Friendster’s Professional Voice Overs

A solid voiceover script is the key to success for your podcast or your radio and television commercials. Writing voiceover scripts that are compelling and persuasive is very different from writing print ads and small blurbs that appear on online advertisements.

Peter Drew, an experienced voice over artist who provides voiceovers via the Internet and for several radio networks, highlights the importance of ‘writing for the ear, not the eye.’ That is, you will want to write very short, concise and succinct messages that sound like a real conversation. At first, this can sound like a very unnatural style of writing - especially if you’re used to creating marketing copy for print ads - however, it is the only way you will truly develop a compelling and realistic voice over segment.

Listed here are some techniques you can immediately apply to improve your voiceover copies and get results out of them.

1. Make sure everything is in the active voice. Voiceovers need to take place in the present time, as if they were a real conversation. Make sure the whole script is written in the active voice so that the audience can identify with the messages easily.

2. Attach a windscreen to your microphone. A lot of unwanted noise are produced if your script is filled with words beginning in ‘T’, ‘P’ and ‘B’. A windscreen protects your mic from catching these unwanted noises. This will free your voiceover artist from worrying about sound quality and instead focus on delivering the meaning behind your message.

3. Highlight inflections or nuances in your copy. Marking up significant words or phrases in your script will help an artist understand and convey the subtleties of your message. You need to read out aloud the script first then identify significant words or phrases that needs to be stressed. Then you can either underline, italicize, or mark those important words and phrases in your script.

4. Write down phone numbers in word form. Numbers are also words that would need to be read. Spell each number so that you can detect if there are any blockages to your script’s overall impact. Be prepare to edit your script if any part sounds inappropriate.

5. Use your headline effectively. Listeners will hear your headline first so make sure this is interesting. A headline should be no more than ten words and declares a minimum of one significant point.

A script should always be compatible with the voiceover talent. A script writer should therefore always bear in mind the personality of the talent when composing the script. You can also adjust the script once you have chosen a voiceover talent. Fine-tune the script so that it matches the talent’s positive and even negative features. In addition, provide ample time for your talent to practice. Follow all of these tips and you’ll be producing effective scripts in no time.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since’91.

You’re ready to do a professional recording after you’ve found a talent and have made a script. Doing a recording might seem daunting however there are some computer softwares that will provide you the tools you need to craft the whole project on your own even without the help of a videographer or a production team.

There is a significant amount of preparation required to ensure that the environment in which you record the voice over will help you create a quality piece. Here are some essential tips when preparing the room for your voiceover recording:

1. Check all your equipment. Booking the voiceover talent for the project and then wasting several hours testing equipment will cost you. Jay Rose, the author of the book “Producing Great Sound for Digital Video” suggests that you make sure you get the right kind of equipment and test it well before production day. Even testing it a few hours before production time can reduce unforeseen delays.

2. Test a room for echoes. You can find out if a room creates an echo effect by doing some test records in it. Close all doors, windows and check all your equipments to eliminate or at least minimize echoes.

3. Make use of a background music. A Narration should feel and sound like as if the narrator is having an intimate conversation with the audience. There should not be any ‘white noise’ to produce this effect. If you find that you’re recording a lot of ‘white noise’ and can do nothing about it, I suggest you use a background music to somehow mask those noises.

4. Find the best position in the room for the recording. There are no rules about where to position the microphone, so feel free to move the mic setup into different areas of the room to get the right sound. You don’t want to record when the sounds seem hollow or filtered in any way. Move around to find the best fit.

5. Ignore outside noises and minute sounds. In reality, anything can affect the quality of your voiceover recordings, from lightning fixtures to everyday outside traffic. The truth is most mics are not that sensitive to pick-up these noises. If these noises go through your recording, purchase a high-pass filter for your microphone for finer voiceovers.

6. Quiet vents, air conditioners and computer fans. If you’re working in a very small space, you may have left computers or an A/C on during the recording. Sounds from these machines can cause some turbulence for your recording, so it’s a good idea to turn them off for as long as possible during each recording segment.

