The common perception is that a voiceover artist is in the booth the whole day recording for various clients on different projects. All the time. Every second of the day.
Recording represents a large part, but not the only part of the daily workings of a voiceover artist.
There are many hats to wear and many aspects that require time and attention.
TRAINING
The bedrock. A voiceover artist is always training, learning and practicing in how to become more connected to the text, understand what it means to be conversational, become more versatile, and deliver copy in a way that satisfies the client, producer and creatives. “Oh, and on the first take too please."
The less time I spend in the booth for the booked hour session, the more time there is to get on with the project, edit it and save the client time and money. That only comes from consistent practice and training every day.
If you lived next door, you would often hear vocal warm ups, daily sight reading and sounds that would make you think the individual next door is crazy.
TECHNICAL
And how about being able to turn the finished audio around? Top and tailing, editing, noise removal, compression, normalisation, equalisation. Usually elements of the technical process that only a studio engineer knows.
Modern voiceovers need that technical ability as well. It allows me to add value to my clients, by becoming a holistic service, as some need the audio right away, ready to use.
MARKETING
Because I believe in the power of the voice to affect another human, and trust that I can do it, I want current and potential clients to know about it.
That means getting active on social media, reaching out to clients and future clients, having a monthly newsletter. It’s all about letting clients know that I am a solution to their dilemma. How to get this commercial, corporate piece, e-learning project, animation or gaming character done exactly to brief, with speed and in a way where we all enjoy the process.
DRIVE, GUTS and DETERMINATION
The most important element, even ahead of talent. Constant rejection is a part of the voiceover’s daily experience, though it lessens with time.
Getting up and driving forward with all the above aspects, despite what I may be feeling is a daily practice. It may not always go my way, leads that seemed warm may go cold, but I must daily, weekly, monthly connect to why I am in the booth in the first place.
Why am I in a dark room, voicing into a microphone every day?
We are storytelling creatures. The voice is able to create such a magnitude of change on a personal and global level with the stories it can tell. Change that alters the course of human lives for the better.
No matter what, I will be in the booth today, tomorrow and the next.
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Paul Mclaughlin © Versatile Voiceovers