The process of hiring a voice actor isn’t just about finding someone with a nice voice. It’s about finding the perfect voice for your project. It requires careful consideration to ensure that the chosen talent aligns with your project's goals and resonates with your target audience.

Whether you're producing an advertisement, an audiobook, an eLearning course or a corporate narration, the voice behind the script plays a pivotal role in conveying your message effectively. Let’s explore five essential considerations that you should bear in mind when hiring a voice actor.

1. The Voice

The most important consideration when hiring a voice actor is, obviously, the voice itself. The voice sets the tone, conveys emotions, and establishes a connection with the audience, making it the cornerstone of any successful audio project.

The voice you choose should match the project you're producing. For example, a playful and energetic voice might be ideal for a children's animation, while a calm and authoritative tone may better suit a documentary. Aligning the voice with the project's tone, genre, and intended audience helps create a cohesive and immersive experience, enhancing engagement and maximizing impact.

The best way to choose a voice is to listen to demos. A voice actor’s demos provide a glimpse into their capabilities, helping you gauge their ability level. When selecting a voice actor, listening to both generic and custom demos can offer valuable insights. Generic demos can be usually found on a voice actor’s profile page or website, and they showcase an actor's versatility across different styles and genres. Generic demos provide a broad overview of a voice talent’s capabilities. On the other hand, custom demos are tailored to a specific project, offering a more targeted demonstration of how the actor's voice aligns with your project's specific needs.

2. Voice Talent Experience

Hiring an experienced voice talent brings a wealth of benefits to your project. With years of professional experience, seasoned voice actors have honed their skills, allowing them to deliver exceptional performances consistently. Their familiarity with the industry and various project types enables them to understand and adapt to your specific needs quickly. Experienced voice talent excel in live directed sessions, effortlessly adjusting their performance in real-time based on immediate feedback and direction from directors or clients. Their adaptability, coupled with years of professional experience, allows them to maintain consistency and deliver exceptional performances even under the pressure of live direction.

Not only should the voice actor you choose be experienced, but they should also be experienced in voicing the type of project you are producing. Some voice actors specialize in certain genres of voiceover, leveraging their unique talents and expertise to excel in specific niches. Whether it's commercials, animations, video games, audiobooks, or narration, these specialists bring a depth of understanding and authenticity to their chosen genre. Choosing a voice talent who is experienced in voicing projects like yours ensures a smoother collaboration process, often saving you money on edits and revisions.

3. Your Voice Over Script

Having your script ready before hiring a voice actor ensures that they have all the necessary information to provide a precise quote and deliver a performance that meets your specific requirements and expectations. A completed script enables a voice actor to accurately estimate the time and effort required for the project, facilitating better budgeting and smoother scheduling. A finalized script provides clarity and direction, allowing the voice actor to understand the tone, pacing, and overall message of the project. With a clear script in hand, you can effectively communicate your vision and expectations to the voice actor, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and revisions.

4. Project Budget and Voice Over Rates

Considering your budget when hiring a voice actor is essential to finding the right balance between quality and cost-effectiveness for your project. While it's tempting to prioritize talent based solely on their rates, it's helpful to remember that the voice actor's expertise and the level of production quality they offer can vary significantly. By establishing a clear budget from the outset, you can narrow down your options and focus on voice actors who not only meet your artistic requirements, but also align with your financial constraints. Being upfront about your budget allows for transparent negotiations and helps prevent any unexpected expenses down the line.

Checking industry standard rates when hiring a voice actor ensures that you're offering fair compensation for the talent and expertise required for your project. This helps foster a positive and professional working relationship. Understanding industry rates helps you avoid overpaying or underpaying voice actors, allowing you to allocate your budget effectively and maximize the value of your investment. Adhering to industry standards promotes equity within the voiceover community, supporting fair wages and sustainable careers for voice actors. By familiarizing yourself with prevailing rates, you can make informed decisions that resonate with your target audience and elevates your brand.

5. Voice Talent Availability and Turnaround Time

Considering a voice actor's availability and turnaround time before hiring is essential for meeting project deadlines and maintaining workflow efficiency. You should choose a voice actor who can accommodate your timeline and workload.

Voice talent turnaround time refers to the period it takes for a voice actor to complete a project from the time they receive the script or direction to the delivery of the final audio files. Experienced voice actors aim to provide timely and efficient turnaround times while maintaining the quality and accuracy of their work.

Sometimes voice actors are expected to meet nearly impossible deadlines due to creatives running late delivering scripts. This often results in blown deadlines due to the reality that not all voice actors are available at a moment’s notice. Clear communication regarding availability and turnaround expectations fosters a collaborative and reliable partnership, ultimately leading to a smoother and more successful project outcome.

Taking a few considerations into account not only enhances the quality of your production, but also streamlines the voice talent hiring process, saving time and resources in the long run. Hiring the right voice actor is a pivotal step in ensuring the success of your audio project. With the perfect voice actor on board, you can elevate your project to new heights and create an impactful and memorable experience for your audience.

VOPlanet facilitates direct communication between clients and voice actors, eliminating hidden fees and ensuring a transparent and cost-effective hiring process. This direct connection empowers you to negotiate rates and terms directly with voice actors, maximizing flexibility and value for both parties involved. We recommend checking the Global Voice Acting Academy’s (GVAA) rate guide if you need help determining industry standard rates.

Ready to find your voice? Post a voice over job for free or browse our voice talent directory of professional voice actors.