When Budgeting for a Voiceover, Things you should Consider!
August 29, 2008
Learn how to budget properly for a voiceover recording with voice talent Elaine Singer.
Elaine Singer Voice Talent I’ll only take half an hour of your time…..
How many times do voiceover talent (VO) hear this from prospective clients who assume a 30 minute finished audio file takes only 30 minutes of work to produce?
Let’s take a closer look at what goes into making a finished, polished 30 minute audio file that will serve the purpose you want it to.
The voice talent receives the script and converts it if it is not presented double spaced with 12 pt type with at least 1″ margins all around.
Why bother?
Well, first and foremost, it is easier to read. The words and lines are not jammed up one against the other. But equally important, it gives the VO space to mark up the script.
This leads us to the next step in the process. The voice talent reads over the script, usually out loud, to get a feel for it.
As the voice talent reads the script a couple of times, she marks it up and checks the pronunciation of difficult words. What message is the script trying to convey? How best can the voice talent get that message across – where should emphasis be placed – where are the best places for pauses, for breath?
This can take up to 30-45 minutes.
Now the voice talent is ready to go into the booth and start recording. Turning on equipment, opening software and creating a new file just takes a minute or two.
Once in the booth, the voice talent records the script. While the markings made before stepping into the booth are a great aid, it still can take up to twice the length of the finished audio to record it. Longer, it if is complex, not written specifically for oral presentation, or if there is a lot of technical jargon or foreign words.
Let’s do a quick summation of time – so far, at minimum, the VO has spent at least 30 minutes preparing the script and at least 45 minutes recording it.
Hmmm – that 30 minute script has already at least took an hour and 15 minutes of the VO’s time and s/he hasn’t even started editing it yet!
Editing generally takes a minimum of twice (often 3x) the length of finished audio file. So, now we have to add another 60 to 90 minutes to the time already invested in this project.
So that “it’ll only take 30 minutes” project will take at least two hours or more to properly produce.
Here’s a rundown of the time it takes to produce a fully edited, dry voice (no music or effects) audio file 30 minutes in length:
Preparing the script: Up to twice the length of the final audio (30 minutes)
Recording: Up to twice the length of the final audio (45 minutes)
Editing: At least two to three times the length of the final audio (60 minutes)
Total Time: A minimum of four times the length of the final audio (135 minutes)(2′ 15″)
Please, for both your peace of mind and for the VO’s, keep this in mind when you set the budget for your next voice project.
Rule of thumb is it takes at least four times the length of the finished audio to record and produce.
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Hire a Voice Actor for Your Voice mail Greeting and Auto Attendant
August 28, 2008
A businesses voice mail or auto attendant is often the first impression your customer will have of your business. Hiring a professional voice actor will ensure that your voice mail system is recorded professionally on high-end equipment. A voice actor can ensure that there are no distracting noises in the recording such as the hustle and bustle of a busy office, or the regional accent of an employee doing the recording.
Finally, professional voice actors will be able to record your script in the correct format necessary for your telephone system.
With these items in mind, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before choosing a voice actor to record your voice mail greetings.
1. Who are your customers?
If you are a hip new sports store, you’re going to want a young, upbeat voice to reflect your store’s image. Similarly, if you cater to an older customer base you should find a voice actor who speaks at a slower pace. In both cases, you should ensure that the voice actor you select has the studio equipment necessary to record top-notch audio.
2. Where are your customers calling from?
If you are serving an international clientele, it is important to consider the accent of your voice actor. An international business may have only one main telephone system. A British accent is generally regarded as being the most ‘international’. If you choose an American accent, it should be as neutral as possible. For a little flair, you could even choose an Australian accent. Another factor to consider is the fact that customers may be calling from a mobile phone - ensure that the volume level is sufficient so as to meet their needs.
3. What are you selling?
Whether you use hard sale methods or soft sale methods, your message-on-hold and auto attendant should reflect the same. A male voice is most often used for a hard sale, while a softer female voice is considered more appropriate for a soft sale.
Now that you have the information necessary to choose a great voice actor for you telephone system, consider the script for your system. Will callers be put on hold?
How long might they be on hold? Not all business have the means to answer every telephone call that comes into their offices, much less be available 24/7! Rather than leave customers on hold listening to elevator music, why not use this time as an opportunity to market your company and services?
A recording featuring your latest specials or simply providing more information about your business can be helpful to frequent and new callers alike. You can write such a message quickly and easily by drawing from your existing marketing materials or by hiring a freelance writer. Having several alternating messages will keep the caller’s attention longer.
