1. See if You Can Get the Scripts Beforehand

Sometimes, in commercial voice over, your employer might not have the scripts ready until five minutes before you walk in the door. But if you want to get your head around the content prior, it never hurts to ask your agent to enquire on your behalf (or the employer directly, if you’re freelance). Because you never know when they might have things ready the day beforehand.

If you can get them, awesome! But try not to get married to exactly what’s on the page word for word. Particularly if it’s a voice over for a commercial – they’ll tweak those scripts right up to the minute before you record and sometimes even after your first few takes they’ll change things around. Flexibility is the key, so the script is good to use for a reference but be prepared to completely shake it up as you go.

2. Do a Few Warmups on the Way

If it’s a morning session, do yourself a huge favour and start your warmup at home before you head in. Don’t feel like you have to go full on and blow the doors right off doing sirens or anything, but just start really small and gentle:

• A few hums up and down the vocal scale while brushing your teeth.
• Really simple lip and tongue trills.
• A few quick and effective tongue twisters.

And for me, if I’ve got five/ten minutes to spare, I’ll fill a bowl with boiling water from the kettle, hold my face 10 cm above the surface of the water, put a towel over my head to trap the steam in and inhale the steam deeply and directly onto my vocal chords. And then exhale on an mm, nn or ng.

If you’re taking the bus or train there are heaps of de-voiced exercises you can do to wake up the muscles and fine articulators on the inside of your mouth. Writing your full name with your tongue really slowly on the inside of each cheek. Twisting the tongue around holding it in place for a few seconds before releasing it. Rolling through the ‘P, T, C – B, D, G’ and back and forth a few times. Try whichever calls your name, and add your favourites.

If it’s an arvo session, your voice should already be pretty warm and ready to go for a commercial or corporate voice over sesh. But if it’s an animation gig where you seriously have to stretch your voice across a few different pitches and accents, do yourself a huge favour and make time for a good thorough warmup before you head in, regardless of whether it’s an AM or PM session. You’ll thank yourself later.

3. Be Prepared for a Bigger Audience than You Thought

Weirdly, the thing that surprised me the most at my first voice over session was how many people were there. There’s always the sound engineer, of course, but there were also marketing people, legal people, their assistants, the head of marketing, and even the company manager. And sometimes, they’re all on zoom, so you’ve got a lot of different voices coming through those headphones.

But don’t let it throw you at all whether there’s two people or ten sitting on the other side of the glass – they’re all listening to your recordings for very different things and sometimes what they’re listening for doesn’t have a lot to do with your delivery per se. They just all want you to smash it!

4. Pack Your Bag of Tricks

Every studio has water, but you just never know, so bring your own anyway – and plenty of it. Keep those vocal cords hydrated as you go! Are you someone whose body seizes up when the AC is set to arctic? Same. Your muscles seizing up does not help in delivering a great voice over, so bring a jumper. Even in summer, I’m dead serious – they really pump that AC, man! If you’re prone to sinus blockage, bring that vix stick or nasal spray, or whatever clears your nasal passage fast. Does dry throat get you on the reg? Bring those lozenges. Pack your bag and don’t let anything restrict you from getting the job done right. Which brings me to… 

5. Wear the Right Threads

For some voice over sessions (depending on the content) you will be standing in the one spot for a long time. Moving and physicalising on the line helps your vocal quality so much, but even something as simple as changing your physical position between recordings in any way (no matter how subtle) will help reset your body and keep it free of tension.

Wearing something that keeps your shoulders, back, and hip area free from restriction and free to move is the ticket. Even if you’ve got a quick 10 to 20 seconds between recordings, stealing a super quick stretch, squat, spinal roll or whatever unlocks your body makes the biggest difference.

6. You Can Offer Solves!

If you know the reason why a sentence feels clunky and everyone on the other side of the glass is trying to figure out why – offer a suggestion! It took me a while to feel like I was allowed to offer a solid suggestion if I felt like I had a good one.

But also know that if a sentence isn’t working and marketing people or the legal people are nutting it out, then it’s got nothing to do with your delivery of it. And if its got nothing to do with your delivery, do not stress it’s absolutely not your job to figure out the solution.

7. Scoring Your Script

Sometimes you’ll put one down and just nail it. But more often than not, you’ll get some notes and adjustments to make for the next one. Write them down wherever is best for you on the script as you hear them. And if a particular note doesn’t make sense, that’s ok! Just ask them to clarify it or put it in other terms. This saves so much time down the line, especially when you…

8. Create Your Own Shorthand!

This is something that you will inevitably hone with practice. But there’s no hard and fast rule here; you’re the only one looking at that script, so use whichever symbols and notations make sense for you!

You’ll end up creating your own symbols for: half a pause there, big pause here, half a breath there, big breath here, cheekiness on the first half of the sentence, smile on that word there, upward inflection here, hit the T there, more warmth in the voice – whatever you choose just make sure its crystal clear to you, and easy to see on your script. The directions you’re given can range from the very vague, to the hyper specific, but having a visual shorthand for them on your script means you don’t have to remember all of them at once when you’re delivering the line.

9. Ask if You Can Keep Your Scripts

Those scripts are gold and holding onto them for reference is about optimising your next session. If it’s an ongoing gig there can be a little or a lot of time between sessions, and having them as reference is a lifesaver. A quick look over the last script can help you get back into that headspace, remembering the tone you gave them, the placement, the breath control on each line – everything.

If it’s a NDA situation, then naturally it would be unlikely for the employer to let you keep the sides. But if it’s an ongoing gig then nine times out of ten they’ll let you keep them. It never hurts to ask.

Red hot consistency with your placement and tone right off the bat is a real pro move. But also, asking them to play back a recording from the last session as a reference is so ok too (especially if it’s been a while in between recordings).

10. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Or at least try your best not to. I know as much as anyone how chronically overused this phrase is, because if not sweating the small stuff were that easy then we just wouldn’t do it. But if you’re heading in for your first or second session, take it as a reminder that if you fumble a line every now and then, centre yourself, acknowledge it and go for another one. This will happen no matter how seasoned you are and it’s a part of the process of getting there. Do not apologise for tiny human error like tripping over a word. Just rock up on time, warmed up and ready to work and remember that they love your voice. Go for it and have fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

The post 10 Ways to Optimize a Voice Over Session appeared first on StageMilk.