As a final advice, oversee your production using a pair of headphones. Go to a different room and make use of playback functions to hear mistakes as soon as possible. This will save you a lot of time as it allows you to address audio quality issues on the recording day itself.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

As you develop a successful marketing and advertising plan, your creative strategy may include multimedia channels such as audio and video segments. Many companies continue to use radio and television as their primary sources of advertising, but now there are even more options with web-based advertising such as podcasting, webinars, and video commercials broadcast across the internet.

All of these outlets offer ways to deliver your company’s most important messages, but creating a visual impact isn’t your only option. It’s become even more important to develop a key slogan or message that customers can link to your brand, and voice overs are one way to make your advertising stand apart from the rest.

In nearly every marketing situation, there is something to be said for hiring voice over talent to speak directly to potential customers. Below, I have list just six of the myriad of reason to hire a professional voice actor or actress for your campaign.

1. Voice overs make your brand more memorable. Associating a unique, likable voice with your marketing is a great way to give your brand a more recognizable, human element. Since potential customers are exposed to so much faceless advertising each day, unique touches like the perfect voice can set you apart.

2. To polish the appearance of your marketing. Marketing is always concerned with portraying a product or service and the organization that provides it in the best possible light. A good voice over can do a lot to increase both the professionalism and relatability of your ad campaign, making your product or service palatable to wider audience.

3. Voice overs differentiate you from your competition. For marketers attempting to sell a product or service in an already-crowded market, the only way to position yourself as a leading member of your industry is to immediately evoke a unique, powerful presence. Professional voice overs are a great way to achieve this.

4. Professional voice talent will render your message more powerful. While so many advertisements concentrate on flashy visuals and text, you should keep in mind that human speech has always been our basic method of commuhnication. For this reason, people listen when they hear someone speaking, particulaly someone possessed of a convincing, polished voice.

5.To drive up website hits. In the marketing world of today, it is becoming more and common for everything to point back to one’s online presence. In your marketing campaigns, it’s a great idea to incorporate messages that lead back to your website, and voice overs, whether contained in podcasts, webinars, or other, more traditional media, provide a great opportunity to do this.

6. Voice overs can cost less than other forms of advertising. Both radio and podcasts can cost much less than other advertising mediums such as television and online video production. If you’re working with a tight marketing budget, you can invest in quality voice overs to create the biggest impact with your marketing dollars.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Dozens of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

Voice overs are quickly becoming one of the most important elements of any marketing strategy and advertising campaign, and are a valuable way to persuade your target market consistently, and effectively. By adding a human element to your marketing messages, you can encourage people to pay attention, boost sales, and most importantly, create a positive brand connection with all customers.

If you’re considering adding a voice over element to your business’s marketing plan, here are some of the key industry terms, definitions, and terminology you’ll come across:

Audition Tapes: Prospective voice actors and actresses will submit their audition tapes as they apply for the job. In addition to allowing you to judge the abilities of each actor, these tapes also can be kept on hand to help you keep track of the numerous applicants you will be interviewing.

Demo Tapes: As part of the interview process, you will want applicants to, in addition to submitting an audition tape, complete a demo tape recording of a sample script that you have picked out. If you choose the right sample script, these demo tapes can be a great help in picking the right actor or actress for the job.

Recording Studio: In order to obtain a demo tape, audition tape, or other vocal performance, you’ll need a studio in which to records. If your voice actor or actress has a recording studio setup in his or her, you may be able to save on renting a space for your project.

ISDN: ISDN recordings, which have greater clarity than recordings produced by the average recording studio, are generally used by professional voice actors and actresses.

Commercial Voice Overs: Intended to push a service or product, commercial voice over scripts take a direct sales approach. With the right actor or actress, a commercial voice over can make your campaign much more effective and memorable.

Narrative Voice Overs: These often accompany a film, video, or story and are scripted to entertain and inform, rather than sell. However, you may require a narrative voice for a portion of a commercial or sales segment.

Impressions: These are the types of voice overs that impersonate a famous person, celebrity, or imitate an historically famous personality. Impressions are a great way to make your message stand apart from the competition, and you can find many royalty-free scripts with this distinguishing feature in mind.

Performers’ Unions: Voice actors and actresses are often part of these professional organizations, which assist them in developing their craft and negotiate market rates. The Screen Artists Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) are the unions you will most frequently encounter in working with voice talent.

