Voice-Over Pro Tip Speed Edit! Hey Reader, It should be a goal to become a very efficient audio editor, if you are not already. Ideally, every audition you do should take somewhere around 5 minutes start to finish, and that includes editing time. So how can you speed up your editing? Here are some tips: Templates: An obvious one is to have a template setup specifically for VO/VO Auditions in your DAW/Editing Software. This should include a plugin chain that is dialed in specifically for your...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Revving Up Your Reads Hey Reader, When you're auditioning or starting to record a project, the very first time you say the first lines probably aren't going to be your final takes. As you read the script and get your mouth around the words and hone in on the emotion and performance you are going for, your read will get stronger and stronger. Something that can help if you feel a little flat or just "off" as you begin reading is to sort of "rev up" into the read. What I mean...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip The First Line Hey Reader, Obviously the way you read every line in a script is important to your overall performance and chances of booking a job if it's an audition. But arguably the most important line, is the very first. For auditions, you have to remember that the casting team is listening to read after read after read from a number of talent, all reading the same script. And they likely are making quick decisions and not listening to the whole audition. So imagine...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Getting the Most from your Bookings Hey Reader, Booking work is obviously the point of doing VO, but besides the obvious financial aspects, there are a couple other things you can do to get the most from every job you book. Firstly, it's a connection to a new client or a further establishment of a connection to an existing one. Nurture that relationship by being great to work with and making their job easy so that they keep coming back. It's an opportunity to be quick and...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Review your Auditions Hey Reader, If you audition for something and book it, that's obviously a great feeling, and then you'll go on and record the job and maybe take a look/listen to the final project when it is released. But do you ever go back and listen to that original audition you submitted? Probably not, (I'm guilty of this often too). But I think it is a good idea to do so. You obviously did something right on that audition, and I think you can glean a lot from...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Client and Lead Information Hey Reader, If you are just starting out, this might not apply to you quite yet. But at some point not too far into your VO career, you're going to want to have some sort of CRM system. This is the place where you will store information about your clients and leads. Think of it like a big database with all the information about the people you've worked with or discussed VO with over the years. It can even be a simple spreadsheet to start, but...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Staying in Touch Hey Reader, You probably already know how important it is to keep communication with past clients and leads. If you're like me, you probably have struggled a bit with finding the balance between doing so often enough that they remember you for work, and not overdoing it. I think there is a balance there, and admittedly in the past I think I've leaned too heavily into my fear of becoming annoying. You probably can relate. I used to only reach out once or...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Don't Lean on Post-Production Hey Reader, With all the amazing editing tools we have at our disposal these days, it can become really easy to use them as a crutch. You might not worry about pacing because you'll just adjust it when you edit. You might not worry about those clicks and pops because you'll just take them out in post. You might not care that you left the window open outside your booth and there's some ambient noise, you'll just de-noise after recording. While...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Voice-Over Pro Tip Do Your Homework Hey Reader, While job postings can give you a good idea of what the client is looking for in auditions, oftentimes they leave a lot to be desired. In these situations there are still a few things you can do to get a good idea of what to do in your audition. The first thing I'd recommend is going to the client website or social channels and looking for past examples of their content. Even if the VO is a different style/tone/age/gender than what they want on...
3 months ago • 1 min read