Why Actor Should Do Voice Over?

I believe all actors should take a serious look at the voice-over industry. For one, all the core skills you have as an actor are complimentary to voice-over. The fundamental skills you already have as an actor allow you to skip ahead of the cue, and in many cases make you studio ready, without you having to take a single course. You have already spent countless hours working on your voice, and have developed solid skills in text analysis as well as great vocal flexibility and expression (which allows you to bring the emotional side of a voice-over read to life). So, with a fun and lucrative career on the horizon, why not take a deeper look into the voice-over industry?

With home studio setups for voice-over now so affordable, you can also give this career a go, without having to make a massive investment. Let’s take a look at what we need…

Voice Over Home Studio Budget

When putting together this resource page, I felt that there wasn’t much point mucking around with a low budget, medium budget and high budget option for every aspect of the home setup. The exciting thing is that you can get to an industry-standard setup these days without spending a fortune. If you try and cut corners, and go below a certain standard and price point, you may save a few bucks, but really you just end up with something that you can’t use once the jobs start coming in.

So, what I have done is simply offer my main recommendations for voice-over gear that I use, and recommend to my students and friends. I have offered some extra ideas throughout if you wish to take your setup to the next level.

A note on USB microphones…

Before we dive into my recommended home voice-over setup,  I want to talk about USB microphones. I get it, these are super easy to use, and a really affordable option. But to put it simply, even a top of the line Rode NT-USB or Blue Yeti, is not good enough. They sound great and are good gear, but no professional job would be comfortable working with you using a USB microphone. Of course, you can do it, and probably would get away with it for some jobs, but if you are on a site where you have to list your gear, you just won’t book the jobs.

Do I Need a Voice Over Home Studio?

Even though I have already outlined that buying an industry-standard voice over studio is no longer an incredibly expensive endeavour, it is still a sizeable expense for most actors. Unfortunately, it is very tough to get work in the modern VO industry without a home studio.

If you are with a top voice over agency, you may still go into studios and record. But this only happens if you are a top voice over who is working for major brands. Most voice actors are working largely from home.

Interestingly, with everything that has happened during the pandemic over the last few years, even the elite voice actors are often working from home. So this trend is only going in one direction.

My Recommended Voice Over Setup

So, this is my recommended voice over studio. I have basically listed the products I love that are the most affordable to get the job done. Then, below, I have listed a more professional setup. But I want to reiterate that this first recommended setup is more than enough, and would allow you to record professional-level voiceovers from home.

#1 What Computer Do I need for Voice Over

Every home studio setup begins with a computer, but actually, this is the step most of us don’t have to worry about. Gone are the days where you had to buy a custom made computer for your audio setup. In the scheme of things, audio editing is now considered fairly easy for computers to handle. I personally have always stayed in the Mac world; even though they are a little more pricey, they do just seem to run smoother, as long as you’ve got a fairly recent model. If you go into a professional studio, chances are they will be running off a Mac. While PCs can lack the smoothness that comes from Mac’s integration of software and hardware, they are far more afforable in terms of hardware for your money, and they do have a lot of flexibility when it comes to parts and additions. If you’re experienced with playing around with these components, adding in a high quality sound card is a great idea; external audio interfaces like a Focusrite USB, or similar, will add that extra punch to your audio work (see below).  Your computer’s performance will largely depend on your computer’s processing speed, regardless of whether you’re working off a Mac or Windows. Of course, getting the most up to date computer will help your system run faster, but the computer you already have is likely to be totally fine.

#2 Best Voice Over Microphone

My recommendation – Rode NT1

The Rode NT1 is a fantastic microphone. Rode is one of the most well-respected brands in audio. They are so solid they offer a 10-year warranty on virtually all their products, which is insane. I own the Rode NT1 and cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s one of the quietest microphones with just 4.5dB of self-noise. If you are new to VO, background noise is the enemy, so having a microphone that is super clean, crisp, and quiet is ideal. There are a few other good microphones in this price range such as the CAD E-100 S or even the legendary Shure SM 7B, but honestly, the Rode is sublime, so I would look no further. It is also very cheap coming in at under $300 and usually comes in a kit with a pop shield and a few other helpful bits.

#3 Audio Interface For Voice Over

The audio interface is how you convert the analog signal of your microphone into computer language. It is a very important part of the setup and is the cornerstone of your home setup. You want an audio interface with great quality and clean pre-amps/converters, that is also easy to use.

My recommendation – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

I personally use this interface and love it. It’s cheap, easy to use and very clean. This is a staple amongst home studios and is probably the most widely used interface for new voice over artists. It’s lightweight and very portable, so it’s also great for taking on the road. It offers high-performance converters, which enable you to record at up to 24-bit/192kHz. The preamps are also very clean and are third-generation Scarlett mic preamps. Focusrite has a great reputation for preamps and interfaces, so it’s a solid brand you can trust. 

#4 Best Headphones For a Voice Over Studio

There are tonnes of great headphone options out there and there are lots of choices at all different price ranges. But I wanted to continue to share my recommendations based on what I use, and have worked with the professional environments.

My advice is to invest in a solid pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770s. These are industry standard headphones that I have always used. You will find them in top studios and yet they don’t break the bank. They are super comfortable and I strongly recommend investing in a pair. If you are keen to do more research take a look at the Sennheiser HD280 Pro, Sony MDR 7506 and Audio Technica ATH-R70x. 

#5 DAW (Digital Work Station) for Voice Over

Your digital workstation is simply the software that you use to record the audio. At the end of the day the DAW doesn’t really affect the audio quality, it’s more just for editing, and manipulating the audio. So for me, the priority is the ease of use. The industry leader is Pro Tools, this is the software used in most top recording studios, but though I am a loyal Pro Tools user myself, it is serious overkill for even a professional voice artist. This is simply because voice-over doesn’t require a lot of editing and so my recommendation is to look at a simple program like Reaper or Twisted Wave. Both are super cheap and easy to use.

