Thursday, October 30, 2008

What Makes A Great Voice Actor?

By Terry J. Daniel

When marketers make the decision to hire voice over talent, they aren't looking for just anyone-- they're looking for a professional. It's certainly true that the right voice actor or actress for your project can boost the effectiveness of your marketing tremendously, but that means that you must put forth the effort the separate the wheat from the chaff and choose the candidate who is really the best fit for for the job. No matter the exact nature of your project, there are are several key traits that you will want to find in a professional voice actor.

Here are some of the key traits of great voice over talent:

1.He or she has a believable voice. Though there is certainly a place for exaggerated narration in the style of an announcer or newscaster, you're generally going to want an actor or actress who can perform naturally in a wide range of vocal styles.

2.He or she demonstrates a mastery of tone and pitch. It isn't simply chance that makes the voices of professionals stand out-- voice over artists work hard to cultivate their vocal styles in order to create a unique and musical effect.

3.He or she is willing to provide you with high quality examples of his or her work. When interviewing voice over talent, it's essential that you obtain a demo tape from each of your prospects. In addition to granting you insight into the quality of a candidate's work, this will help you keep your prospects straight after you're done interviewing.

4.The voice over talent can change and adapt to different types of readings. You can ask the artist to read from different styles of literature to gain an understanding of how flexible and adaptable they are. This is especially important if you're marketing to different types of people and need varied voices for each segment.

5.A good sense of tempo. Another 'musical' element of voice over work is that of tempo, or pacing; you should look for a voice actor or actress whose speech flows naturally, and who has an intuitive grasp of the the rhythm with which he or she must speak in order to get your message across.

6.The voice over artist has solid references. Take the time to review references or testimonials to determine if you're working with an amateur or professional. Voice over artists who have a history of quality projects, working with a diverse set of clients, and providing consistency with their work are strong candidates for your project.

7.He or she exhibits enthusiasm and vocal stamina. At times, recording a voice is no picnic; lines will likely need to be repeated over and over to get the exact right take. Be sure to pick a candidate that will maintain a good attitude and a strong voice under these conditions.

Interviewing potential voice talent may, at times, feel tedious, but in reality it is a key factor in the success of your project. If you can find a voice actor or actress with all of the aforementioned traits during the interview process, you will save yourself a lot of time and trouble down the road. - 15485

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