The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over (41 page)

I can’t speak for other demo producers, but when my partner and I produce a demo through our VoiceActing Academy, we follow a nine-step process:

1. We begin with an in-person or telephone consultation during which we identify the type of demo to be produced, determine the voice actor’s primary delivery style, and discuss the development of their marketing plan. The task of finding copy is given to the voice talent. We don’t provide scripts, although we will occasionally write original copy or help rewrite ads selected by the voice talent. This can take from a few days to several weeks. We ask for two to three times the number of scripts that will actually be used.
   
2. About a week before the session we’ll have a second consultation where we’ll review all copy with talent to sort out the best scripts and eliminate duplicates. The resulting scripts will still number about twice what will end up in the demo. The voice talent rehearses those scripts, but not too much.
   
3. On the day of the demo session the first thing we’ll do is go through the scripts again. We look for variety, and we’ll ask the voice talent to perform a portion of each script. This time, we eliminate scripts until we have what we believe are the strongest scripts for our client. The rest we’ll keep handy in case we need them.
   
4. Next, we’ll record the dry voice tracks for each script. Occasionally, we’ll determine a script isn’t right, so we’ll drop that one and move on to the next. Each script will be recorded numerous times, striving for the “perfect” delivery. The session is handled no differently than any other commercial session. It’s just that we’re recording about a dozen commercials in a fairly short period of time. It may take up to two hours or more to record the 8 to 12 voice tracks for a demo.
   
5. As each voice track is recorded, I’m thinking of the production value that will bring each clip to life. Music and sound effects are critical. I
   actually start thinking about the “sound” of each clip during the pre-session meetings, but it’s after the recording where we really get down to business. The music and SFX search can be a time-consuming process because for a powerful demo, each clip needs to have music with the proper energy, mood, and dynamics. It takes a skilled audio producer/engineer to do this quickly and efficiently.
   
6. When all the individual demo clips are produced and mixed, the next step is to sequence them into the most effective order. We’ll always start the demo with what we consider to be the talent’s strongest voice. The
   money voice
   ! This is the voice we want the talent buyer to remember. From there, we’ll place the clips in a sequence that provides variety, interest, and changes in mood. The idea is to create a sequence that will keep the talent buyer listening. If everything on a demo sounds the same, the buyer will stop listening after a few seconds. And we only have about five seconds to grab their attention.
   
7. The master sequencing will result in the full-length demo. For most demos, a talent agent will want a one-minute cut-down version. So, the next step is to edit a one-minute version from the full-length demo. A second or two over or under is OK.
   
8. The final step is to burn an audio CD and render both versions of the demo out to MP3 files, which are then emailed to the talent and put on a data CD-ROM for future use.
   
9. I’ll send my client home with their demo in hand asking them to call me if they hear any problems or if their agent needs something changed. It doesn’t happen often, but since demo production can move fairly quickly, it’s possible to miss an edit or for a music or sound effect to need adjusting in the mix. And occasionally an agent will request a different sequence.
   

This process is the same regardless of the type of demo we’re producing. The amount of time it will take to produce a demo will vary depending on several factors: the type of demo being produced, how quickly the talent is able to get to the best take; how long it takes to find the proper music and SFX; how long it takes to do the postproduction for each clip; and how many changes or rerecords are needed.

I insist that our demo clients sit in on the entire demo production process. I want their input at each stage of the production, and I want to know that they are happy with each segment. I also want them available in case I need to record a pick-up or if we discover a clip that just isn’t working and we decide to replace it with a different script.

Production of your first demo will very likely be the single most expensive part of breaking into the business of voiceover, possibly second only to what you spend on training. No matter what your level of experience may be, you should seriously consider hiring a demo producer who knows the business and what talent buyers are looking for. The additional ears and professional direction can save you a lot of money.

The cost of producing a voice-acting demo will depend on the type of demo, the market you’re in, and your demo producer. It can vary widely from market to market. To a certain extent, it will also depend on your performing abilities. For recording studios, time is money, and the faster you can record a high-quality performance (fewer takes), the sooner your demo will be completed and the less it will cost.

There are two basic ways studios will price out demo production. One is to book the studio on an hourly rate and add on other related costs. The other, and more common approach, is to book the demo production as a package. You can often save some money with a package deal, but if your demo is produced quickly, it may cost you more than if you had gone with hourly rates. It’s a choice you’ll may need to make, and if the studio you’ll be working with works only one way it won’t be a problem.

