Find Your Online Voice Over Jobs

Working online or from home has become a popular trend due to the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has adversely affected the lives of many actors. The covid-19 protocol forced recording studios and movie houses to shut down. 

But, the voice acting community has grown and expanded in all dimensions during the last couple of years. The work from home or remote working trend has been a blessing to the commercial voice-over artists. Voice-over is an off-screen voice recording process. commercial voice over artist do the voice recording remotely in their home studio and send it to the clients. The whole voice-over recording process is achieved without meeting the clients personally.

Are you a freelance commercial voice over actor looking for online voice acting jobs? Freelancing is similar to running your own business, and being a freelance voice over artist demands your time, patience, effort, dedication, and planning.

Grab your favorite drink, relax, and let this article take you through the journey of a freelance voice-over artist.

Types of online jobs available for a commercial voice-over artist – 

• Animation voice over 
• Audiobook narrator
• Educational or E-learning 
• Corporate
• Podcast 
• TV Advertisement 
• Radio commercials
• Phone voice message
• Video game characters 
• Documentary 

Tips for getting online jobs as a commercial voice-over actor- 

Build a home voice recording studio:

You may either build a new studio or convert an existing space in your home into a recording studio. Always remember that your recording studio is your workplace. You will spend long durations in this studio. Build a studio that is comfortable and convenient.

Get the essential equipment for voice-over recording – 

• Microphone: Commercial voice over artists prefer microphones with high-quality output.
• Microphone stand: A microphone stand helps you go hands-free and prevents vibrations from entering the voice recording through the microphone. 
• Pop filter: A pop filter is a shield attached to the microphone to eliminate unwanted noise, like the popping sound that comes out of your mouth while saying consonants like p, b, and more.
• Headphones: A pair of good quality and comfortable headphones help you to listen to the audio playback. Commercial voice over actors prefer closed-back headphones. 
• Computer: Invest in a new or secondhand computer to store your audio files and send the files to your clients.
• Recording and editing software: Commercial voice over artist prefer a Digital Audio Workstation to record and edit their voice-over recordings.
• Storage space and devices: your computer will not have enough storage capacity to accommodate all your audio files. Invest in cloud storage options like iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or a plug-in external hard drive.
• Audio interface: An audio interface is a hardware to translate and control the signals from the microphone to the computer. Commercial voice-over artists prefer audio interfaces that have a built-in microphone preamplifier system. 
• Shock mount: A shock mount prevents vibrations from traveling up through your microphone. These vibrations reflect in your voice-over recordings.
• Studio monitors: A good quality studio monitor provides you with the overall sound quality of your voice recordings. Studio Monitors help you hear what is recorded to balance your sound mix.
• Music stand: Commercial voice-over actors always use a music stand to prevent the rustling noise of the papers. Choose a music stand that can either be placed on the floor or the table.
  

  Soundproofing:

  Soundproofing your recording booth to reduce or eliminate unwanted noise or sounds from entering your voice-over recordings.
  

  Get auditions:
  

  Since you are the boss of your voice-over business, you need to invest your time hunting for auditions. Getting through an audition is not going to be a cakewalk. So, have patience and hang in there. Do what it takes to get yourself an audition, such as –

• Attend online events that help you build networks with clients and other freelance voice-over actors.
• Create good quality demo reels. Diversify the demo reels to show your vocal strengths.
• Register yourself and create an attractive profile on online marketplaces.
• Send out emails to your contacts in the voice-over industry.
  

  Be selective while auditioning:
  

  It does not matter if you are a fresher or a pro in the voice-over business. Only you can know the qualities and limitations of your voice. While looking for online job postings, select only those jobs that suit your voice best.

  Taking voice-over directions positively:
  

  As a commercial voice-over actor, you should be able to take and interpret the voice-over directions from the clients in the best interest. Never be discouraged by negative feedback about your voice or vocal performance.

  Deliver an outstanding audition:
  

  Since an audition is a deciding factor to make or break the deal, it pays to put in some effort to make your auditions exceptional. A little effort in auditions goes a long way in the career of a commercial voice-over actor. Some factors to deliver a great audition-

• Record in an environment that is entirely sound-free.
• Use good quality recording equipment.
• Edit your voice recordings to clean up any unwanted audio.
• Follow the directions of the client to the T.

Criteria to look for in online voice-over jobs-

Unlike in offline or in-studio voice-over jobs, you need to double-check the following criteria-

1. Language, accent, and dialect: Never lie about your skills, especially about the language or accents in your application or proposal. Be honest while mentioning your fluency in the languages, accents, or dialects. Also, specify if you have received any language coaching or training.
2. Age and gender: It would be wise to mention or choose voice-over jobs that suit your age and gender. Lending your voice to a character of the same gender and age as you increase the chances of winning the audition for that job.
3. The genre of voice-over: Pick the genre that would be best suited for your voice sustainability. Some voice projects, like audiobook narration, require long durations of voice recording, while other projects, like TV commercials, are completed in short durations.
4. Availability and deadlines: Be sure to mention your availability to your clients while accepting the auditions. Do not overlap your auditions and fall back on deadlines, giving the clients the impression of an unreliable commercial voice-over artist.
5. The delivery format of the final recording: Every client might require a different format for the final audio recording file. Ensure that you cater to the specific requirements of the clients. Happy clients get you better opportunities as a voice-over artist.
6. Earn what you deserve: Do your research and get possible data about the pay scale for commercial voice-over artists. Assess yourself and fix your rates. Do not quote too less and seem desperate, nor quote an exorbitant rate that would discourage the clients from hiring you.

Tagged as: commercial voice over actor service / Commercial voice over actors / commercial voice over artist