If you are looking for more information on how to make a user-friendly telephone system for your business, download this free Telephone System Success Kit. It includes sample voice mail scripts to draw inspiration from. Remember, your voice mail system is often the first impression potential customers have of you and your business - make it a good one!
http://www.voices.com/specials/telephone-system-success-kit.html
Voices.com gets the job done right the first time and every time!
August 27, 2008
Karen Fong of Swift Internet Inc., agreed to answer a few questions about her experience at Voices.com and how they’ve used the service to find, select and hire talent.
Recently Karen completed a couple of projects at Voices.com and most recently hired J.Scott McElroy. Read more on Karen’s hiring experience.
How has Voices.com helped you with your project needs?
We used Voices.com whenever we had a project such as a website voice over or Audio CD we needed recorded. We simply listed our project online and within minutes we had voice talent recording our uploaded text and ready to listen to. We were able to choose our voice talent quickly and every time, I was able to get my project underway within 24 hours of posting. We were able to contact the talent directly which helped a lot when after we selected them, we were able to make sure to give them feedback and any edits or adjustments we needed.
What challenges did you face using the Voices.com system to find talent?
I didn’t have any challenges other than our initial trial when we weren’t sure how the process worked. But once we posted, it has been easy going ever since. We were normally on a deadline of about a week, but using Voices.com always made it very easy to hit that deadline.
How would you describe your overall experience with the site?
Voices.com just made the job of finding voice over talent SO easy. I would have not known how else to find voice over talent so it helped save me a lot of time since it allowed me to reach a LOT of voice over people all at once. Also, since the system allows for the talent to actually record the text you need, you get a better sense of if that person is the right person for the job or not.
Our overall feeling is that Voices.com is a huge resource and we will definitely continue to use Voices.com for all of our voice talent needs. Thank you for providing a much needed service.
About the Client
Swift Internet, Inc. was founded in 1999 to develop outstanding technology solutions for online marketers. Today, technology built by the Swift Internet, Inc. team powers back office solutions for more than 35,000 online marketers residing in the USA, the UK, China, Australia, and Germany. At Swift Internet, we provide technical and administrative support for a larger company called Leads to Wealth.com which generates leads for home based business owners.
Project Details
Project ID: 8025
Project Title: Book Narration
Category: Educational Videos and e-Learning
Language: English (North American)
Project Close Date: February 27, 2008
Selected Talent: J.Scott McElroy
Voice-overs for Radio Stations?
August 26, 2008
Have you ever had a voice-over recorded for a broadcast radio commercial?
Perhaps you work at a radio station and are responsible for hiring freelance voice talent to record your advertisers commercials, for station identifications, promotions, advisories, weather reports, and other purposes.
Over the years, many things have changed including the way that radio stations acquire their voice-overs.
Voice-over projects are managed online now making it easier, more organized, cost-effective, and efficient to find the perfect voice to meet your needs.
Finding the best voice talent for your radio station can be achieved in 3 simple steps:
1. Sign-up for a free client account
2. Post your voice-over job
3. Get responses from pro voice talent in minutes
To post a job right away, let us know what you need online, or, give us a call toll-free by dialing 1-888-359-3472 and post your job with us over the phone.
Looking forward to serving you.
Cheers,
Voice Overs: The Secret Sauce for Good Branding
August 25, 2008
When you’re in business, your brand image, and most importantly, how people perceive it, is everything.
A brand encompasses all that you (and those who represent or work for you) do from PR to customer service. An effective brand has incalculable wealth to be sure, but just how does your brand assume a life of its own in the image you desire?
Before the rubber hits the road, a brand must first be developed and represent something of use that has value or you’ll have nothing to promote, minus the shell of a product.
To set the stage for success, you’ll need to consider the kind of language used when describing the brand, names, ad copy, imagery, iconography and the mission of the brand (why it exists and how it can benefit people).
Good marketers know that they need to build trust and shape perception through public relations. Usually, a marketer finds ways to develop, promote and maintain a brand through mediums such as broadcast, print and in recent years, the Internet and mobile devices.
It goes without saying, but businesses have budgets that are set aside for marketing including commercials to be aired on television and radio, publicity campaigns, and advertisements with creative photography and ad copy that circulate industry trade magazines, infiltrate pop culture, and begin their journey to the center of the consumer’s mind.
How does a brand stand out? Each person see thousands of advertisements every day and it can be very difficult to cut through the clutter of commercial media to drive your message home.
One way to stake your ground and deliver your message in a unique, persuasive manner is to include the use of voice overs, one of the most underrated marketing techniques.