If you’re in a major market (L.A., N.Y., Chicago), you can expect your demo to cost in the neighborhood of anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000. In other markets, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $1,500, or more, for the production of your voice demo. The actual price you pay will depend a lot on the studio and producer you are working with. Studios that are known for producing excellent demos will give you a great product, but it will cost more. You definitely “get what you pay for” when it comes to demo production. However, beware of the
demo mills
that will offer to include production of your demo as part of a short—but very expensive— course. The demos produced by these operations will rarely get any work.

Although actual session fees vary, and may be somewhat lower or higher, the following gives you an example of how the cost for a typical demo session might break down at a studio rate of $125 per hour.

The actual time it takes to record your copy may vary considerably, and some of these items may not be required, thus affecting the price. The cost
of studio time varies greatly from city to city and depends on the complexity of your session. Some studios charge a fee for the music used in your demo while other studios will provide the music at no charge. In most states, the cost of studio time and music license fees are exempt from sales tax, but the materials and recording media are not. Check with your studio to find out what portions of the session or materials will have sales tax applied. If you’ve set up your voiceover business properly, the entire cost of producing your demo can be deducted as a business expense.

As you prepare for your demo, you will be wearing your producer hat. In that role, you will have already prepared your copy and directed yourself in your performance during practice and rehearsals. Some of your other duties as producer will be to make all the arrangements for studio time, hiring a producer, printing, CD duplication, and distribution of your demo.

Most larger cities have at least several recording studios and radio stations. In this age of easily accessible high technology, many small towns have studios capable of recording a high-quality demo. You will find commercial recording studios advertised in the telephone book and on the Internet. However, there may also be many excellent home-based project studios in your community that are not advertised anywhere. Even though recording services and studios may be plentiful in your area, this does not mean that all studios are able to produce a marketable demo.

The majority of commercial recording studios are designed for music sessions. The engineers at these studios are usually very competent at recording music, but may know very little about producing commercials or directing voiceover talent. Home-based project studios are most often designed to handle the recording needs of musicians and composers, but may not be suitable for, or capable of, recording quality voiceover work. Larger recording studios and production houses and even some radio stations are expanding their production capabilities to include a much wider range of services, including voice recording and commercial production. Even if you have a state-of-the-art home studio, you should hire a professional demo producer to produce your demo.

After you have selected your scripts, rehearsed them, and are confident that your performing skills are up to par, it’s time to start calling the studios in your area to schedule your session. Also check with your coaches and with other voice talent you’ve connected with through social networking sites and voiceover discussion boards.

When you book a recording studio, you may be assigned an engineer who is not interested in demo production, and may not be skilled at directing voiceover talent. If you are producing the demo on your own, you need to be prepared for this. As the producer of your demo, you need to be ready to guide your engineer through the process and have a good idea of
what you want in your demo, including the selection of music and sound effects, and the final sequencing of clips. If your engineer is not capable of directing you, and you haven’t hired a demo producer, you’ll need to rely on your self-direction skills to get you through. This can be a real challenge because you should be focusing on your performance—not on the details of directing.

The following pages contain some tips and questions to ask as you call around looking for a studio to hire to produce your demo, as well as some important basic information about recording studios.

• Find a studio that records radio and TV commercials:
  If the studio is primarily a music studio, they may not be capable of handling your needs for a voiceover demo. Look for a studio that is experienced in producing commercials or demos.
  
• Does the studio have an engineer who knows how to direct voiceover talent?
  Unless you have hired a director, you
  will need
  an engineer who can direct you as you perform your copy. Many studios have engineers who know how to record the human voice, but don’t know the first thing about directing talent for an effective voice-acting performance. When you enter the studio, you need to take off your producer hat and become the performer. Even if you hire a director, you need to find a studio that has an engineer who knows how to produce and direct for voiceover.
  
• Does the studio have any experience producing voiceover demos?
  This should be one of your first questions. You may also have this question answered when you find out if the studio has an engineer who knows how to work with voiceover talent. Even if a studio does a lot of radio commercials, it does not mean that they also produce voiceover demos. Unlike a :60 radio commercial that is a continuous script, your demo will consist of anywhere from 8 to 15 very short clips. The sequencing of these clips will play an important role in how your demo is perceived by the final listener. If the studio has produced demos in the past, ask to hear what they have done for others or for the names of other voice performers for whom they have produced demos. Then follow with phone calls.
  
• Ask to listen to other demos produced by the studio or producer:
  You’ll be investing a considerable amount of money in your demo, so it’s important that your producer or studio is willing to let you hear previous work they’ve done and provide you names of other talent you can talk to. If they are reluctant to release any information, find a different studio or producer.
  
