Tips to Keep in Mind Before Hiring a Voice-Over (VO) Artist
When hiring a voice-over (VO) artist, you might think of it as a job you have to get over with. But have you considered that that very person will become the voice of your brand – literally and figuratively?
It’ll be that voice in your animated video, which will be played on smartphones, laptops, computers, and plenty of other devices. So, it goes without saying that you’d want someone best suited for the job.
The VO artist should have the necessary skills, like apt articulation and on-point pronunciation, as well as the knowledge regarding when to pause for maximum impact.
Unfortunately, therein lies the rub.
You’ll find plenty of platforms that offer VO artists for hire, but who among them is the real deal? And it’s imperative to think about this beforehand. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with a below-average VO artist talking in a dull manner, failing to entice viewers.
Well, we’ve got some tips that can help you avoid facing these less-than-desirable situations.
The first tip for hiring a competent artist isn’t about them; it’s about you. Or, more specifically, your project.
So, before hiring a VO artist, slow down and understand your project thoroughly.
What will the tone of your animated video be?
Serious?
Aspirational?
Funny?
Determining this will narrow down your prospects, as you won’t be wasting your time going after VO artists who are not suitable for the job.
A VO artist will require a script to read from. Either you can write one yourself or outsource it. Regardless of who writes the script, make sure it has notes for the VO artist. For example, if you want them to pronounce a certain word playfully, highlight it.
Similarly, if some words are excluded from the voice-over, let the artist know so they don’t say it out loud while recording.
You shouldn’t hire a VO artist in one go. Vetting them is an essential factor that determines the overall success of the project. While they’ll be eager to show you a demo reel, your project will be different than what they’ve worked on.
That’s why it’s best to ask for multiple reels, so you know a VO artist can change their voice tone when needed. It will also serve as proof of their experience.
It’s possible that, even after going through many demo reels, the VO artist’s voice might not click – you’ll find something missing. When this happens, there’s no harm in requesting them to send a voice-over of a specific sentence, preferably one from your script.
This will push you one step closer to finding the right person. Also, it’s worth mentioning that you must pay the VO artist for the sample.
We can’t emphasize this point enough: if your product or service is targeted toward the US audience, do not hire a British VO artist. And that’s not all.
If you can hire someone aware of the phrases used in your state, even better. You may not think there’s a lot of difference, but plenty of words are pronounced differently across the US, like pecan, caramel, or even water.
A great VO artist shouldn’t just do their work exceptionally; they must also be collaborative and communicative.
For instance, if you tell them to emphasize a particular word, they ought to do it in one go without you having to repeat yourself. If the VO artist is not cooperative, most of your time will be wasted in a lot of back and forth, which will not yield the desired outcome.
As much as you hope against it, your budget will be one of the driving factors of your decision. You’d want to hire someone who offers great services at a low price. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case.
On average, a VO artist charges $325 for a 2-minute video. But they back the hefty fee with experience, skills, and talent.
Either way, request an estimate from the artist to determine whether you should proceed or look for another.
We mentioned earlier that a good VO artist is collaborative. This includes being receptive to feedback.
Even after explaining everything clearly beforehand, the VO artist might face difficulties recording their lines. In situations like these, your intervention will be required.
Therefore, provide feedback to the VO artist so they know where to sound more energetic or less robotic. This small step will significantly impact the quality of the voice-over.
Recording a voice-over is not simply reading lines. The VO artist you hire must be able to connect themselves with what they’re saying. And that can only happen if you hire someone who understands what the work entails.
We say this because getting the recording right might take more than a few tries. And until it isn’t, the VO artist should remain patient. That said, don’t be too picky, or else they’ll leave the project halfway.
You could’ve hired the best VO artist, it won’t matter if you’re recording the voice-over in, well, your basement. You should do it in a professional studio with a high-quality microphone and a sound-proofed environment.
Furthermore, you must use the latest tools and software for post-production so that everything fits as nicely as possible. You might think of cutting corners, but we recommend against it, especially if you want to portray your brand as professional and authoritative.
The search for the right VO artist can be stressful. From vetting the person to requesting samples, you have to make sure they check all boxes. With AnimationProLabs, you won’t have to do any of that.
Though we don’t provide voice-over services separately, the animated videos we create have well-spoken and eloquent voice-overs. Consequently, audiences find them more relatable and relevant.