However, here are some options in order of price:

A. Audacity. This is always the first choice for new voice artists, but I personally am not a fan. Look, it will work and can be totally fine, but I think it’s ugly and just not the best option. For a small price, you can jump up to one of the programs I list below.

B. Reaper or Twisted Wave. These programs are built with voice over in mind. They are super easy to use and give you everything you need for producing high-quality voice-over recordings. Reaper and Twisted Wave are used by many big VO artists. One of my best friends who is one of the top VOs in the country uses Twisted Wave.

C. Adobe Audition. Adobe is one of the most trusted brands in creative software, and Adobe Audition is a great program. If you are already in the Adobe eco system this would be my recommendation. User-friendly, very reliable and a powerful tool for audio editing. This is definitely a professional option.

D. Logic. You don’t hear too much about logic in the VO industry, but it’s a fantastic DAW. The reason I list it here is that many actors who maybe have a Mac and do music editing may already have this program. If you have already paid for it, and know how to work the system, I would stick with it. Powerful software and definitely more than good enough for VO. Though I wouldn’t purchase this if you are just starting out. 

E. Pro Tools. As I mentioned above, Pro Tools is the most well-known editing software out there. But for a newbie, it’s a bit of a nightmare. It’s complicated, expensive and just unnecessary. I would only go down this route if you have a real interest in the audio editing side of things and want to really become a master, but otherwise just an unnecessary cost. 

#6 Acoustic Treatment For Your Voice Over Studio

Acoustic treatment for voice over is pretty simple: deaden the sound. You want to create a space that is as dead as possible. We are talking small spaces, covered in soft fabric. This is why you see many home studio setups with carpets on the walls, dense curtains and other fabrics. You want to get away from hard surfaces and try to eradicate any echo or reverb.

Soundproofing is the other aspect of your setup. This is actually more difficult, especially if you live in a noisy location. Planes, car noise, babies! They are all out to get us! The easiest way to avoid this is to choose a room or area in your house that is naturally quiet, rather than spending thousands on soundproofing. Avoid setting up your studio next to a road, or anywhere that gets background noise. There is no audio plugin that can realistically remove cars or planes. Always solve this when recording!

I would pick a place that is quiet first, and then work on deadening the sound as much as possible. You could look at some acoustic panels or check out some ideas for great affordable acoustic treatment (it’s a lot of fun). I personally recommend checking out moving mats. These are dense mats that are used when moving house. You can pick up a stack really cheap and use them to cover walls or create curtains for your studio.

#7 Other gear

You are starting to look pretty good but you will need a few final pieces:

A) Mic stand. Don’t blow the budget here but aim for something that is nice and sturdy, we don’t want the microphone moving around too much.

B) Shock mount. This is a simple device that cradles the microphone and stops the shocks from you stamping around.

C) Pop shield. I would recommend a basic pop shield, especially if you are new to VO. This is basically a light piece of fabric that is placed in front of the microphone and helps mitigate the pops on words plosive sounds like p and b.

Professional Voice Over Studio Setup

Ok, so want to take your work to the next level, well here are my suggestions. The first area you would improve would be the microphone. There are a few options:

#1 Professional Microphone for Voice Over

There are a lot of options with professional microphones, but after years of working in the VO industry there are really just two  options I recommend:

Sennheiser 416 (The Ultimate Voice Over Microphone)

The Sennheiser 416 is THE voice-over microphone. This is used in almost every voice over studio and is an absolute workhorse. If you are getting really serious and want to get the industry-standard microphone, you are in business. It’s actually a shotgun microphone traditionally used on film sets, which makes it incredibly directional and precise.

This is the microphone I use and it is awesome. It is probably overkill for most home setups unless you are set on making this your number one hustle. It sounds great on almost all voices and is really the gold standard for voice over.

Neumann TLM 103 or Neumann U 87

Ok, I said there were two options, but these are like siblings. Neumann is the best microphone brand in the world. I know, huge statement, but these are just awesome. These are beautifully made, professional microphones that are perfect for VO. The two major candidates in the Neumann world are the TLM 103 and the U87. U87 is the gold standard and comes in at nearly double the price of the 103, but if you are looking to have a top of the line microphone it’s incredible.

I actually think the Neumann microphones are a little more forgiving than the Sennheiser 416 and work better on all voices. I guess you want to know what I would do? Well I would probably go with the Sennheiser just because of it’s name; if you list it as the microphone you use to clients, it will make you look more professional.

Professional Voice Over Audio interface options

#1 Universal Audio Apollo Twin

At the next level of audio interfaces, the competition gets fierce. There are a number of great brands including Audient, RME and Antelope, but Universal Audio is my top pick and I would say the most common in advanced home studios and small professional studios. This interface just offers a step up in terms of audio quality and pre-amps compared to the Focusrite. It also allows for more functionality and different options to make your studio more adaptable.

Universal Audio is a terrific brand. I would say this interface is the standard of the project studio. Both for VO and music production. It’s an incredibly powerful machine and it’s also just sexy. Check out the Universal Audio Interface. 

#2 Apogee Duet

This is the audio interface that I use, and I love it. It’s super clean, easy to use, and just has a fantastic sound. The only downside is most of the inputs come out of the core unit like an octopus and it’s just a bit messy. I think for around the same price I probably in hindsight would have gone the Universal Audio, but it’s still a great unit.

But though these are both great options, the audio difference would be imperceivable to most ears, and many of the top voice actors out there look no further than the Focusrite or other simple interfaces.

Acoustic Treatment

You might be thinking the professional recommendations above are starting to break the bank, well acoustic treatment is where the price is basically limitless. Though you can get away with rugs, carpets and all sorts of makeshift treatment, professional audio treatment can get out of hand. But it really does help! If you are working from home at a very high level, investing in a great space will in many ways be more helpful than a new microphone. The Rode NT1 in a good room, would be better than the U87 in an echoey bad space, so it matters. One option for the serious home studio enthusiast is getting a custom built booth. This is an isolated room for recording audio. These can fetch into the $1000s, but are completely soundproof and acoustically treated for near-perfect audio quality.

