As anyone who’s heard a voiceover on the radio, seen a commercial or used an online educational platform knows, a good voice is essential. And the demand for professional freelance voiceover actors keeps growing, fueled by lucrative internet markets like audiobooks, webcasts and phone apps. The industry may be less tight-knit than it once was and there’s more competition than ever, but that doesn’t mean finding quality voices is difficult. In fact, it’s easier than ever to hire a voiceover artist for your next project.
Whether you’re looking for a high-quality narration for a commercial or an animated film, you can find the right voice over actor for your project on a freelance marketplace in minutes. Simply post your job, select a budget and a range you’d like talent to quote within, then make your selections. Once you’ve made your choice, pay only when you’re satisfied with your final audio files. With free escrow via SurePay(tm), you can hire confidently, knowing your payment is held safely until the job is done and you’re satisfied with the result.
A voiceover artist reads a script to record audio for projects like radio ads, television commercials, podcasts and movies. They have a wide variety of career and educational backgrounds, from experienced actors, singers and radio DJs who use their talents as a side gig to successful top professionals, whose voice acting is the sole source of income.
The most important skill for a voice actor is clarity: They must be able to pronounce each word in their recording so the audience can perceive them correctly. And they must also be able to convey emotion and inflection to make their performance sound natural and engaging.
Another key skill for a voice over artist is versatility. They often work across multiple industries, and they need to be able to perform different characters for each project. For example, they might have to narrate the side effects of medication for a medical advertisement and then provide the soothing voice of an animal character for a children’s e-learning program.
For someone just starting out in the voiceover industry, it’s helpful to build a portfolio of samples. This can be in the form of a demo reel, which features a collection of short recordings that demonstrate different types of voice acting and show employers their range of skills. Alternatively, a voice actor can also join a talent agency to gain access to auditions for projects that match their qualifications.
The most successful voiceover artists will have a strong work ethic and be able to network with other professionals in the field to find jobs that fit their talents and experience level. They can also establish connections with production companies that have ongoing needs for voice overs, which can help them find consistent work.