Voice Over Tips and Best Practices
Voice over is a great way to convey a message in video. However, if it’s not done well, it can detract from the message instead of supporting it. In this article, we’ll explore a few tips and best practices for producing quality voice over.
The first tip is to make sure the script is finished before you begin searching for voice actors. A finished script will ensure that the final result is what you had in mind. Waiting to cast until the script is ready will eliminate the potential for time consuming re-casts, which can lead to frustration both for you and the voice actor.
Before you start recording, a good practice is to warm up the vocals. This can be done by humming or singing scales, or even reciting tongue twisters. This will help relax the throat muscles and improve enunciation, which is important for the quality of a voiceover. It will also help the voice artist to feel comfortable in front of the microphone, which is key for an effective recording.
Another important tip is to plan where the voice-actor will take a breath. This will prevent them from running out of air mid-sentence, resulting in the awkward sound of “uhm”s and “ahs.” Finally, it’s important to avoid moving too much while recording. This can cause volume inconsistencies and may bump the mic, which could impact the sound quality.
Pacing refers to the speed at which the lines are read, and is important for keeping the audience’s attention. It is also important to pay attention to the rhythm of the speech, which includes the tempo and alternation of stressed and unstressed words. This can help create a pleasant and natural tone that meshes with the context of the story. voice over