Extreme Upgrades: Preamps, Compressors and Channel Strips

So the final step if you wanted to get insane is audio processing such as compressors, EQ and other audio gear. To put it simply, this is overkill. I work with many of the top VOs in the country who are earning massive bucks in the industry, and almost no one uses these. Unless you are an audio engineer they are actually more likely to ruin your recordings than add anything. The other option is getting what is known as a channel strip which combines generally a preamp, EQ and Compression. I you are looking at any of this external gear here are some recommendations:

• Focusrite ISA One
• Grace Design M101
• Avalon 737
• Universal Audio 6176

Conclusion

I have worked in the voice-over industry for many years, and have helped countless actors get set up with their home studios. Hopefully, you can feel confident with these recommendations but definitely do your own research. There are some great resources from blogs to Youtube channels, and who doesn’t enjoy learning about gear! I wish you all the best and if you have any specific questions just let me know and I will do my best to help out.

The post Voice Over Equipment Guide appeared first on StageMilk.

1. Prepare

When you get a voice acting job, do as much preparation before the recording session as you can. Time is money in a recording studio, and so the pace is fast! They want you in and out! If you have to stop to look up how to pronounce a word this can be painful! 

Before you arrive at the studio, do all the work you need to do. Prepare the accent/s you’ll be using. Make sure you know what everything in the script means too! Do as much prep work as you can in the time you have. 

2. Practice Recording

If you can, practice recording your sections at home by yourself, where you can experiment. Try different approaches, like being more ‘intimate’ or more ‘formal’ or more ‘colloquial’. Keep practising until you find a vocal style that you like! This will give you a little confidence on the day, and at least you’ll be coming into the studio with some strong voice offers.

3. Voice Warm Up

Make sure your voice is totally warm before you enter the studio. This includes all your tongue twisters to liven up your pronunciation. Get those sirens going to ensure your full vocal range is warm. 

4. Physical Warm Up

Voice recording is way more physical than I thought at first. The voice artist usually stands while recording, and while this isn’t a problem for the first hour, going into the seventh it can be a little tricky! Make sure to stretch and warm up properly. Also, to fully embody the role, you may want to move around a little while you’re recording. Ever seen footage of Hugh Jackman recording the vocals for Wolverine? Check that out for physicality! 

5. Physical Relaxation

Voice recording is a little stressful. You can pretend it isn’t for like 15 mins, then you’re going to be feeling a little pressure. As the director asks you to deliver the same line for the fifteenth time you’re going to feel that burn. But it’s your responsibility to stay relaxed, and playful! And one way to do this is to physically shake it out! Get up and do more stretches, jog on the spot, a couple of star jumps: whatever it takes to stay warm and loose! 

6. Listen Closely to Direction

Come in with plenty of offers, but listen very carefully to direction as the director has a bigger vision in mind, and can see all the pieces of the puzzle. As a voice actor, you don’t really know what the director is planning. Perhaps there’s going to be music playing in the final version of the recording, or it’s a really quiet part of the show. But do also make your offers to the director if it seems appropriate and they are interested to hear them! You are an artist. 

7. Listen In

If you can listen in to other people being recorded, take that opportunity! Especially if it’s before your recording session. Offer to turn the pages for the other voice actors, or to get everyone coffee. If you can get into the recording room you will learn so much about what the director wants from the actors, and the style of the production. This will help you to deliver what your director wants when it’s your turn!

8. Prepare For the Long Haul

The best note I got was to be in charge of keeping my own mood high. Recording sessions often take place underground, or deep inside some sound proof building, which can be a little stifling. You have to take responsibility for keeping your spirits up, and try to keep the spirits of everyone around you up as well! This means staying well hydrated, bringing the right kind of food, and getting out into the sunshine periodically! 

9. Make Yourself Available For Pickups

If you can, make yourself available for a follow up recording session to do ‘pickups’. This is where you re-record a line that didn’t quite come out right the first time. Hopefully you’ll have a great sound designer who will be on top of this, and pick ups might not be needed! But planning to put a little time aside for this can really improve the final product. 

10. Vocal Liveliness & Tonal Range (Experiment!)

The thing that surprised me most was that by staying responsive to the direction I was getting, I found that my voice really had the potential to surprise me. I came in speaking at one pitch, and started to bring much more range into my tone, so that I was almost singing at times. When you’re only acting with your voice it has to convey so much that would normally come across in body language. So just be prepared for some magical things to happen, if you stay responsive to feedback from your director! And then enjoy listening back to the finished product. Don’t be afraid to take those vocal risks! Remember if it doesn’t work out they can just go with a different take.

11. Bonus: Reading Material

There’s a wealth of books on how to use your voice out there. Some of the all time classics include The Right to Speak by Rodenburg, or Freeing the Natural Voice by Linklater. There are books on really specific topics like voice-over work. Have a bit of a click around and discover the perfect book for you! (ask trusted voice teachers or industry professionals for recommendations too) The secret to books in the performance industry is that they are full of things that won’t help you, but occasionally you’ll find something that does (which is usually worth the price of the book): and reading as much as possible doesn’t hurt! 

Conclusion

No matter what voice work you get, these tips will help you to be the best vocal performer you can be! Anything we forgot about? Let us know in the comments below…

The post Ten Tips for Voice Actors appeared first on StageMilk.

I have worked with many seasoned actors, who fall flat on the microphone. And I am always surprised which actors thrive in this seemingly similar medium of performance. I consider voice over as acting under a microscope. Without our physicality to assist our expression, it’s up to the voice to carry the story, and ultimately, sell the product.

In many instances, voice over resembles a more traditional form of acting. Before fancy digital cameras, anamorphic lenses, ADR and VFX, it was language that carried the story. And our ability to take someone on a journey with words alone was what mattered.

So why does all this matter?

In most “how to get into voice over” articles, one of the main pieces of advice is to start acting class, or improve your acting skills. But what can actors learn from voice over artists? Well, let’s have a look…

Cold Reading

The voice over business is built on quick turn around. For most jobs you won’t get a script until you walk into the session. Where guess what, you are expected to walk straight into the booth and get started. You have to analyse that script and bring it to life in no time. You are normally booked for an hour, but especially with a short script (15 or 30 seconds) the expectation is you’ll have it in the can in half that. This constant practice of bringing to life often underwritten, under punctuated, sales copy is an incredible lesson for actors. If you can bring laundry powder copy to life, imagine what you can do with Shakespeare.

