Hiring a voice actor can be challenging to find a voice actor in a diverse and highly competitive market that meets your needs and requirements. It is crucial to match your voice requirements to an audiobook persona, TV narration, or commercial. It will help to check for qualities and general abilities that will contribute to the overall success of your project. There are a few things to keep in mind before hiring a voice actor to save yourself some time and costs that may result from choosing the wrong voice actor for your project. Here are some vital things to keep in mind before deciding to select a voice actor:
Vocal Range
Listen to some of their work when you find a potential voice actor. It is pretty easy on sites like Voice123.com and Voices.com. On these websites, actors can upload samples of their work so that producers can listen to them before hiring them. Listen to everything they have available and pay attention to their vocal range.
Understand your needs well. This way, you will find a voice actor who best suits them. If you want actors with a deep voice, look for the right one for the task. It will ensure your project progresses well. Send them a copy of your script and explain everything you expect from them. Discuss payment, deadlines, and other things as well. This way, both of you will be on the same page and know what to expect from one another.
Level of Experience
Before choosing a voice actor for your project, take the time to look at their work portfolio. A more experienced voice actor will be more likely to deliver and meet your expectations. Their work portfolio will contain their previous projects and help decide if they are suitable for your project. You can also rely on referrals from others who have worked with them.
Nonetheless, you should not dismiss any applications you may receive. Take the time to go over the project auditions. There is a chance you may find an extraordinary talent that would be perfect for your project. You may need to offer direction and guidance for less experienced voice actors to meet your needs.
Work Rates
Voice actors’ work rates may help you decide if they are the right option for you. You will also know what to expect when hiring them. Low rates may indicate the voice actor is still a novice in the industry. A high rate may affect your project’s budget. However, there’s always room for negotiations.
Voice actors with competitive rates will often be more experienced with projects and understand the work rate on any project. It is an indication that they have a good idea of the amount of work involved on a specific task and are trying to set a fair rate for their services.
Many voice actors publish their rates online. It may be a great advantage to have such an extensive collection of talent online; however, you may also be forced to spend a long time skimming through the large numbers of voice actors who may not meet your requirements. It is essential to know the market rate of your project to find the best option for you. Check the price quotations if it fits within your budget.
Training
It is best to consider voice actors who can display their training credits over those who may not have received proper coaching from a reputable teacher. Check their job bios or voice-over resumes to see if any training credits are indicated. If you do not find any training credits, you can then ask them about their training. It may be unwise to choose a voice actor who is not coached.
There are many available voice coaching services offered nowadays with many reputable teachers. It would be best to research the voice teacher who coached your voice-over actor to find if they genuinely have legit training.
Availability
It is essential to consider the availability of the voice actor, especially if your project is scheduled for an extended period. Opt for a full-time voice-over talent committed fully to the project. They only focus on your project.
You may have difficulty meeting your project deadline when working with part-time voice-over talent. It may also be inconvenient not to have your voice at hand on short notice. They may have other professional priorities to work on. Always find a full-time voice actor who will focus on meeting your project’s needs.
Client List
The voice actor should have a great clientele if they have been in the voice industry for a long time. You can ask them to share their client list and look for local businesses and established names. If the list contains a list of large, established, and local companies, it may indicate many work experiences. In contrast, a lesser experienced voice actor will only have local clients. You may contact the clients for a first-hand review of the voice actors’ quality and proficiency at work. They should also have a good reputation. A bad reputation will hurt your project more than help, so don’t take chances with your production.
Voice Acting
It can be helpful to always consider voice acting skills before adding anyone to work on your project. The voice actor should easily slip into character with minimal or no direction.
An expert voice actor often has the experience, training, and skills to portray any character and not just provide lip service. It may be the crucial factor that determines the success of your project.
Before you decide to hire a voice actor for your project, it is best to conduct a thorough assessment. Be sure to hire a voice actor who will meet the needs of your project. You can take time to interact with the voice actor to assess their level of professionalism and confidence. Be sure to ascertain the validity of their training credits and look at their previous projects to see if they are fit to work on your project. A great voice actor can bring tremendous value to your project and directly impact its success.
