A voice over artist is a person who uses their voice to play different characters or to provide information to an audience. They usually perform their duties in a studio with recording equipment. They can work from home as long as they have a good microphone, computer, and recording software. Most of the time, they must also prepare a portfolio to attract potential clients or voice scouts.
A career as a voice actor can be a rewarding experience. It can give you a sense of self-respect and the feeling that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life, especially those who are visually impaired. The job also offers a flexible schedule. You can pursue it as a full-time career or do it on a part-time basis while doing other things like raising a family or doing other freelance work.
The first step in becoming a voice over artist is to practice and improve your vocal range and skills. You can do this by reading aloud or practicing with other people. You can read poems or news articles to get familiar with the rhythm and flow of your speech. This will help you develop your acting skills and identify how to deliver different emotions through your voice.
Developing your voice is essential for voice over artists because it’s what differentiates you from other people with similar voices. You need to be able to produce a wide variety of sounds so you can match the tone and mood of the script that you’re reading. It is important to have a clear and crisp voice so the audience can understand what you’re saying without difficulty.
It is also necessary to have the right accent for the role that you’re doing. This can affect how the audience perceives your performance. For example, if you’re voicing a commercial for an allergy medicine, you might need to sound mellow and soothing, while a children’s audio book might require a cheerful and fun-sounding voice.
The final quality that you need to have is versatility. Being able to change your voice to suit the different roles is an important skill for a voice over artist. This is because you may need to read for different industries and play various types of characters. For example, you might need to narrate the side effects of an allergy medication while at the same time voice a character in a kids’ audio book.
A successful voice over career requires a lot of hard work and persistence. It is also helpful to have a wide network of contacts who can refer you to projects. In addition, it’s a good idea to join a professional voice over talent agency. This will enable you to find auditions that fit your skill set and level of experience. Having an agent can also help you find regular work and establish a reliable income stream.