One thing I often recommend to voice artists I’m working with, is to practice reading out loud as often as possible. And not mumbling along, slouched over your sofa, but genuinely reading out loud as if you were Stephen Fry recording his next audio book. Try to see if you can bring the words to life, and make it sound natural as if you’d read it countless times before.

Keywords

Keywords are a contentious issue within acting training. Some feel the term is inherently contrived. That if you are connected with a script you would naturally be lifting and emphasising important words. In the voice over business key words (though not often defined as such) are imperative. Whether it’s the all important brand name or the juicy adjectives that get us to fall in love with that mouthwatering Hungry Jack’s cheeseburger, we must be able to lift and colour certain words.

But here is the lesson. I have gotten to the point where I rarely mention key words as actors are so inclined to misinterpret it. Actors, even experienced actors, seem to clobber them over the head. Smashing that specific word into oblivion! The trick is that keywords aren’t just about emphasis. In fact they rarely are. The way you use those words has to be tied to their meaning. Describing a mystical adventure package, is different to a LAST CHANCE sale. I like to think of them as the delicious words, the words that you enjoy, that feel good to say.

I believe we can extrapolate this lesson into our acting. Whether we are tackling the heights of Shakespeare, or a Home and Away script, finding the salient words to lift, massage, and lean into, can bring a text to life. Practice playing with important words without just giving them emphasis.

Energy

It surprises me how often I am directing actors to lift their energy when they are recording a voice over. There is a push in the industry for “conversational” reads, but it’s a misleading description. Even the most natural read requires a robustness and vitality from the performer.

This is a lesson also for actors who have been sold the pervasive notion that acting on camera should be small. In an attempt to be “real” actors are often so devoid of energy the performance is almost inert. You only have to switch on the best TV shows we are all binging, anything from Derry Girls and Sex Education to Game of Thrones, to realise how big most performances are and how much life actors are bringing to the work.

Don’t mistake low energy for being natural. Ian Mckellen speaking on a whisper is still thrilling to listen to!

Conclusion

So there you have it. A few lessons from my work as a voice over producer. I think there is a symbiotic relationship between voice over and acting and encourage all actors to explore voice over and vice versa. There is much we can learn from these close cousins.

If you are interested in breaking into the voice over industry, I would love to hear from you. I specialise in voice demos for actors and also run a weekly voice over class. Let’s chat!

The post Why Voice Over has Made me a Better Actor appeared first on StageMilk.

Note: Outside of StageMilk, I work as a voice-over producer and I absolutely love it. I make voice reels for actors and I also record professional voiceovers for companies around the world. Over the last few years, I’ve learnt a thing or two about voice demos and breaking into the industry. So what follows is my advice on how to produce a voice demo that will actually help you break into the industry:

Note: voice demo and voice reel are used interchangeably.

#1 Always Start With a Commercial Demo

Even if you want to get into accent or character work, I would always begin with a commercial demo. This is a collection of around 4-7 short advertisements (5-30 seconds) from radio or TV commercials. This is the most common form of reel, as it’s the most common type of work you’ll get as a voice-over artist. You can use this reel to try to secure voice representation and also get professional gigs. Once you have a few jobs under your belt, then you can look into more of the fringe voice over work, such as character animation etc.

A voice reel is like a showreel and headshot combined. It is literally all you have as a voice-over artist to get you work. They don’t care how you look, just how you sound!

NOTE: if you are keen to do corporate work or audiobooks, I would just include a few straight, less adventurous reads on your reel. You can also record a short sample from a book separately. You can then send this sample to anyone who asks, or list the sample as a “Narration Reel” and build this up over time.

#2 Keep it Simple

Don’t try to cram too much into your first reel. 5 or 6 spots is more than enough (many producers and agents even say that’s too much, encouraging actors to stick to around a minute). My advice is around 1.30. I wouldn’t go past 2 minutes unless the work is flawless and showing a lot of range. Quality over quantity when it comes to voice over demos.

When it comes to scripts, find commercial voice over scripts that are straightforward and aren’t going to leave you tongue-tied in the vocal booth. Aim for ads that aren’t complex for the listener, but instead, showcase you and your voice.

Some countries like the US recommend having an even shorter reel and will encourage actors to aim for around 1 minute exactly.

But whenever you are based short and sweet is the key; keep them wanting more.

#3 Keep it Natural

As I mentioned in point one, don’t fall into the trap of doing too many wacky voices in your reel. 90% of the work you will get as a voice over artist will be conversational reads in your natural accent. Focus on this in your reel. Keep it natural and use your own voice. You can still show your range by doing some soft sells, and conversational reads to a few more hyped and hard-sell reads.

Read: Getting into the Voice Over Game

#4 Don’t Steal Other Voice Actors’ Scripts

When I spoke with the head of RMK Voices, the biggest voice agency in the country, he emphasised the importance of a reel being unique. Too many reels use scripts from the same sources and therefore they all sound the same. You want your reel to be unique and stand out from the pack! Dig deeper and avoid hackneyed scripts. Those of you who are writers, get creative and write or tweak your own ads.

NOTE: Definitely don’t steal scripts off other actor’s reels.

NOTE: I would start listening to the radio, recording the ads and then transcribing ones you love.

#5 Try and Avoid Big Brands

Ok, this one is hard to do avoid, and you will likely have a few well-known brands in your reel, but most voice over agencies and producers know who the voice of Mazda or ABC is, so it comes across more obviously as a “reel”. You want your reel ideally to give the impression that it’s a collection of professional work.

The other problem with using big brands is that it can turn advertising agencies off if they do believe you are already the voice of a particular company. I would aim to either cut the product name altogether or use smaller, more obscure brands.

