Voice Acting For Dummies

by David Ciccarelli

  After job postings are submitted and approved to registered sites by clients, email notifications are sent out to the voice actor profiles that match the project requirements. Some of these requirements include language, gender, voice age, and the kind of work needing to be recorded. This is the reason why you should have an account and upload your profile.

  Job notification emails include a direct link to where you can see the postings or glean more information regarding what’s required of you. If you’re clicking through a link in an email, finding jobs is much easier than having to browse listings on your own (see the preceding section).

  Step 3: Reviewing job postings

  When looking at job postings, take every detail into account, particularly where it pertains to areas that the clients have typed in, such as the job description and sample script. Check out Chapter 10 for what to look for when reviewing job postings.

  Step 4: Downloading the script

  Most jobs have a script attached to them that you can download and review. The script is more often than not the final copy and may contain additional information such as storyboards and sides. Some voice actors directly read the scripts off their computer screens or iPads, and others prefer to print them off and put them on a music stand.

  If you’re reading the script on a screen, use the word processing tools to highlight, italicize, or bold anything you need to be aware of. Don’t be afraid to add your own direction and analysis of the script if none has been provided. If you’re working from a printout, grab your pencil and get marking, highlighting the same things you would on screen. Check out Chapter 5 for more help on marking up your script.

  Step 5: Replying to a job

  Replying to a job is an exciting prospect, don’t you think? Every opportunity you take advantage of can lead to something bigger and greater than you ever imagined. Taking time to reply is important. Showing up is important! In the online world, showing up is easier than it is in the physical sense, but you still have to be ready and present yourself professionally.

  Being selective with the jobs you reply to can also be of great benefit both to you and to the person who’s posted the job. If you feel that you’re a wonderful fit and can confidently deliver on all that’s being required, go for it! If you find a job posting that interests you, you can reply to the job by submitting an online audition that consists of a brief message, your voice-over demo, and a quote for the job.

  Step 6: Getting a response

  After the client posts a job, the client logs in to his account and listens to the audition responses. Clients can contact you directly through the marketplace using the site’s internal messaging system to further discuss their projects. After a final selection has been made, the client awards the project to the best voice actor for the job (hopefully, that’s you!), and if a payment service is offered, the client makes a deposit to your account to secure your services.

  You’ll receive a notification via email stating that you’re the winning candidate! Don’t you just love to hear things like that? You have the job! This email includes instructions on what you have to do next and links to where those actions can be taken when logged into your account.

  At this point, you may have direct contact with the client and discuss details pertaining to the job. The marketplace may disclose your contact details to the client and vice versa to facilitate easier communication between the two of you. After you complete the work in a recording studio, you upload the file(s) to the job and await the client’s approval of the work, which triggers authorization of payment.

  Recording Your Custom Demo

  Custom demos are more attractive to clients. In an audition situation, voice actors who submit custom demos, meaning a sample read of the client’s script, are usually rewarded with extra attention from the client receiving the auditions.

  For you as a voice actor, the goal is to present the client with something that best reflects the project requirements while demonstrating your vocal abilities in a practical manner. Recording the custom demo also gives you the option to include that significant tidbit of information in your written proposal, catching the eye of the client and raising interest levels in your submission. (See the section “Preparing the Proposal to Accompany Your Audition” later in this chapter for more information.)

  That being said, when clients receive custom demos, they usually give them more weight than a stock demo submission, especially if they’re presenting the demos to their own clientele. From the client’s point of view, a voice actor who submits a custom demo is more keen to work for the company in question. Considering the interest level and the time invested to record a custom demo, clients may also perceive you as more qualified to work for them.

  Think about this recording like a job interview. Do you show up to an interview knowing nothing about the company? Would you send in a general cover letter instead of personalizing it for your prospective employers? Not likely (at least we hope not). Record a custom demo and address the client by name in your proposal to get the best results.

  Custom demos take time, but if recorded with the right motivations and precautions, they more than serve their purpose. You’re giving clients something greater than just a sample of your voice reading copy — you’re giving them a taste of precisely what their voice-overs will be like. (For detailed information about recording your own demo, check out Chapter 8.)

  Submitting a Dry Audition

  You should submit auditions as dry voice samples, which means that they don’t have any other production elements involved, such as music, sound effects, processing of the voice, and so on. In other words, the recording should consist of just you reading the copy.

