Non-Union Voice Talent for Professional Voice Over Services

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. What do I do if you record it for me but I don't like that tone or word emphasis? I can assure you as the talent that Voicing Images will record and record and record until you're happy with your product. It is in my interest that you are satisfied as well as it is in yours.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. A prospective client should understand what file format is required for the system with which the file will be used. A client must know of any possible conflicts which might exist with the talent sought. For example, if this is a retail furniture business seeking my services, the client will want to know if I'm doing commercials for any other furniture business in the area before he commits to using my service.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I provide voiceover services to clients seeking talents for promotions, commercials, political advertisements, announcements, narrations, and in-house training.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Independent creativity (to a point). I can take an assignment and apply my own unique perspective to it. Within the client's parameters I'm allowed to input my interpretation of the project as it pertains to the voice talent's contribution.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. How much do you charge? My typical response is what is your budget for this project and what exactly do you want me to do for you? What I charge is always intimately related to what I'm being asked to do: such as adding music, special effects, or numerous pickups or re-records.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. I remember the time when I recorded this piece several times and the more I did it, the client became less and less certain of what he wanted. That was a no win situation for us both. I finally had to convince him that a particular version would work in order to get him to stop requesting re-records.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. A friend of mine used to call in to talk on this controversial radio station. His dialog was always so polarizing that the station wanted him to commit to working for them. He said that he didn't have the time but he could introduce them to someone else who'd be just as good in that position. That is how I entered the profession of voice acting.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I collaborate with a creative group out of Australia for whom I narrated a story by Robert Louis Stevenson called "Markheim." This is a story about a murderer who was redeemed after a confrontation with the devil. I used some special effects on the voices of the devil and the victim in the story to give the story more realism and I must say that I'm quite proud of how it turned out. The group has a website called THE DRAMAPOD where podcasts are played free to the public.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. One monday in each month I attend a voice class for advanced voice talents with Edge Studio out of New York. Our instructor keeps us apprised of what is current in the profession with respect to delivery styles for commercials, narrations and other types of voiceover works.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. One of the most exciting developments which has recently come to voiceovers is the ability to broadcast the audio directly into the studio of the client. ISDN has been able to do this for years but it is very expensive and not all areas have it. Source Connect is the new force in remote recording and I'm pleased to say that my studio offers this to clients who require it.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. On the last day of November I won an audition to portray a diabetic who had recently began paying his bills through an online system. It took about 45 minutes for me to perform two takes and edit the file. The job was 196 words and I bid 150 dollars. The read required a natural, believable delivery and my clients were quite satisfied with my performance.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. First I'd suggest to them to get a good demo CD. These showcase the voice actor's talent and gives any would-be employers a feel of the depth of talent and ability to be directed the newby might possess. CD Demos can be expensive but they are a talent's best bet to enter the profession because they say to the hiring studio that "I can show you better than I can tell you."