Doing Voice Overs is Easy Money – WRONG!
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Let’s face it; the current global economy has left a lot of people scrambling to make ends meet and therefore looking for a quick and easy way to make some extra cash. And a goodly number of people have come to the conclusion that a career as a voice over artist is a quick and easy way to help cover the bills.
The fact of the matter is that there is a lot more to being a voice over artist than just picking up a microphone and speaking, not to mention that while it can be lucrative, its isn’t a sure thing. If you are considering jumping into the voice over fray, there are some things that you should consider first:
Do you truly have the skills necessary to break into the business? Just reading a script into the nearest microphone isn’t going to cut it. Being a voice over professional is just not that simple. There are many things that need to be perfected before you can expect to start working. For example, you need to know the proper way to speak into a mic, you need to be able to speak clearly, pronounce clearly and concisely, enunciate properly, act, with nothing more than your voice, and interpret and pace a script properly, and much much more. If you don’t know what you are doing, this is something that any prospective employers are going to pick up on immediately, and in order to make money as a voice over artist, you need a combination of natural skill, practice, and training. This is particularly true during an economic downturn like we are currently experiencing, as the market tends to get much more competitive.
How hard are you willing to work to get it right? In most cases, consistently voice over work is obtained through repeat business and referrals. You may get a couple of jobs here and there by coasting on mediocrity, but you can’t expect to get repeat business that way. No matter how low your rates, no one is going to want to hire you if you can’t do the job in a professional manner. This means that you are going to have to devote enough time to get the job right.
Most people mistakenly believe it takes only 10 minutes to complete 5 minutes of audio. This is NOT the case.
You will need to use your own time to communicate with prospective clients (more often than not extensively before securing and beginning work on a job), negotiate payment (unless you work for a flat rate), read, interpret and record the script (often more than once to ensure you have the material you need), edit and mix the audio, synch the audio’s timing to visual media (if necessary), send the audio files for approval by the client, possibly re-record the audio (and mistakes you made are corrected on your dime), and engage in follow-up communication with the client.
Not to mention the time you must spend promoting yourself to get jobs in the first place, which includes following up on business leads that may be dead ends; all of which is time spent that you do not get paid for.
How much work can you find? The fact of the matter is that voice over work is a specialized skill, and most customers prefer to go with professionals with a proven track record, as opposed to risking their time and money on a newbie. This puts fledgling voice over artists at a significant disadvantage when it comes to landing jobs.
You may have a spectacular voice, but it may be highly specialized and suited only to a narrow niche of voice over jobs. Likewise, you may do excellent impressions that may be spot-on but not in demand. Just because you have a great voice doesn’t mean that it is going to be a money maker.
If you are unable to land work, the fact that other voice over artists are managing lucrative careers doesn’t really benefit you in the slightest.
Statistically, only a small percentage of voice over actors are able to make a full time income doing voice over work alone.
To put it in a nutshell, while voice over work tends to pay more hourly than many other jobs, it is definitely not a get rich quick scheme. In order to be a successful voice over professional, you will have to dedicate yourself to training and learn to market yourself to actually get work.
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Source by Siobhan Denton