  A dry voice recording reveals the qualities of your voice and captures the recording environment. Very rarely are voice actors asked to include music in an audition, but make sure you follow the client’s instructions. For more information on including music in your demo, check out Chapter 8.

  Protecting Your Auditions

  Because today’s auditions are typically digital audio files, your demo is more accessible and in some instances can be downloaded and potentially used without permission or without paying you. In this section, we identify methods and techniques for how you can protect your custom demos in the online voice-over marketplace.

  Watermarking

  Think of watermarking as how a photographer provides sample proofs with a logo on them or words across the image that render the image less polished and therefore less desirable for professional use.

  In the custom demo scenario, the higher quality version isn’t made available to the customer prior to purchasing. Although this option seems good in theory, clients aren’t keen on watermarked demos because they distract them greatly and ultimately detract from the read. As a result, clients are less likely to consider voice actors whose initial audio submission is less than desirable.

  Fading in your audio

  How about an alternative to watermarking (see the preceding section)? Consider fading your audio out. The easiest way to protect your audio is to fade out the last sentence, preferably before the end of that last sentence. Bleeps and bloops are distracting and can put a bad taste in a client’s ear.

  A fade is a gentle way of saying that you really want to work with a client, but you’re protecting your work from fraud. Clients should respect this method. You can also try leaving the name of the client, service, or product out when recording the audition.

  Naming Your Audition File

  How can you find a file that you need if every demo you have is called “mydemo.mp3” or has a meaningless file name? Consider naming your demo appropriately so it catches the eye of the client you’re pursuing.

  You can also name the file to reflect the company’s name that you’re recording for. This naming convention helps you readily identify fi
les related to that account or group them together by using the same naming convention (if a number of files are associated with a particular job).

  For some proper ways to label your demos, check out the following list:

  yourname_company.mp3

  yourname_company_chapter_1.mp3

  yourname_jobIDnumber.mp3

  yourname_character.mp3

  yourname_company_product.mp3

  When working with clients, you may find that they have their own preferred file naming conventions and ask that you save the files according to their requirements.

  Pay special attention to file naming conventions. This is important because some systems may not receive your file properly or kick your audition into a spam folder if not labeled correctly.

  At Voices.com, all audition demos must be in MP3 format using a bit rate of 128 kbps and a sample rate of 44.1 kHz in order for the client to successfully play back your demo in the Flash players. Also, the file name can’t include special characters such as !,@,#,$,%,^,&,*,(,) or spaces. When in doubt, ask clients how they want your file named.

  Preparing the Proposal to Accompany Your Audition

  A proposal is only the beginning of a contract negotiation. Having a proposal that is well-matched with the job you’re auditioning for can go a long way in getting the client’s attention. Don’t be afraid to come right out and ask for the job! Figure 12-1 gives you three samples to look at to help you draft your own proposal.

  The most rewarded auditions that clients consider when they look for a voice include custom written proposals for their project. A persuasive and relevant note will catch more eyes quickly than even the most creative demo.

  Figure 12-1: Sample proposal letters.

  Illustration by Wiley, Composition Services Graphics

  Researching the client

  Showing knowledge of the company and familiarity with its brand is a huge help. You can research companies by visiting their websites and social media channels. If you’re on the company’s website, be sure to go to their “About Us” or “Contact” page for key information.

  A brand typically comes across best through a company’s social media channels. Facebook is an excellent social network for seeing brands at their very best. No doubt you can already think of a number of brands you follow on Facebook and just how well you know them and their culture based upon the updates, photos, videos, and discussions on their pages.

  Using these sources helps you better understand companies and highlights how you would best represent their corporate image from the insight you have gathered. This information can be embodied into your read — for instance with the essence of the brand presented in the style in which you read. You could also use that information to further customize your proposal to mention a recent success that company has experienced and congratulate them.

  Looking at the pieces of the proposal

  For best results, your proposal should include the following parts:

  An introduction and brief recap of their project

  Explanation of your skills related to their project

  Your project action plan

  Quote and turnaround time

  Closing statements and contact information

  If your proposal is long, the client may not take the time to read it. You should aim for ten lines or less so the client can review your full proposal quickly.

  Personalizing the proposal

  You’d never guess how far some simple personalization can take your audition. Addressing the client by name in the greeting is one of the easiest and most critical steps you can take to personalize a proposal. Also, be sure that if you’re using audition templates for your proposal, that you personalize other areas and clearly state such things that may, in theory, appear obvious, such as “I recorded a sample from your script.”

