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.
These are a few of the characteristics that add up to an outstanding voice over artist:
1.A natural sounding voice. Unless you're advertising an upcoming monster truck rally, you're going to want a voice actor or actress who can speak in a manner that sounds natural. Just about anyone can speak in an exaggerated cartoon voice, or imitate the wooden diction of a newscaster - the real test of vocal skill is whether one can perform in a natural, fluid manner.
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.The voice over talent has quality demo tapes. Demo tapes are generally requested as part of the interview process, and you'll need these to evaluate the talent after the interview and testing is over. Professional voice over artists will have these items prepared and ready for your review.
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.The voice over talent can pace themselves. Creating a fluid, seamless voice over takes time, but you need an artist who already has a strong sense of how to pause, speed up, and slow down the message to deliver just the right message.
6.References. Checking into the references that you receive from potential hires is an essential part of the hiring process, as it will give you an invaluable chance to see whether or not your candidate truly is the seasoned professional he or she claims to be.
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.
Hiring the right voice over talent can take time, but there are some key traits to look for during the interview and testing process. Look for any or all of these important qualities during your hiring process to ensure you find the perfect match for your marketing initiative.
About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional
Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the
Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.