+ RSSFinding Voice Over Talent On The Web: Five Easy Steps
With thousands of talented voice over artists available across the country, it can be challenging to find just the right match for your marketing campaign or project. Voice over talent is important for creating a distinct, unique, and compelling message for your project, and many companies turn online to find the right fit.
When piecing together a multimedia project, you shouldn't underestimate the resources that are freely available on the Internet. Online databases can, for example, allow you to find a perfect sample script at no cost to you, or can serve as valuable reference material if you are writing your own script. Many voice professional nowadays maintain personal websites containing their portfolios and samples of the voice work they have done in the past. Checking out online samples of potential hires' work is a great way to save time during the hiring process.
Still, when you are trying to find the right match online, you'll need a strategy and process that will maximize your efforts. You can waste countless hours searching and sourcing candidates, only to find out that they won't follow through on a project or even submit a quality sample. Knowing what to look for and how to proceed online can make your interviews and auditions much more valuable. Here are the steps involved when hiring a voice over artist over the web:
1. After you you initially contact a potential hire, ask for a sample of their work. If the person in question is the true professional they claim to be, they will have .mpeg samples on hand to send to you, or will direct you to a site where you can heir their work. This first step goes a long way towards weeding out candidates who aren't serious about getting the job.
2. Ask potential hires for a resume. Any serious voice actor or actress should be able to provide a formal resume, complete with his or her employment history and references. Speaking of references, they're there for a reason; you should make sure to contact two or more of the past employers listed in order to get a balanced assessment of the performance you can expect from a potential hire.
3. Ask how the voice actor prefers to be compensated. It's a good idea to ask potential voice talent what their per-hour and per-project rates are. You should also take note of whether her or she will accept payment after completing the job or expects money up front, with the rest delivered afterwards.
4. Interview candidates by telephone. Barring the possibility of meeting your prospect in person, speaking to him or her on the telephone is the best way to familiarize yourself with a potential voice actor or actress. In addition to discussing the candidates' employment history and gauging their experience and professionalism, you can have him them demonstrate their abilities with a brief reading.
5. Ask if your voice talent is equipped to provide services digitally. It is increasingly common for voice over artists to set up studios in their own homes. If your actor or actress is able to record his or her performance from home and send it to you over the Internet, this means that you will save on the costs associated with travel and the shipping of tapes.
