Six Typical Errors in Voice Actor Casting

Six Typical Errors in Voice Actor Casting
4 min read
16 December 2022

If you've never had the need for a voice over actor before, but find yourself in a circumstance where one is required, it's crucial to avoid the pitfalls that typically develop. Competent voice talent is easy to locate online; finding a great one and getting exactly what you want from their services is more difficult.

A Bad Part for the Project's Spokesman to Play

Even though most voice performers are skilled at modulating their voices for different roles, sometimes the wrong tone is needed. Consider the desired tone and whether or not they can successfully convey it.

In the case of advertising, for instance, you might need a voice over actor. Even if they only utter a few words, their voice must be clearly audible above the jingle or other background music in the commercial. They need to find a way to make their voice stand out without being annoying.

Drops of Knowledge, but No Guarantees

Your hired voice actor can bring scripts to life, but they can't read your thinking. Don't be that guy who gives them conflicting or no instructions at all. They must be informed as to your motivations for creating this material.

For the sake of this demonstration, let's use the commercial once more: explain to them why you're doing this ad. The voice actor would benefit from as much information as possible. Give them more than just a stack of paper with text on it and assume they will figure it out.

Forgoing Quality in Favor of Saving Money

As a small firm on a tight budget, you may decide to investigate the most affordable alternative among a variety of possibilities. However, not all voice actors offer the same quality of service, so proceed with caution. To a certain extent, you get what you pay for, therefore it's in your best interest to budget carefully.

Skipping Vital Steps in Preparation

Picking a voice over actor requires careful consideration of several things. This endeavour may be time-consuming, but the benefits are worthwhile. Whether or not they are suitable for your requirements is not something that can be determined by glancing at a single feature.

Some freelancing websites, for instance, allow clients to rate the quality of their service providers. It would be a mistake to treat this list as infallible. Indeed, the reverse might be true. It's possible that a freelancer with a perfect 5-star rating isn't the ideal choice for your project, while a freelancer with a considerably lower rating may be great but still learning the ropes. Before making a final decision, you should weigh their portfolio, experience, recommendations, and whatever else you can get your hands on.

Going Through the Motions of the First Step

As an illustration, if you need 300 yoga position guides, you should employ a voice over actor all at once so they can get started producing. However, just because you've found one service provider, that doesn't mean you should stop looking. It's a big mistake to think a new freelancer can handle a major assignment without previous expertise.

Instead, you should give each person a manageable assignment or divide the whole workload equally among them. You may, for instance, request that they produce only 10 commercials. When they've done the sample, give them more to do. You should wait until you can trust someone completely before handing up a significant duty.

To rephrase, you should aim towards something.

The worst thing you can do when starting a new profession is to go into it without any sort of plan. You should know what you hope to accomplish with the tutorial videos and audios, and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy, before you begin your search for a voice over actor.

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Cary Lin 3
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