Actors: The voice industry is full of actors and actresses with a knack for drama, who entered the field because of its unique nature and potential profitability. The voices provided by professional talent can help give your marketing a human flavor.

No matter what the project is that you are hiring for, you should take an organized approach towards searching for talent. Knowing the lexicon used to discuss voice acting affairs will help you fit in with professionals and find the right fit for your job.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

When you’re searching for the right match in voice over talent, there are a few key traits that set apart the good from the great. Hiring great voice over talent means you can count on professional services and enhance your advertising for maximum impact. Whether you’re creating slogans, delivering a narration, or just need a voice over artist to stage a mock conversation, finding the right fit is an important part of your marketing plan. Voice over talent agents can work with you to narrow down a few choices, but the final decision rests in your hands.

Here are some of the key traits of great voice over talent:

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.He or she exhibits a good vocal flow. In everyday speech, most of us stop and start erratically, and do not have much control over our speed. In the case of a professional voice over artist, this should not be so - a voice actor or actress should be able to speak in a fluid manner.

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.The voice over artist has a high energy level. You need to work with someone who can withstand the stresses and pressure of recording, re-recording, and in many cases, starting from scratch. Try to determine if they can articulate and develop a strong voice even when they may be tired or repeating the same piece for an extended period of time.

Interviewing potential voice talent may, at times, feel tedious, but in reality it is a key factor in the success of your project. If you can find a voice actor or actress with all of the aforementioned traits during the interview process, you will save yourself a lot of time and trouble down the road.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Dozens of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

The sheer number of voice actors vying for jobs today can be a little overwhelming when you’re looking for the one perfect candidate to represent your project.  Take your search online can be a great way to streamline the process of finding the right voice actor for the job.

The internet offers many resource and options for putting together your multimedia project.  You can locate scripts from a database, or create a script of your own and find just the right tone and theme by reviewing samples of other companies in a few clicks.  The web allows you to view artist portfolios and samples with ease;  many professionals upload clips of previous projects as samples which saves you time during your hiring process, and can help you narrow down your search.  From reviewing resumes to conducting online interviews, the internet is making the voice over talent search much easier and effective.

Though the web can definitely make your search for talent quicker and more efficient,  without the appropriate strategy it can turn into a gigantic waste of time. Potential voice actors you find online, for example, may not be as reliable as they first appear, and may delay your progress by failing to submit their samples in a timely manner. These kinds of obstacles can be easily surmounted, however, with a little bit of know-how.  Here are some valuable tips on hiring voice talent on the web:

1. Ask for web-based samples after initial contact.  Professionals will be able to send over an .mpeg sample or direct you to samples they have available online; this can make it much easier to distinguish the professionals from the amateurs, and save you time in sending and receiving demo tapes, or setting up an audition.  You can use this step as the first part of your screening process.

2. Request a formal resume.  All potential candidates should be able to submit a professional resume that includes references and experience working with various clients.  Don’t be afraid to contact previous clients for a testimonial or reference, and be sure to pick at least two different companies for a fair assessment of the talent’s ability to deliver on the project.

3. Ask the candidate for a preferred rate.  You should make sure you understand how much the actor would like to be paid, and when.  Actors may want to be compensated either per hour or per project, and though some do not mind being compensated on delivery, others may want a portion up front.

4. Conduct a telephone interview.  Telephone interviews are best for any talent you may not have the opportunity to meet with in person.  Telephone interviews can touch upon previous work, a brief script reading, and to gauge the confidence level of your candidate.

5. Ask if they can provide all services digitally.  Some professionals have the equipment and skills to record the voice over in their home studio, convert it into a media file for review, and allow you to download it directly from the web.  Find out what your options are, and plan accordingly to save on mailing fees, travel expenses, and other costs typically incurred for projects of this scope.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Companies and Agencies Since 1991.

Hiring a voice over actor or actress means that you must go through a process that involves scheduling interviews, listening to demos of the various applicants, and having potential hires read from a sample script. The right sample script will help you to get more out of your interviews than you would otherwise; your applicants’ readings will serve as helpful examples of the kind of work they will produce if you ultimately choose to hire him or her.