#6 Put Your Best Work First

Like with a showreel, put your best work at the front end. Producers most likely won’t be listening for more that 30 seconds (some would even say 8 seconds), so your first two spots are vital. You also want to make sure you have a confident, and natural introduction. This can be really simple, but aim to be open, welcoming and self assured. No “please enjoy my voice reel”. You have to back yourself 100%.

If you are struggling to tell what is your best work, reach out to some experts. Ideally your agent, or a voice-over coach. You may have to pay for this, but it will be a good investment.

#7 Explore Your Range

I have mentioned throughout this piece I am an advocate of simplicity and authenticity. We don’t want crazy voice demos packed full of every accent under the sun, however, we still love to hear some range.

I recommend that for a commercial demo you keep it natural and in your own voice/accent, but still explore different styles and as much colour as you can. Look at:

• Emotional range – From sad/dark read styles like charity reads to enthusiastic reads you might find in something like a toy commercial
• Pace – explore different pacing through your reads
• Energy – try different energic reads from soft/intimate reads too high energy “hard sells”
• Rhythm – can you play with any rhythmic elements of your voice
• Pitch – if you have the range, show it. Looks at some reads in your lower vocal register, and some that play in your upper register
• Age – can you play with age?

Note: it’s worth reiterating that you don’t want to go too far with range. If you show too much it can actually be hard to discern what the essential style of the voice is. Typecasting is often used as a dirty word in the industry, but being typecast can be helpful early on and you want to make sure there is a unity within your reel so that brands can book you for certain jobs.

#8 Go to a Professional Studio

Getting a reel made can be expensive, but please go to a professional voice reel studio or producer, don’t do it with mates or at home. Even if you have some experience, the end result will sound amateur and you might be chasing up your audio engineer mate for months to come. Chat with a few different companies or individuals, and find someone you resonate with.

One great way to break into the business is to get your reel produced at a professional voice over studio. Assuming you can nail the reel and show confidence and versatility in the session, you will likely end up getting work from the producer/studio. This can be potentially more expensive, but it’s a great way to get a little head-start in the industry and meet some people.

Conclusion

Voice over work is super lucrative, and once you’re in, it’s a lot of fun. But if you want to break into the industry it all starts with an impeccable voice reel. A reel that showcases your individuality and flexibility.

As I mentioned before, I am a voice over producer myself and work out of a professional studio in Sydney. If you are keen to record a new voice reel in sydney, please don’t hesitate get in touch for a quote or even just some advice: sydneyvoicereels@gmail.com

The post What Makes a Great Voice Over Demo? appeared first on StageMilk.

Here are just a few reasons why breaking into the voice over industry is definitely worth it:

Differentiation

Firstly, if you have any acting training and experience at all, it can be an invaluable tool as a voice over artist, and help differentiate you from a lot of the competition out there.

The ability to take redirection, and change your read to fit whatever the job demands is a skill that actors often find easier than standalone voice artists. It’s one of the reasons famous industry heavyweights like Stellar Sound, a leading voice over studio, became synonymous with the industry for so long, as they continually discovered and nurtured actors into voice over talents that went on to dominate the industry. Some voice over artists only really have one style of read, which admittedly serves them well, but makes it hard for them to change things up, and can also lead to them being a little overexposed. Trained actors are known for their ability to change their read to suit the gig.

Solid returns on investment

Voice overs are lucrative, and not particularly time demanding. You can easily tread the boards at night, shoot a commercial or two and even hold down a solid TV guest role, while maintaining clients with regular voice overs each week. And with rates from between $400 and $20,000 dollars for the hour, the math checks out.

Like the idea of a family? Maybe even owning a house? You can afford to do those things if you make it into the top bracket of the voice industry. When so many of my peers are dropping out of the acting game so they can lead the “normal” lives of others and enjoy parenthood, home ownership, and holidays, the voice actors I know are still going strong, and can do all those things (ok, small holidays, but holidays nonetheless). What’s more, as a result of their financial security they can remain in the acting game, picking up work while others drop out, sick of the sacrifices for such minimal financial gain.

It’s fun!

Voice overs are FUN. It involves you making creative choices, injecting your personality and skills into a script, and communicating an idea or emotion in a way that it is specific to you. It is highly collaborative, and you get to work with amazing sound engineers, producers and writers who respect you and what you bring to any read. You don’t have to deal with any workplace politics, you come in and deliver, and once you leave the booth, it’s on with your day, and hopefully onto the next one!

Anonymity

Voice overs are largely ANONYMOUS. Ok, some keen ears and industry peers may recognise your reads on the waves, but your face is nowhere to be seen. That means you don’t run the risk of being overexposed as an actor, and indeed, even as a voice, if you display enough range and different styles of reads. You also don’t have to work a job in the public gaze, and deal with people recognising you from TV, Film or Theatre projects, and asking why you’re pouring beers or making coffee. That means more self-esteem for you, and less belittling and patronising from randoms who never had the guts to pursue their own creative dreams! Yay!

Collaboration and creativity

You get to work with other creatives. Often they are passionate about music and film, and extremely interested in your own creative passions. Many of them go on to direct TV and Film, in fact, while voicing World Movies Channel, one of the talented producers there cast me as the villain in the feature film he was directing, which went on to win multiple awards and was bought by SBS. It’s inspiring and exciting to work with other creative people who share your focus and are striving to a produce work in this country.

Conclusion

Not convinced? Perhaps it all sounds a little too good to be true? The fact is, the industry is very hard to break into, for many of the reasons listed above. A lot of people love the idea of the life a voice over artist can lead, but not everyone can lead that lifestyle. It is extremely competitive, and of course if you secure a small piece of the pie it means you can live comparatively well compared to the majority of other creatives in this country. The trick is to be vigilant, and hone your skills, so that when the opportunity comes, you break the door down properly, and announce yourself as ready.

You really are your own brand, and your personality, punctuality and professionalism are important, but the most important thing is what happens when you’re in the booth, with your script in hand, and headphones on. That’s where careers begin. Because no matter how great you are at networking, butt-kissing or hand-shaking, if you can’t deliver in that hour of booked time, the phone will most likely not ring again.

But if the magic in that booth DOES happen, then the rewards are enormous, and potentially, longstanding.

Your career, awaits.

