Doing Voiceovers

Do you have a voice that you think may appeal to the masses? Here are some tips on how to approach doing announcer voiceovers.

Do some up-front preparation

• Assess your own talents and concentrate on what you do well. Many successful announcers develop a niche in the market for their particular brand of announcing. Some simply have a great speaking voice that lends itself to a specific type of read. Others exhibit considerable versatility with their voice and can handle a number of styles of announcing. Still others specialize in character voices; acting abilities are necessary for some kinds of voiceover work. Focus on what you do best.
• Consider taking a voiceover training class or consult with someone in your area who has experience in the field. A good voiceover announcer needs more than just a good voice. There are certain skills associated with the craft that must be learned: microphone technique, studio terminology, and the ability to quickly change enunciations and inflections, to name a few.
• Put together a demo. This will be your most important marketing tool. You may want to consider volunteering to do some free PSA spots for local charities so you’ll have something for the demo. Or you can gather or write some scripts yourself. It’s highly recommended that you employ a good demo producer who has access to a studio. He or she can guide you through the process as well as adding music and effects as needed. Your first demo should be no longer than five minutes.
• Assemble a simple marketing package to send out with the demo that includes contact info, a brief bio and a picture (for on-camera work). A personal logo is a plus. Make sure your contact info is on the CD itself.

Market your demo

• To get a feel for the market, start out by sending the demo to local ad agencies, radio and TV stations, video production houses, etc. Know the name of the appropriate contact at each company. Personal meetings or phone conversations are recommended.
• Much voiceover work is now done online. It’s a good idea to set up a web site that includes your demo and other samples of your work. Also, there are a number of online media production companies that employ in-house announcers and include samples of their work on their sites. An example is www.earworks.com.
• I suggest that you Google “voiceover producers” for a comprehensive list of individual producers.

Some added tips

• Voiceover production is often done in a studio with the producer on the other side of the glass. But online production is done at a distance and you’ll need quick access to a studio where, in most cases, you’ll be the one who decides the best “take.”  More often than not, the person who hires you will require several different reads. Eventually, when you get busy, it may be necessary to have your own home studio.
• Your first experience in a studio may be a bit intimidating. This will fade as time goes by. Before your first session you should practice with a microphone if possible. You should also exercise what insiders call “studio etiquette.” It’s basic common sense: arrive at the session a little early, never interrupt a session in progress, and don’t waste the producer’s time with too much small talk before or after the session.
• As you progress, you may want to join AFTRA or SAG. Union work can be lucrative, especially in large markets. And some of the bigger producers only hire union people.