In our digital and online world, the aural sensory experience that voice-over agencies provide is invaluable. An agency’s expertise covers the entire voice-over process – from the production to the technical post-production and discovering the right voice-over actor for you. For online business and entertainment, or those in the more traditional media, voice-over artists are in high demand. Finding the best artist for your needs requires a decent search, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Once you’ve found your artist, you also need to know how to record a voice-over effectively.
Securing the right voice-over artist and the recording you need does not have to be an uphill challenge. In this article, we aim to look at choosing the right artist and why using an agency may be the right move for you. We also look at the benefits of securing the expertise of a voice-over agency, so you can make an informed decision about whether you wish to employ one.
Finding the right Artist and the right Agency
The best way to find the right voice-over actor, like most professional entertainment jobs, requires a casting process. Casting allows you to conduct a comprehensive search for talent while checking candidates’ suitability for the role you need to fill.
You may have an idea of the type of voice-over you want, of course, but it is always a good idea to have options. When it comes to casting, it is good advice to allow yourself to be surprised at what is on offer. The best candidate is usually the one you don’t know yet!
The Benefits of Using a Voice-Over Agency
For the rest of the article, we will look at the top reasons for using a voice-over agency, to highlight whether they may be of use to you and your project. Each heading below highlights a benefit.
A Good Voice-Over Actor
To continue the point above regarding casting and finding a voice-over actor, let’s ask: what do you need in a good voice-over artist? While you may have specific requirements, there are some general things for which you’ll want to look out:
- Professionalism: Talent is common, but professionalism is harder to find. You want the talent, but it cannot be emphasized enough that you want to find the right talent with a high degree of professionalism. The finished result will come out much better, and for much less stress than you might otherwise have put up with.
- Timeliness: Look for voice-over actors who are punctual and deliver on time. Your time is money, and it is finite, and it is precious. Pay someone to do the job well, and do it on time.
- Takes direction and makes adjustments: Your voice-over actor needs to be able to listen to what you want and make adjustments according to those needs. This means looking for an artist who has an understanding of their craft and can listen and respond in real-time.
So how do you find these skills? And how do you know what to look out for? Perhaps it’s time to look at an agency.
A Good Voice-over Agency will find a Good Voice-over Actor
If you need the above in a voice-over actor, it stands to reason you want a voice-over agency that knows how to find these skills.
Firstly, these agencies (such as Voice Hansa) have experience and know what to look out for.
Voice-over agencies will retain several artists on their books who they work with to find jobs for them.
Find an agency that delivers – you’ll want to find one that communicates, listens to your needs, and promptly follows up to your requests.
You can discover agencies with a good reputation by looking at their testimonials, past clients, and beginning a dialog with them.
Voice-Over Talent is Just the Beginning
Voice-over agencies do not just cast talent – they are involved in the voice-over recording from beginning to end. This process starts with casting the right actor, but the voice-over itself requires careful editing and mixing in post-production.
Sound in media is often taken for granted. Do not make the same mistake. There is good evidence that consumers will stop paying attention or even switch off your media if the sound quality is not up to spec. So much is communicated through sound that it needs to be clear and polished from the words to the technical quality.
Editing and Quality Checks
Voice-over agencies, such as Voice Hansa, have sound engineers who carefully and meticulously edit out any superfluous sound, like saliva and swallowing noises. They will also ensure there are no reading errors during production and be on-hand to assist in the recording process.
Agencies cater for a Range of Voice-Over Projects
Whatever project you have planned, a good voice-over agency covers all types and styles of voice-over performances.
The main types of voice-over projects you can expect an agency to deliver service on are:
- Commercial – a considerable proportion of commercial advertising makes use of voice-over acting. Switch on the television, and you will see the truth of this. Of course, every commercial on the radio by its nature requires voice-over work.
- Animated media – animated features, cartoon network programs, and online animated content all make significant use of voice-over talent.
- Video Games – the video game industry is now a larger market than the movie industry, and it still has room to grow further. Voice-over work is abundant.
- Podcasts and audiobooks – another growth industry. Podcasts have revolutionized how we listen to the world, and there is no shortage of space for talented voice-over artists, for which agencies cater.
- Film and television, such as documentaries – now seen as traditional media, these reliable staples still need and require voice-over talent regularly. Consider the use of documentary narration as an example.
…And then there’s the studio
Any agency worth their salt will have recording studios. And this means all the equipment and resources at your disposal without needing to invest a fortune in expensive, specialized equipment. The studio is a considerable bonus.
That’s a wrap
If you have decided that using a voice-over agency is the best for you, consider looking at Voice Hansa – they offer all the benefits outlined in this article.
Ultimately, whatever path you decide to take, good luck in your future voice-over projects.