Although a voice over comprises of only one element in post-production, you’d be surprised just how amazingly effective a good voice over is when it comes to shaping perception, communicating directly to the potential buyer, and building trust on an intimate level.
Referred to by those in the know as “the secret ingredient” for effective branding, voice overs are able to get inside the head of their listener to present relatable concepts, situations, and resonate with their needs and wants in a friendly yet authoritative way.
Without realizing it, the listener receives the endorsement as if the message were being delivered from a friend, not the marketing department, and acts accordingly.
One of the styles that is very popular right now for voice overs is the “Real Person”, essentially, the voice of an ordinary guy or gal that you might meet at your church, work or in your neighborhood.
The Real Person can be portrayed as your best friend, the smart aleck in history class, or the omnipresent voice of reason. Real Person voice overs can also employ situational copy, for example, voice over is able to present the feelings of someone who is going through a universal experience that we can all relate to such as buying a home for the first time, back to school shopping, or visiting the dentist.
Voice over, when done well by a professional voice actor, can do all of these things and more for your branding and communications efforts. You can find voice actors online by visiting sites such as Voices.com to start your branding journey with voice.
What Does Your Company Sound Like?
August 22, 2008
Everyday major marketing campaigns are developed around a celebrity voice. Commercial ads for vehicles are particularly fond of using celebrity voice overs.
Donald Sutherland voiced commercials for Volvo and, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Kiefer Sutherland signed on as spokesperson for Ford Canada. Other popular voices used in vehicle commercials are Kelsey Grammer and Jeff Bridges for Hyundai, Demi Moore for Chevy Malibu, John Cusack for Volkswagen, and Kevin Spacey for Honda - just to name a few.
Vehicles are not the only products voiced by celebrities. Most notable is the commanding baritone of James Earl Jones for CNN, Queen Latifah delivers a hip, young style for Pizza Hut, Sean Connery projects an intrigue for Level 3 Communications, and Julia Roberts is the good natured voice of AOL.
Do you need a celebrity to speak for your product?
Certainly not, nor the hefty price tag! You need a voice synonymous with your brand. When searching for a voice to characterize your company there are a few things you should consider. Is your company’s image warm, friendly, silly or funny? Is it serious, professional or hip, cool? Maybe you’re after a more seductive, alluring voice to represent your company.
Another thing to take a look at is your target group. Take a moment to think about your demographic; who will your audience be? Children, young adults, middle aged, senior, men, women, couples, singles, and so on.
When you request an online audition from a voice actor, they need to know a few key points first in order to give you the type of performance you need:
1. Tell them a little bit about your company. Who will be the final audience for this voice over? By knowing who they are representing and who they are speaking to, talent will be able to provide you with a better audition.
2. Provide them with a sample of your script. Your script will reflect on the subject matter and style of read required. By providing a sample of your script you’ll receive custom auditions from the talent.
3. Provide some vocal direction on what type of read you are looking for. The more detailed you are about the type of voice you’re seeking, the better your responses will be.
So, now that you’ve narrowed down your criteria, it’s time to find the perfect voice!
Thanking Business Voice Talent for Auditions
August 21, 2008
After you’ve selected a voice talent to work with, do you thank the other voice talents who applied for your voice-over job?
Sending a quick email to voice talent who were not selected for your project is a considerate gesture that helps build relationships and a qualified network of skilled professionals.
It also lets the talent know that you reviewed their submission and appreciated their efforts.
Here’s a sample template that you can work from for thanking voice talents:
Dear (Voice Talent Name),
Thank you for responding to my job posting “Name of Project”.
Although we selected another professional for this particular job, our team is interested in your voice and will keep you in mind for future projects.
Thank you again for your audition.
Sincerely,
(Your name and company name)
A simple yet grateful message will go a long way and build a good rapport with voice talent for future endeavors.
Post a Job Quickly & Find the Right Voice
August 20, 2008
I thought I’d take a minute to talk about the secrets of attracting the right voice talents to your job postings.
They aren’t so much secrets as they are valuable insights that will save you time, money, and precious key strokes.
Here are some ideas on how to simplify your experience and get exactly what you want at the same time:
* Be completely open with the voice talents and let them know your full requirements and vision for your project
* Highlight qualities of the kind of voice that you want to represent your organization, i.e. friendly, middle age, creamy, robust, techie, motherly, confident etc.
