The voice over (also known as VO or VOX) is one of the most important aspects of your video. It sets the tone, style, and emotional impact of your video, so getting it right is crucial. Whether you are creating a training or corporate video, product introduction or infographics, a captivating and compelling voice will make all the difference.
The best voice overs are natural and engaging. They sound like a real person speaking to your audience. This is why you should take the time to write a script for your voice over before recording. A well-written script will help you stay on point and avoid any unnecessary mumbles or pauses. It will also give you the confidence to know that what you’ve recorded is exactly what you want your audience to hear.
A good voice actor will be able to read your script and interpret the emotion that you want to convey through the words. They will then apply their own experience to produce the perfect sound for your project.
When hiring a voice-over artist, it is always best to ask for a test recording. This will allow you to listen back and see if they are able to capture the character or emotion that you are looking for. A good practice is to record your test in a quiet room without any background noises to get the most accurate results.
Having a great script is the single most important part of your voice over. Nothing ruins a good performance faster than an excessive amount of “uhms” and “ahs”. Having a script will help you remember to pronounce your words clearly and accurately and keep the overall pace of the narration consistent. It is also a good idea to double-spaced your script so that there is room for the voice actor to mark up the copy with emphasis, pauses, or inflection.
It is worth noting that the voice-over artist should be able to provide a timecoded transcript of the recorded copy. This will allow it to be synchronised with the visuals in post-production. It will also be useful for closed captions, subtitling and translation into other languages.
Finally, it is important to consider the age and gender of your chosen voice-over artist. It’s often best to choose a female voice over artist for softer or more intimate productions, while male voices can be used to create a more authoritative or commanding tone.
Finally, if you are planning to use the same voice for multiple projects, it is a good idea to record an audition for each of them before making a final decision. This will help you to identify any areas in which your auditioned voice needs a bit of improvement. You should also ask a few friends or neutral parties for their opinion on your recordings. It is very common for people to hate the sound of their own voice on a tape, so be sure to get opinions from others!