Want to get serious…

If you are interested in training in voice over, Dorje Swallow and StageMilk Founder Andrew Hearle run a weekly voice over acting class. It’s a great way to learn about the industry and get confident in front of the microphone.

Brand new: if you are based in Brisbane we have just announced a brand new Brisbane Voice Over course.

The post Why should I try to break into the voice over industry? appeared first on StageMilk.

Either way, you’re not alone.

Work in the voice over field can be as mysterious as it is exciting. One minute you have a surprise prospect, the next, you hear crickets.
However, believe it or not, there are measures you can take to ensure that your success as a voice actor continues to grow. Research gathered from a survey of voice actors and coaches from around the world was combined with insights from Voices.com’s robust database to reveal that there are some key indicators of voice acting success, all of which fall under three distinct umbrellas:

1. Voice acting skill development
2. Technical gear
3. Voice over business development & marketing

Here are the details on each, including tips and tricks that you can employ today to help build your voice over empire.

Voice Acting Skill Development: Coaching is Key

Many voice actors first embarked on their career path because they recognized that they had great vocal qualities from the get-go, such as a smooth, deep, clear, or distinct voice, as well as a level of enjoyment for the work. It can be enormous fun to step into the role of new and diverse characters, especially at the pace that voice acting provides. For example, at the start of your morning at the mic, you may be auditioning for the role of a soccer mom, but, by noon, you could be wearing the hat of an international spy.

But being able to adopt those different roles, and the subtle qualities that they require, can be much more difficult than novice voice actors ever expect.

Without the assistance of costume or even facial expression, one’s voice has to carry the entire performance. It’s clear from the research that it’s obtaining coaching to master and hone one’s voice acting skills that is a key differentiator for those who become successful in their voice acting career.

On Voices.com, alone, voice actors who list that they’ve received training:
● Make 13% more on a job-per-job basis.
● Book 21% more jobs.

Interestingly, even coaches get coaching, with 71% indicating that they continue to receive training in order to keep their skills sharp.
Luckily, coaching is more accessible than ever, with 85% of coaches that participated in the research indicating that they also offer remote or online coaching sessions for their students. Given that so much voice over work is completed online or from one’s home studio, receiving remote coaching makes sense. Not only do actors receive the benefit of practicing their remote performance skills, they are also able to access the very best coaching from around the world.

Technical Gear: The Home Recording Studio

When you close your eyes and picture a recording studio, it’s likely that you’re imagining an expansive space with persian carpeting, high-end computers loaded with expensive software, mixing boards, ambient lighting, a range of microphones, and more. But in truth, the home recording studios of today are much more affordable and portable. It’s good to understand that spending more doesn’t always equate to greater quality – especially in voice acting.

In fact, the most important aspect of a successful voice actor’s home studio set up is that the equipment is easy to use and brings out the best in his or her voice.

That being said, it can also be helpful to understand what vocal microphones and recording software other voice actors are gravitating towards – to get a sense of an industry standard.

Microphones

Top 5 Most Popular Types of Microphones for Voice Actors In order of popularity based on what talent have listed in their Voices.com profile:
● Condenser (41%)
● USB (40%)
● Cardioid (8.5%)
● Dynamic (7%)
● Ribbon, Omni, Figure 8, Other (3.5%)

Top 3 Microphone Brands
● Blue (24%)
● Rode (19%)
● Audio Technica (13%)

Top 5 Most Popular Audio Recording Software Brands According to data on voice actor profiles, these are the most popular software programs:
● Adobe Audition (38%) (subscription $20.99 USD/month)
● Audacity (26%) (Free)
● Pro Tools (16%) ($24.92 – $599 USD)
● Logic (8%) ($279.99 USD)
● GarageBand (5%) (Free – Standard on all Macs)

For more on Voice Over Equipment. 

Voice Over Business Development & Marketing

When it comes to developing a voice over business, there are three critical components that professional voice actors hone in on in order to generate the most revenue:

1. Demos
2. Auditions
3. Referrals and Testimonials

Demos: Ensure You Have a Demo for Each Type of Performance You Provide

A voice actor’s demo is one of the most important marketing assets, and professional voice actors know that with demos, ‘more is more.’ That is to say, the more specific demos that a voice actor has, each of which that showcase a specific skill, or vocal quality (e.g. languages, accents, character roles, etc.), the more likely the voice actor is to be successful.

And there is a tipping point: In 2017, those voice actors who had 7 or more different demos uploaded to their Voices.com profile experienced a 290% increase in hire rate, and a whopping 312% increase in earnings.

By having more demos, a voice actor is enabling clients – who tend to have a very specific sound they’re seeking, as well as limited time to find it – to locate their demo more efficiently.

Auditions: Get Efficient at Auditioning 7 or More Times Each Day

Voices.com internal data also shows that voice actors who audition 7 or more times a day make approximately $20,000 more per year than voice talent who audition less than 7 times a day.

There are several productivity tips that pros use in order to streamline their time and become efficient at auditioning, although an important factor to keep in mind is that auditions don’t need to be any longer than 30 seconds of recorded material.

Beginner voice actors especially need to be on top of their auditioning game in order to build their business. The research found that voice actors just starting their career have to spend twice as much time auditioning. Specifically, this hustling group’s ratio is closer to a 2:1 division of time between auditioning and working on voice over jobs.

Referrals and Testimonials: Work Your Network…to Get Work

While it can be easy to feel like you’re in tough competition with other voice actors, in truth – other VOs are your best assets. 50% of survey respondents (voice actors), stated that when they are not right for a job that comes across their desk, they recommend someone else.
So work your network. And if you don’t have one, get to building it asap. There are lots of online message boards, social media communities, meetup groups, classes, conferences and more. Get involved online and in person to meet other people who do what you do. Even if you don’t get job referrals from it, at the very least you will find an amazingly supportive community – a bonus for anyone who is hustling to make it in what can be an isolating career path.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask past clients for a testimonial to post on your website or online profile. Having someone else vouch for the quality of your work and your professionalism can also go a long way.

If you feel awkward asking past clients for a testimonial singing your praises, the next time a client gives you positive feedback on the direction you’ve taken with your voice over, ask them if you can post that beautiful comment on your site. You’d be surprised by how open clients are to allowing you to share those positive sentiments.