* Give a sample of your script for talent to evaluate and record custom demos if applicable
* Include the full word count, how your audio will be implemented, and how long it will be used
* Keep an open mind regarding the scale of your budget range
* Be appreciative and recognize quality when you hear it
* Arrange to thank talent for applying for your job after the fact or simply thank them in advance for applying for your job posting
The online job posting form at InteractiveVoices is easy to use and provides you with helpful suggestions similar to what you’ve just read above.
The insights we’ve explored are not just about filling out details in a job posting, but are the finer points of how to conduct business online.
Clarity is king and Transparency is queen.
If a talent does not feel comfortable applying for a job either due to lack of details, an unrealistic budget, or insufficient information about a given project, they will not take the time to submit a reply and the right voice may pass you by.
Job postings act as your first impression in many cases to professionals whom you are considering to employ.
A detailed job posting, a friendly and sincere tone, and a realistic budget will bring the right voices to you like bees to honey.
Just as they are presenting themselves to you for employment, you are also presenting yourself and your company to them as potential employers.
There is nothing more appealing to any job seeker than ample insight about a company and details about the job they are applying for.
Any thoughts on this?
Take Your Next Project to A Higher Level With Professional Voice Talent
August 19, 2008
Graydon Smith of Redhead Media Solutions agreed to answer a few questions about his experience at Voices.com and how he used the service to find, select and hire talent. Recently Graydon completed a couple of projects at Voices.com and most recently hired Tom Pagnotti. Read more on his hiring experience.
How has Voices.com helped you with your project needs?
Being fairly new to the production industry, I didn’t have any names in mind when looking for a voice that would fit with my client and the script; however, the level of quality responses I received upon posting the job was phenomenal.
Our clients are looking for more than generic demos, they want custom reads and almost every talent at Voices.com gives you one right out of the gate. For us, it makes it easy to prep a rough cut for the client that allows them to make a sound (pardon the pun) decision on who they want to move forward with, and there are no surprises.
Having used Voices.com exclusively for our talent, I can’t say we’ve ever suffered from too few responses for our projects.
How did you select the talent?
I had so many great voices to choose from the client could not believe my company hadn’t been in the business for years due to the quality we voices we could deliver. I also made a list of favorites for next time to keep track of the truly exceptional voices I want to remember
What challenges did you face using the Voices.com system to find talent?
The script was a 30 second radio spot for an insurance company, and the voice needed to emote and connect with the audience right away to create many mental images of happy times and security.
We had well over 100 responses, many of them exactly what we were looking for but then the client had some other issues to deal with, and the deadlines for the spot fell to the backburner. 3 months later, with the client back on board the talent we selected was as keen and ready to go as if there’d been no delay at all.
To top it off, the Surepay system worked flawlessly, and suddenly after such a long delay, within 24 hours everything was completed perfectly.
How would you describe your overall experience with the site?
I couldn’t ask for a better outcome on this project. The client, the talent (Tom Pagnotti) and Redhead Media Solutions all benefited from a streamlined, easy process. In fact, it was so successful from the client perspective that they immediately wanted to produce anther spot with a female voice for their sister company knowing that they’ll get a level of talent that will impress them, and their clients. They’ve become believers in using professional voice talent from http://www.voices.com, and won’t be going back to the “free local radio station spots” ever again.
About the Client
Redhead Media Solutions Inc. specializes in marketing and communications consulting for small and medium sized businesses, along with an in-house creative department handling all types of audio and graphic based creative. From creating full campaigns, to one-offs, or guiding an internal strategic planning exercise, we help businesses achieve their goals.
Project Details
Project ID: 7228
Project Title: Shier’s Insurance
Category: Radio Commercials
Language: English (North American)
Project Close Date: December 14, 2008
Selected Talent: Tom Pagnotti
Monthly Service Options for Clients
August 18, 2008
As of January 1st 2007, Voices.com introduced monthly billing options for clients who need to hire voice over talents throughout the year to complete their projects.
There are two new monthly billing service offerings that you can choose from, starting as low as $19.00 per month to access premium services provided by Voices.com and our team of professional voice over talents.
The Enterprise Edition, priced at $99 per month, is the perfect solution for world-class organizations with a high volume of activity, multiple users and the need to manage unlimited projects each year.
The Business Edition, offered at $19 per month, is appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses that need to efficiently manage unlimited voiceover projects each year.
When chatting with Voices CEO David Ciccarelli, he mentioned that “These new options provide more flexibility and choice to companies needing to hire voice talents for their projects online.”
If you’re interested, compare service options here or contact Jay Kowlessar for more information by dialing toll-free 1-888-359-3472 or by emailing him here: jay (at) voices.com.
Cheers,
Stephanie
