Voiceover Spotlight: Announcer

by Victoria DeAnda on September 11, 2015

The job of a voiceover announcer is a bit different than that of a voiceover narrator. Narration is the underscoring of a presentation. In the case of a documentary, it is merely words that tell us what we are looking at on the picture. It is not a dramatic read or news read. It is an underscoring-type, flat read with a downward inflection at times.

The voiceover announcer, on the other hand, is presenting something and is very punchy. Whether the announcer is announcing at a local benefit or the Academy Awards, he/she is presenting something that is extremely important or special. His/her voice shows enthusiasm and energy.

Getting into the Voiceover Announcer Niche 

Your Voice

There are many different types of voices needed in the commercial world: gravelly voices, low voices, flat voices, whiny voices and even average voices. Therefore, with a little determination, you can still enter the field even if you do not think you have a classic ‘good voice’.

Come Prepared

There is much more to successful voiceovers than just having a great sounding voice. Although having clear speech is important, you also have to be able to read another person’s words (script) and have them sound sincere and believable like they were coming directly from you. This is more in line with timing and acting ability than voice quality. This skill can be learned with proper training. The ability to persist and a strong desire will be what you need.

Acting/Improvisation

You might be wondering why you should take acting classes. The reason is you will need to be able to ‘speak’ the characters you are doing. An animation class alone will not cut it. You need to begin the process slowly. It’s not about your voice at this particular moment; it’s about the intention behind your voice that will give it shape. After three months of acting class, you will have opened yourself up and can now move into voiceover classes.

Voiceover Class

Voiceover classes should be simple enough to find. You can do a search on Google for classes in your city. Often, performing art centers and universities offer classes. Positive word of mouth referrals are a great way to find good classes, so ask around.

Find your Niche and Range

Now that you have conditioned your voice, it’s time for you to choose your market and decide your range. For instance, are you the stadium announcer person, the classy BMW voice or the Don Pardo game show host? You might be all three! Figuring this out is important before you attempt to get out there and promote yourself.

Ask your coach what type of voice you have. Are you the edgy, hip voice or the everyman’s voice? Do you have a natural announcer voice? Figure out your range and foster it. This is how you’re going to make your money. Stretch your voice even more by trying out character voices, accents and more.

Equipment

Equipment is not a big deal. You can find the simple USB microphone for around $100. You can obtain recording devices from anywhere from $200 to $400; however, chances are your computer is already equipped with this software.

Professional Demo

Finally yet importantly is your professional demo. This is critical to have when out building your niche in voiceover. You can hire a professional production company to add in sound effects and music to make it sound as if you have already done commercials, but you will pay anywhere from $800 to $2,000 for this. In any event, you need your demo.

Does being a voiceover announcer sound like something you would like to do? Get started on your career today.

Ways to Succeed in Audiobook Voice-Over Narration

by Victoria DeAnda on June 27, 2014

The popularity and accessibility of audio books have grown exponentially in recent years, and this is easy to see why. More people are listening to audio books rather than taking the time to read them page after page, and, as a result, audio book production companies are constantly in need of audio recording talents and storytellers.

Planning to work as a voice actor for audio books? Here are some ways to get started and succeed in this niche:

Start the Right Way 

In the same way that good writing often starts with extensive reading, the best way to start in audio book narration is to listen to actual audio books. This will acquaint you with the vocal quality and pacing requirements of actual narration work. In addition, you will need to record yourself reading an actual book to see if you are able to deliver consistent tone and quality throughout the entire reading. For practice recordings, you may want to check if there are any free tools available online. However, if you will be working on your demo, it’s important that you perform your storytelling in a professional studio. 

Work on your Voice-Over Demo 

Although you can always record your demo on your own, working with someone who’s skilled in audio book production will increase your chances of producing a great demo. In addition, you will need to show other skills besides good narration when recording audio books. As a voice artist, you also have to demonstrate that you can record for an extended amount of time and have the ability to record various styles and genres.

Quality and Consistency from Cover to Cover 

Of course, it will be impossible for you to record an entire book during a single session. Usually, a 2-hour audio book takes an hour to record, or a 200-page book may take as long as 6 hours. Despite this, you have to be able to ensure style consistency throughout the entire recording. Again, whether you’re narrating or storytelling, you have to accomplish believable, interesting recording consistently.

Is Audiobook Narration for You? 

In terms of choosing a voice-over career niche, doing recordings for audio books may be the right path for you. However, you have to recognize that your voice may not be the best match for all types of reads, from children’s books and medical self-help books to romance novels. If you’re still trying to obtain as much experience as you can, a good tip is to hone you audio narration skills in one area and to expand from there. Since an audio book has to be narrated with the necessary nuance, inflection, and style consistently, it may be more helpful for you to train within a specific niche, one at a time.

However, if you’re looking for a Spanish voice-over talent for your audio book narration project, this is the place for you. My demos will demonstrate the kind of vocal quality and creativity I have acquired from my experience as a Spanish-language narrator, announcer, and storyteller. Send me a message today so we can get started!

 

How to Be a Versatile Voice-Over Artist

by Victoria DeAnda on March 18, 2014

The most famous voice actors in history, from Mel Blanc to Don LaFontaine, have been known not only for their vocal talent but also for their vocal versatility. This is why the ability to take on a variety of vocal styles and qualities can take any vocal artist to more places. Given my experience as a voice-over talent for almost two decades now, I can say that versatility is something any narrator or announcer can work on. The essentials include an understanding of your vocal range, the ability to listen well, and the patience to practice and practice more.

Knowing Your Vocal Range 

As much as you want to be able to possess all vocal styles, this is not always possible. The first step to being versatile is to understand that you can possess a variety of vocal qualities and personalities but you can only go so far. Once you have a clear understanding of your vocal range, you can work toward being better at this specific range so that you can be as flexible as you can during recordings. In my case, my voice has been described as energetic, warm, friendly, smooth, sensual, casual, and possessing a “storyteller” quality, depending on my readings. Thus I can work within this range and offer my clients a variety of vocal styles, depending, of course, on the requirements of the project.

Cultivating Listening Skills

If you want to be a multitalented voice artist, you need more than just speaking skills. Listening skills are just as vital, too. You can do this by listening to the way other voice actors are able to adapt different styles to their voice. And best of all; listen to your own voice. Listen to your own audio recordings, past and present, and notice how your voice has evolved. This way, you will know how far you can stretch yourself, either by experimenting or doing better at the vocal qualities you’re already good at.

Practice, Practice, Practice

It doesn’t matter whether you practice out loud or practice in your head; the important thing as a voice artist is to continually practice. Practice and try to perfect your articulation, tone, inflection, and even your breathing. Once you’re done with the basics, practice adapting different, more versatile vocal styles.

As long as you know your vocal qualities well and strive hard to deliver these vocal styles in a flawless manner, you can be a versatile, exceptional, and reliable voice talent all at the same time. These days, it’s never just enough to be a “good” voice artist. A true artist has to be creative, flexible, and willing to experiment, too!

Looking for a versatile Spanish voiceover talent? You’ve come to the right place. Check out samples of my previous audio recordings or contact me to start working me with me today!