You don’t need to give applicants too long to prepare for a sample script reading, as there is generally no line memorization involved. The applicants can make use of the script as they perform their reading, so they should only need an hour or so to get comfortable with the script before going into the studio.

Many companies struggle with determining what type of tone and style they are looking for. The best way to start is to narrow down who you are marketing to. Learning the demographics of the target market will help you narrow down the different types of voices that would be most appropriate for your advertising or other promotions. This approach can also help eliminate most of the voice over talent applicants during the initial stages, making your hiring process much easier.

In order to decide what sample scripts you will use, you will need to think about several different factors; you will need to select scripts that will give you a good idea of the breadth and nature of your applicants’ talents. To make sure that you choose voice talent that is a tonal and stylistic match with what your business is trying to accomplish, you will also want to consider what type of marketing you’re trying to create. What are the general themes you’re looking to tackle? Will the tone be authoritative, or do you want to make listeners laugh? These decisions will guide you in the selection of your sample scripts.

Finding voice over scripts is easy with a simple search online. Many script databases are available free of charge, and give you a chance to search by keyword, theme, or subject. Look for scripts that are similar in scope to your field, or pick something that challenges the applicant to try different styles and themes. Many voice over script collections are royalty-free, affordable, and from trusted sites and projects. These can also be a great resource for developing and adapting your own scripts, and give you some more ideas for making different types of scripts with your key goals in mind.

Last of all, you are going to want to obtain a demo script of each applicant. These demos should allow yourself to compare and contrast the performances of the applicants side by side. To this end, you shouldn’t just have your potential voice actors read one script; have them real several, with varying tone and subject matter, so that you can judge the versatility of your applicants, and the styles to which they are each uniquely suited. If you do not want to record these demos in your studio, you can request that applicants submit them with their initial applications.

Author Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Artist from Minneapolis, MN and Has Provided the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.

No matter how badly you think you need to save money, it is never a good idea for a merchant to read his own commercial—unless, of course, he has a talent for it. The truth is, however, that most people don’t. They may succeed in giving their commercial an air of originality, but that isn’t a good thing if it results in people laughing at your commercial. And people are less likely to purchase your product or service if they don’t respect you.

Many people mistakenly underestimate the importance of the voice over talent they use when approaching the public, because many people mistakenly believe that all they have to do to sell their product or service is to let people know that it’s there. As long as they do something memorable, people will buy from them, right? Wrong. They may remember the guy with the funny voice or the guy who read in a monotone or tried to act out a little skit with his brother, but they’ll buy from the guy who hired a professional to do his commercial.

And that is the heart of the matter. There is a purpose behind buying airtime and creating a commercial—you are trying to convince people to do something. You’re trying to talk them out of their hard-earned cash, to come and give it to you in exchange for what you have to offer. You are trying, in other words, to impress them. If they sense that you didn’t care enough about your marketing to do it correctly, then they will not be impressed. In fact, if you attempt to convince them using a very bad commercial, they may even feel as though you are insulting their intelligence, and that is definitely something you don’t want.

When your commercial airs, it should sound professional. This makes you look professional. It may be the first contact a potential customer has with your business. In this way, your commercial is like your clothing. You wouldn’t wear something sloppy and poorly assembled to go meet a client, so why would you present them with a sloppy and poorly assembled piece of advertising? Even though the voice telling the world about your service has nothing to do with how well you do what you do, in the same way the state of your clothing has nothing to do with how good you are at your job, you want to make the best impression possible with that voice, just as you would with your suit.

So what are the elements of a well-read commercial that a professional voice over artist can give you? Professionalism is one very important thing that you will get. Your brother-in-law can’t give you that in reading your commercial, because he doesn’t know how. Just because he’s been speaking all his life doesn’t mean that he does it well. In fact, most people don’t speak well. Speaking well is partly about pronouncing the words clearly so that people can understand, and partly about doing that so that it sounds natural.

Everyone in need of a commercial has to do it in the way they think is best, of course. For some it actually may not matter if they put out a professional-sounding commercials. Some customers may truly not care. However, someone who wants potential customers to associate his business with a voice that sounds professional, then it is vitally important that he hire a professional to do the talking.

