Remote working and social distancing has now become the new normal in 2020.
These are two facets of voiceover, pro voiceover artists have been practicing for a very long time. The pictures and quotes going around voiceover circles lately have been: “I am a VO, I self Quarantine all day long.”
Most VO’s (pro and not-so-pro) operate this way, but not all have a trustworthy technical chain. Some have mediocre set ups they are inexperienced in using, that generate technical issues for clients and engineers in post, which render the files unusable or challenging to master in the project mix.
Overnight, however, pro voiceovers with solid technical chains and broadcast quality booths have become like gold dust. They are invaluable to the new normal for a company – achieving as much “business-as-normal” as possible while rightly taking care of staff and freelancers in a pandemic.
Currently there is a huge demand for medical communications, e-learning and corporate presentations in order to adapt to the new remote working environment. Just as corporate films still need to made, as well as gaming and animation projects, whose workflows have always been remote by their nature.
This period is about trust, quality and the best voiceover artists becoming an invaluable piece of business armoury, to weather the current storm. That means more than just talent. At the moment, it is more hassle to get a studio organised for a talent, when a pro Voiceover can patch you directly into their broadcast quality studio using one of the many technologies available (ipDTL, Cleanfeed, Skype, Source Connect etc) and still practice social distancing.
Something I and many pro voiceovers have been doing for years now.
Times have changed and business now requires an artist with technical as well as vocal know-how as a matter of urgency. Just being a voiceover artist with the skill is not enough in the present circumstances.
This added technical experience is the best way for voiceover artists to serve their clients right now, helping them to weather the storm and ensure their businesses emerge from this pandemic leaner, stronger and more aligned.
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Paul Mclaughlin © Versatile Voiceovers
www.versatilevoiceovers.com
Great article. Absolutely spot-on. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you can't convert that technically... the industry (as it is at the moment) can't use it. I'm not especially technical, but am confident in my ability to learn new skills and am determined to keep practicing and creating all that's required to build a professional spec studio and to deliver professional spec audio.
Very glad I signed up to this course. I really want to improve on my technical know-how, especially with regards to mic technique and sound editing. I have some experience in film editing, but I'd love to go deeper with my understanding of voice recording and mixing.
We cannot argue the fact that the Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world forever. We are living strange times, and I think Corona's biggest lesson is to be self-sufficient. While most industries see an extreme decrease in productivity, there will still be businesses that will prosper. VO industry included. And I strongly believe that self-sufficiency is a major advantage over those who don’t have it.
I feel this is not just an interesting read, but really good to know. It is definitely key to a successful start for those of us still learning, and will save us a lot of headaches when we take our first steps. I'm excited to not only hone my artistic skills, but to build confidence in the technical work as well.
I feel this is not just an interesting read, but really good to know. It is definitely key to a successful start for those of us still learning, and will save us a lot of headaches when we take our first steps. I'm excited to not only hone my artistic skills, but to build confidence in the technical work as well.