In today's competitive market, finding the perfect voice actor can be a challenge, especially if you have never hired anyone before.
This article will discuss some of the qualities you should look for when hiring a voiceover artist. This checklist can help you assess if a specific voice talent can meet the demands of your company. There are countless voiceover actors out there, but not everyone will fit the bill.
1. Quality Audio
Asking for a demo is a must when hiring voiceover actors. However, this shouldn't be your sole deciding factor as the actor might not have sufficient equipment to properly record the quality of their voices. (Do you know how expensive hyper-cardioid microphones are?)
To reveal their sound quality, ask the voiceover actor to audition in person. This will enable you to properly assess the quality of the actor's voice, along with the type of performances they can do with their voices.
2. Reviews and Recommendations
Good reviews and recommendations validate what a voiceover actor can do. These can speak volumes on how a voiceover actor works well with other people and whether they can meet a particular client's demands. Be sure that your candidates can provide proof to their statements!
Ideally, you should look for reviews and recommendations that you seek in your own collaboration, namely responsiveness, talent, attention to detail, and ability to work with other people. Let the experience of other people save you from hiring the wrong actor.
3. Experience
For some companies, training a voiceover actor from scratch will require a lot of their resources, which is why they would opt to hire someone with experience. If you're planning to take the same route, ask for the actor's portfolio to assess how long they have been in the industry.
An experienced voiceover actor will likely meet your expectations without needing rigorous training. Experienced actors can also perform a wide variety of tones and voices, so you can simply give them direction on what you're looking for.
4. Rate
When choosing a voiceover actor, their rates should impact your decision. Hiring a voiceover actor who charges low rates but offers mediocre audio performances can cause many problems down the road. For one, paying for the wrong actor can hurt your company’s brand.
A skilled and trained voice talent will cost you more, but with their experience in the industry, you’ll likely save tons of resources in the long run. These actors can guarantee that they can do the job fast with minimal mistakes. This allows you to deliver high-quality content to your audience within a shorter period of time.
Of course, you need to be realistic and stay within your budget, but keep in mind that quality often equals higher rates. This might sound cliché, but you get what you pay for.
Hire Someone With the Full Package
While the factors mentioned in this article provide a strong foundation in hiring a voiceover actor, keep in mind that these aren't the end-all. A voiceover actor who gives all the right answers to your questions doesn't mean that they are the best person for the job.
When hiring a voiceover actor, choose someone who can walk he talk — someone who says that they're the best and proves their capabilities with exceptional vocal performance. Remember, professional voiceover talent offers the complete package.
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