Conclusion

There are lots of creative ways to grow your voice acting business, and to ensuring that you thrive in your chosen career path. Hopefully, these insights from other voice actors and coaches will help inspire and motivate you to keep on hustling, and to never give up on your dream. With talent, coaching, tech, and a little business savvy on your side, you could be unstoppable in 2019 and beyond.

The post Thriving as a Voice Actor: Tips and Tricks to Grow Your VO Empire appeared first on StageMilk.

Voice acting can be a really lucrative occupation and having a great voice demo is the key to landing more auditions and more jobs! I recommend choosing 6-8 scripts for a reel. You never know which ones will turn out the best once they are properly produced with sound effects and music.

Note: You don’t want your voice reel to sound like every other actor in town, so change out the name of the product and feel confident tweaking the adverts. You can also write your own from scratch. In some scripts I have cut the brand and inserted [BRAND] you can therefore play with whatever you like! 

Commercial Voice Over Scripts

Introduction for your Voice Reel

It’s important to give your reel a short introduction. Keep your intro simple, upbeat and direct. Something like this works great:

Hi I’m [First Name] and this is my voice reel.

Hi I’m [Full Name] and this is my demo.

Note: You can be more creative here, but I like these simple options as they add some contrast to the more colourful entries on your reel.

Upbeat Voice Ads

Generic

Want to try something new?
Want to meet like-minded individuals?
Sign up for a workshop, short course, or summer intensive today.
To find the perfect program for you, visit [BRAND].com.au

Car Dealership

Slap on the sunscreen, turn up the music. Summer is here!
No matter how you beat the heat, there is no beating the scorching deals across all new, demo, and used vehicles at [CAR DEALERSHIP] four day Summer Sale.

Health Brand

I don’t consider [HEALTH BRAND] a diet, because I still have the freedom to eat what I want!
With my lifestyle, juice and shakes just won’t cut it. I have to feel energised and focused to keep achieving my goals.
[HEALTH BRAND] allows me the freedom to build healthy habits and to not feel like I am on a diet!

Adventure Brand

Looking for a great adventure on the [LOCATION]?
Well, that’s easy!
For a jam-packed adventure day on the water, it’s got to be [BRAND] A great day for the whole family!

Convenience Store

So it’s 1:00 in the morning … and you’re starving.
Nothing in the fridge, and nothing in the cupboards.
You think about cooking, but then you remember the fire you started last time you tried using the stove.
Well, check out [STORE]. They have everything from burgers to tacos … 24 hours a day … 7 days a week.
[STORE]: think of it as your own personal walk-in kitchen.

Telecommunications

A living room or a launch pad, where would you rather be? From your place to out of space, sitting with your family, it isn’t fantasy…

Seductive Voice Ads

Chocolate

I’ll tell you a secret. Seductive, tempting, and irresistibly smooth.
Only a chocolate this pure could last this long on my lips.
Fall to your knees and savour the taste of [BRAND] salted caramel swirl.
My secret. My [BRAND].

Soap

Do you have any idea how luxurious [BRAND] feels against your skin?
It’s soft and soothing—a cool morning breeze on a perfect, hidden beach.
Give yourself the ultimate indulgence.
Try the silky perfection of [BRAND].

Medical Voice Ads

Aspirin

Headaches.  We all get them. We all wish they would go away.
Luckily, there is a solution: [BRAND].
I just take two, and there’s no more tension, no more throbbing, no more pain.  My headache completely gone.
[BRAND]: relief you can rely on.

Joint Pain

They say you’re only as young as you feel.
This can be tough, when 40% of Australians over 55 complain of daily joint pain.
With [BRAND], you can feel confident about the tennis court, the golf course, the game of tag with your grandkids.
[BRAND]: Get back out there and start living.

Skin Care

If I say “summer”, you might say “barbecue”, “family” or “football in the yard”.
Something you might not think of is getting a skin check-up.
See one of the doctors at [CLINIC] today for a free consultation.
And you can head into summer with the confidence you deserve. [CLINIC].

Soft/ Emotional Voice Overs

Pet Adoption Service

We all need that special someone.
Someone to make you laugh. Someone to listen.
Someone to appreciate your cooking, but also to get you off the couch.
Someone to be your best friend.
Adopt your special someone today at [BRAND].

Donating Blood

Did you know that one in three of us will need blood, or blood products, at some point in our lives?
Yet only 1 in 30 Australians actually donate blood.
Be the type to help save lives. Do something special. Give blood today.

Fire Safety

It’s bushfire season, and for a lot of families that means hoping for the best, and planning for the worst.
Have your fire safety plan in place this summer, or you might leave more than just memories behind.

Activism/Social Cause

Change is coming, whether they choose to accept it or not.
And the damage being done by climate change is now too great to ignore.
For those who put coal before people, no more excuses:
Change is coming, will you be part of it?

Real Person

Hey, my name’s Tom.
I drive the same route to my kid’s cricket game every Saturday.
I’m a safe driver. Hands at 2 and 10, the whole lot.
But last time, this motorbike he just appeared out of nowhere. Gave each other a real fright.
Look out for yourself on the road, yeah? Look out for motorbikes.

NOTE: these scripts are for educational purposes and are not to be replicated. Please do not use these scripts in your voice demos, or for any public use.

Voice Over Tips

#1 Nail the Tag. The tag is very important. By tag I mean the final line of each ad which includes either the product or the brand, or both. Always aim for clarity here. Generally speaking we also have a nice big smile through the brand name, which just gives the read a beautiful warmth.

#2 Have at least one scene. Having a voice over script that includes another actor can give your reel a professional lift. See if you can bring in another actor to record with you on the day. Ideally get someone of the opposite sex, or with a very different voice.

#3 Keep it short. Don’t go over 1.30 for a first reel, even less (1 minute) in some countries. Keep them wanting more!

If you want to learn more about voice over and are based in Sydney, we run a weekly voice over class at our studio. Get in touch: andrew@stagemilk.com

The post Voice Over Scripts appeared first on StageMilk.