In the fast paced world of today’s internet communications it can be easy to forget about the former success of “old-fashioned” advertising. Today, marketing is driven by websites, blogs and email; such as, podcast and screencasting, and multimedia on the internet. This means your business needs a marketing strategy that includes voice overs, creative photography, and videos.

Before the internet and television, people tuned into the radio to get their daily news as well as the advertisements that accompanied them. Voice over artists were in high demand back then since many companies turned to radio to promote and advertise their products and services. By the time television arrived, everyone was already familiar with ‘hearing’ from advertisers; the T.V. took this to a whole new level with images and even more sound.

Fast forward fifty years and the public is turning to a new medium for knowledge and entertainment; the world wide web has grown to become one of the leading technologies for marketing and advertising, and encourages visitors to simply read pitches and sales letters instead of listening to them. Never the less, this is quickly evolving with the development of podcasting, online videos, and other multimedia across the internet.

Now that podcasting and blogging are becoming ubiquitous, every business needs a high-impact message that impresses visitors and listeners so they remember your brand for the long-term. The same effect that the radio had on the masses in the 50’s is coming back in full swing with online advertising, video commercials, and podcasting. Voice actors and actresses now play a much bigger role in presenting your company’s marketing message, slogan, and can even promote your brand name. Hiring the best voice over actor (with the help of a voice over agent) is a positive approach to creating an attention getting that attracts new customers right away.

Voice overs can be applied to little commercials, introducing products on a web site, podcasting, or just creating a radio advertisement. If you’re considering about producing a television commercial, you will need a voice over artist to perform the narration so it is appealing and creates the result you need.

For businesses that want a competitive edge on the web - voice overs are becoming more and more important to their success. Musical narrations, songs and jingles can still produce strong impact on customers and visitors, and are

essential when you’re using radio advertising as part of your plan. Submitting voice overs into your advertising helps to strengthen your brand, create an identity, and even build stronger relationships with new customers.

Print advertising may have less impact as more people turn to audio and video on the web. Why bother investing your marketing resources in an area where people are paying attention? Audio and video segments that are created with voice actors can produce the effect you desire and make your advertising message stand apart from your competitors.

The sounds of voice actors are everywhere. In fact, your daily life is inundated with it, and you probably don’t even notice it. At least you didn’t before you started considering one of them. If you’re wondering why you never noticed voice actors before, it’s because you are not supposed to. One of the best things about being voice talent is the ability to capture someone’s attention while at the same time diverting their attention from the speaker to the service being described. That might sound a bit odd when you start to really ponder it, doesn’t it? If you attempt to create these results yourself, you’re only going to wind up drawing the listener’s attention to you and off of your message, which ain’t very good. That is the biggest reason you need to hire a professional if you are in need of a voiceover.

Consider the vast number of places that voice overs end up, and that is after crossing off jingles and T.V.. But you can use voice over artists to introduce your special event or your business’s website. Hey, you can even use a voice-actor to broadcast information about your personal website if you want it out there badly enough. Many people wind up voicing those types of projects for themselves. Maybe it’s because they do not think of them as important enough to hire someone. In that case, why are they bothering with it at all? If it is worth your attention, it’s is worth doing right.

For instance, if you want to create an audio book, don’t even consider voicing it yourself - unless, of course, you have a professional-grade training level. And most people simply don’t. Then there are corporate videos and educational videos, which are very useful and can be highly lucrative - if done professionally. If you have good material, and the listeners enjoy hearing the narrator, then you have something that can bring you a measure of success. But if those same listeners can’t stand hearing the voice for one reason or another, then your message is in trouble.

“I talk to people with this voice all the time!” you may say. True, but your listening audience will put up with a lot more face-to-face than they will endure on a recording. And are there people actually paying to have you speak at this point? Probably not. If they are, then don’t bother reading any further. This article is not for you.

You may think that hiring an amateur or doing it yourself will save you some dough. In the beginning, yes, but if this is a for-profit venture you are planning, it will probably cost you more money in the end. Sounding silly can cost you the respect of the people you’re attempting to impress. People are more likely to spend their money with people who give them the appearance that they know what they’re doing. If they hear you confused in a voice over, as so many do-it-yourselfers do, then they’re going to rethink ever doing business with you.