  One of the drawbacks of the audio medium is that you can’t really “preview” it before you listen, and unless you spell it out for clients, they may assume you have sent a stock demo, especially if the proposal included with your audition appears to be generic and unrelated to their specific project and needs.

  Becoming relevant to the client

  Say something specific to clients about why you want to work for them and record their voice-over (remember, this project is their baby so they may want to feel an emotional connection with your reasons for wanting to record). Mentioning something of particular note that relates to them is a great way to connect and become memorable; however, if clients aren’t addressed by their names, this strategy becomes less effective than it could be. You don’t have to write them a sonnet, just a sentence or so that sets you apart while connecting with the heart of the project. People make decisions with more than just their pocketbooks and their ears.

  Reassuring the client

  You need to affirm that you’re able to meet the clients’ needs as outlined in their job postings. If they say something like, “I need this done by phone patch,” include the fact that you can do so in your proposal. It may seem redundant, but it affirms for the client that you are on the same page.

  Similarly, if clients want a particular sound, let them know that your audio sample embodies the sound they asked for. Clients have revealed their most pressing needs in the posting. Be sure to identify and acknowledge those needs by briefly reassuring them of your ability to meet their requirements, both technical and creative.

  Handling parting words

  When you wrap up your proposal, be sure to thank clients again for the opportunity and express that if there’s any way you can be of assistance to them, that you can be contacted through the site you have auditioned on. Make sure that you have

  Thanked them again for the opportunity

  Expressed a desire to work with them

  Provided them with instructions on how to move ahead (hire you on the site) or contact you for more information using the tools provided for messaging between clients and voice actors

  Quoting for the Job

  Voice-over is a competitive industry, and you need to decide how you will be quoting for your services. Will it be by word, per spot, per hour, per package, per project, per market, or per page or usage? These are all items that you should consider before you quote a project. You may even consider a combination of these if the situation requires it.

  It seems like all voice actors have their own preferences when it comes to quoting, but one thing they all have in common where non-union work is concerned, is that all jobs are quoted as full buy-outs. A full buy-out means that there will be no residual payments made to the voice actor from the client in the future for use of the audio. A full buy-out also means that clients can use the audio for whatever they want, for however they want in perpetuity. Chapter 15 discusses important issues related to quoting, to ensure you get paid appropriately for your work.

  Taking Care with Each Submission

  When you’re auditioning and have the convenience of using a template such as what is available to you via Voices.com, it can be easy to go on autopilot and let technology get in the way of important choices requiring thought and social interactions.

  This section gives you the opportunity to review key pieces of your audition submissions before they fall into the possession of clients who hold the power to hire you in their hands.

  Proofreading your proposal

  When your proposal is finalized, double-check everything with the following checklist:

  Make sure your proposal is well-worded and contains no spelling mistakes. Maybe have someone else read it.

  Personalize the proposal to the specific client.

  Make sure the proposal is short and concise.

  Contrast and compare past proposals to see which ones may have worked best when communicating
with clients. This is easy if you have stored a number of templates and can reference them within your account.

  Be careful to customize templates or edit parts out of a template on the fly that don’t directly relate to the client you’re auditioning for at the moment. For instance, say you were auditioning for a movie trailer voice-over, but the template you chose to use was recording telephone voice prompts. If you’re not careful and don’t edit the template, the client may get the impression that your reply is a stock response, and you may not even know what you auditioned for in the first place.

  Uploading the correct audio file

  Wouldn’t it be awful to have taken all that time and care crafting a custom demo only to send the wrong audio file? You’d be surprised to discover that this can happen, even to the best voice actors!

  When you go to upload an MP3 file during the audition process, check these steps:

  Browse your desktop to find the correct file to upload. This is when naming files properly really comes in handy (see the section “Naming Your Audition File”).

  Listen to the file to make sure it is the right one.

  Upload the file after you’ve confirmed that it’s the right file to send.

  Some marketplace sites have a preview feature that allows voice actors to listen to their voice samples before sending them to the clients with their auditions. The file may also be stored in a voice actor’s audition history in case the actor wants to replicate that voice-over style for the client if the actor books the job.

  Verifying your quote is accurate

  Of all the factors that will be most glaringly important, your quote takes the cake. When using a marketplace, your quote is often one of the first things that clients see when evaluating responses to their job postings. Make sure that

  You’ve quoted an amount that compensates you fairly and falls within a reasonable range.

  Your quote isn’t lower than the budget that’s stated.