• Does the studio have session time that will coincide with your availability?
  If you can’t book the studio at a time when you are available, you need to find another studio. Many recording studios offer evening or weekend studio time, and may either offer a discount or charge an extra fee for those sessions. You may be able to get a reduced fee for late-night sessions, but you may not be able to get an engineer experienced with voiceover.
  
• What is the studio’s hourly rate for voice recording?
  Many studios have a sliding scale of prices depending on the requirements of the project. Other studios book at a flat rate, regardless of the session. Shop the studios in your area to find the best price for your demo production. Find out if there are any price changes between the voice session and the production session. Find a studio that will give you a flat hourly rate for your entire project. Some studios will give a block discount for sessions booking a large amount of time. A demo session probably won’t fit this category, but it couldn’t hurt to ask. If you’re working with a studio that charges a package price for demo production, their hourly rate won’t matter.
  
• Does the studio use analog or digital equipment?
  In today’s digital recording age, this question is usually irrelevant. The difference between digital and analog production in a recording studio is in the areas of recording, editing and postproduction. Analog quality in a recording studio, although rare these days, is extremely high and should not be a consideration for your demo recording if that is all that’s available; however, analog production may take some additional time since it usually involves multitrack recording. Digital workstations are the norm and reduce the production and editing time considerably because the audio is recorded and edited within a computer. Today, most studios use some form of digital recording equipment as their primary means of recording.
  
• Does the studio have access to music and sound effects libraries?
  Your demo will need music and possibly sound effects to underscore your performance. If you are producing an animation demo or an imaging demo, you’ll need some very specific types of music and sound effects. Many recording studios do not have any CDs of music that can be used in a demo, even though their primary business may be recording music. Find a production studio that has one or more music libraries that can be used to underscore your spots, and that are appropriate for your type of demo. A
  music library
  is a collection of music created by a company that produces CDs of music specifically designed for use in commercial, TV, and film production. As you were preparing for your session, you made some notes on music and sound effect ideas. Discuss your ideas with your engineer at the beginning of your session.
       
  It is not a good idea to use music from your personal music collection for your demo. Even though your demo is meant for limited distribution and will not be for public sale, the possibility of copyright infringement for unauthorized use of the music does exist. Also, the use of familiar or popular music may create a distraction if it is not used wisely. If you have a specific sound in mind for some of your demo tracks, you might want to take in some examples from your personal collection, but keep in mind that they should not be used in the final demo.
  
• Does the studio have any additional charges for music or sound effects used?
  Some studios charge a fee for any music used in your demo, while other studios include the music as part of a package price. If there is a music use fee charged by the studio, make sure it is a
  blanket license
  rather than a per use or
  laser-drop
  license. A blanket license covers all music used in a project and is considerably less expensive than several laser-drop licenses. Usually, there is no charge for sound effects. If you provide your own music, there will be no charge, but you take the risk of any copyright infringement issues that might arise from its use.
  
• What other fees will the studio charge for materials, including sales tax?
  What does the studio charge for CD one-offs, digital media, and any other materials used in the production of your demo? Does the studio have any additional charges for archiving (backing up and storing) your demo project? What portions of the demo production will have sales tax applied, if any? All of these items will affect the total cost of your demo.
  
• How much time does the studio estimate it will take to produce your demo?
  You should plan on at least six to eight hours for the completion of your demo, although you may be able to have it completed in much less time. The studio’s experience in producing demos will be a factor here, as well as your performing abilities. If the studio has experience producing demos, ask for an estimate of production time and an average cost breakdown. Some demo producers will record your tracks on one day and produce your demo over the next several days.
  
• What will you take with you when your demo is completed?
  In most cases, you can expect to leave the studio with at least least one audio CD of your demo. You should also make sure you receive high quality MP3 files of all versions of your demo. These may be delivered on a data CD-ROM, emailed to you, posted on an FTP website, or transferred to your own digital storage media.
  
• How will your demo be backed up?
  A backup is different from the master of your session. The
  master
  is the final version of your demo in a form that will later be presented to an agent or talent buyer. A
  backup
  is a copy of all the elements of the project, not
  necessarily in any special order or structure. Even though the backup will contain everything from your session, often including outtakes, it may be in a format that cannot be used anywhere except the recording studio where your demo was produced. It’s not necessary for you to keep a copy of your entire project. You most likely would not be able to open the files or know what to do with them even if you could. But you should make sure the studio will keep a back-up copy of your session on file for future reference. If they don’t keep archives, you’ll definitely want to get your entire session backed up on data CD-ROM.