2019
10 Common Mistakes Everyone Makes as a Voiceover Artist
There are a variety of elements that go into creating a successful voiceover career - And there are a few flat-out mistakes that are a huge no-no in the industry. Below are some helpful insider tips to avoid the mistakes anyone can make at the start of their journey.
“Failure is instructive,” people say. But even if we all agree it’s instructive, do you still want to fail?
1. Bad quality audio!
- We can not stress this enough, be sure to choose the correct equipment! With an abundance of quality voiceover talent out there, be sure you are not pipped to the post for a job you want just by having mediocre audio.
2. Using the wrong tone!
- Be sure to study your brief, script and client’s brand message thoroughly. By understanding your subject you can decide how your voiceover is going to sound.
3. Losing your sense of timing!
- Timing is everything when reading a script. Even more so when the audio is accompanied by image or video. Be particularly vigilant and ensure your voice matches the scenes on-screen and furthermore fits into the given time frame perfectly.
4. Using the wrong narration pace!
- We have all been there! Finding yourself in a conversation with someone who talks at such a rate of knots or on the other hand monotonically, it can seem hard to remember anything at all! Take the time to learn your script and understand your topic well. Learn to pause once in a while to allow the listener time to process the info. This will all come naturally as you practice several times
5. Not saving your file in the proper format!
- Not saving your file in the proper format can be a huge time-waster! It is well worth the time to understand the most popular formats to save your files in.
The most common and industry recognised formats are:
- MP3 (.mp3)
- AIFF (.aif)
- WAV (.wav)
- FLAC .(flac)
6. Don't try to be all things to all people!
- It is best when starting out to avoid inappropriate targeting. It is also understandably difficult in the early stages of a career to resist targeting as many resources as possible to find work. Whether you have the right voice and the credentials for the job or not, find targets within your capabilities and your niche – Be a specialist, not a generalist.
7. Misreading scripts
- Misreading scripts might be an obvious warning, but can be very easily done at the best of times! Research correct pronunciation. You need to find the story thread in the script – that is, the words that give you the message loud and clear! Connect with the message every time!
8. Expectations are too high
- Be realistic with your expectations. Start gradually and work your way toward building your professional audio reels and recognition. If your aspirations are too high you will target jobs that more experienced professionals are likely to get.
9. Not taking the business side seriously enough
- “Take your job seriously but not yourself” – That is the best combination! While we all love voiceover as a profession, there is still the fact we have to maintain the daily operations that accompany running a successful business. Be organised and stay on top of your game.
10. Self producing your own demos.
- Surround yourself with people who know the industry. It is not best practice to try and release demos that are entirely self-produced -You will find it hard to match the qualities producers and productions are most likely to hire you for!
To Conclude.
Any number of these mistakes made through the journey of setting up and running a successful voiceover career can cause you problems. Avoiding these key mistakes will increase your recognition, not just amongst your potential clients but also your peers in the industry. Therefore, be mindful to take the proper steps when recording! Ensure the quality of your work is as good as it can be within your capabilities.