproof as in blocking out external noise, but also giving it an acoustic treatment by absorbing excess ambience. This will involve some cash outlay at first, but that investment may be recouped later by increasing your home’s appraisal value. With so many people working from home nowadays, a quiet room for videoconferencing is a unique selling point that makes your home that much more valuable.
You will also need specific skills to exhibit if you want to succeed in voice-over. For example, you must speak clean, meaning that you can talk for prolonged periods without clicks, glottal stops, and other mouth sounds. You also must speak clearly and pronounce each letter and phrase without hesitation, mumbling, or swallowing.
One of the most challenging skills to develop as a voice artist is consistency. And if you don’t have it, this career likely won’t work out. You must be able to speak for extended periods (and on various projects) with a similar volume, energy, tone, and articulation. Moreover, you must exhibit excellent control in your phrasing and be comfortable with cold reading.
Common Voice-Over Side Gigs
If you are not ready to start building a freelance career in voice-over, consider the many different types of side gigs you could explore. For instance, you could produce audiobooks for companies like Audible, which would be ideal if you love storytelling. You could look to online job boards like Fiverr to find clients for almost any type of voice-over work. And you can try your hand at narration and character voicing on indie video games and YouTube.
Practicing Your Craft
Finally, if you want to succeed at your career or side gig, you will need to practice as much as possible. Find voice exercises you can do each day and consider hiring a professional voice coach.
Also, regularly record yourself to evaluate how you sound and improve. And consider putting together a demo for each genre of voice-over you are interested in. This will allow you to find areas that need improvement, show others and get their feedback.
It may not be the most common career path, but becoming a voice artist can be a fun and engaging job if you prepare and practice. Keep learning about what voice-over entails, and start developing the necessary skills to position yourself for long-term success. And remember that there are plenty of side gigs to consider if you are not quite ready to forge a full-time career in voice-over.