In need of a voiceover but not sure where to start? We can help you find the perfect match for your project. With over 1000 professional voice artists in our books, you are bound to find what you need.
So where to start?
Project Brief
We first recommend you contact us to discuss your project. If you are a new client, we will ask a variety of questions in relation to your project to get a better feel for what is required. These questions can consist of what the purpose of your voiceover and how many voiceover artists is do you require.
We also ask if you can disclose your budget for the project. This is so we can get a good idea of what is possible and how we can tailor the project to you.
Another key factor we look at is if the audio will be paired with a video. If so, does the voiceover need to be synced to the video or simply layered on top? With this, we also ask if subtitles are required. We can assist with burning the SRT file into the video as well as working with on-screen text (OST) or you can do that yourself if you have the technology to hand.
Overall having this information helps us to better understand your project and efficiently assist you with planning your voiceover.
Script
The next thing to consider, once the project has been confirmed, is the script you wish to use for your voiceover. From the script, and your project brief, we can correctly quote the studio time it will take to record. We ask that the script is provided preferably in a Word Document or PDF format.
If the project has multiple characters and is a lengthy script (which often happens for video games, animation or dubbing) then we will also accept an Excel or Google sheet.
We have previously been sent SRT files, however, we find these don’t always provide all the correct information, so we please ask that you transfer this into a document.
We ask that you confirm or provide your final script 2-3 days before recording and that you review the script once more the day before. If you notice any issue in the script, please notify us asap, rather than waiting for the day of recording. This way we will be able to utilise the time purely for recording and avoid the need of re-records which will incur additional costs.
Choosing Your Voice Artist
Trying to find the right artist for your project will depend on how much information you give us on the type of voice you are looking for. Identifying the ideal profile comes from details such as if you would like a male or female voice, is there a specific age you are looking for and the type of accent or language you would like, all contribute to us sourcing the right talent.
When it comes to accent, the more detail you give us the easier and quicker we can source the right artist. This could be as simple as you wanting an RP voice, you could want a northern accent or maybe a European accent.
From these details, we can see who in our catalogue suits the profile and audition them for the project. This detail also helps avoid rerecords as we can then make sure we have the right talent for the project.
In the Studio
Depending on what your project is, we can often quote the studio hire based on the word count of your script. A good example is that a corporate voiceover between 200 – 3000 words can take up to an hour to record, while a videogame project might take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day.
Projects such as gaming will require bespoke pricing and if your voiceover needs to be lip-synced then this will require more time in the studio.
If you are hoping to dub a tv series, then this project will need to be specially quoted depending on how long the series is, how many episodes you want to record and how many characters are needed.
We recommend, on recording days, that the client attends either via Zoom, Teams or Skype or in person. With having you attend the sessions, if something isn’t sounding right or you want a retake in a different style, then we can accommodate towards the end of the session.
If you know you want to record a variety of different styles and versions, then prior notice will assist in planning for the time spent in the studio.
We do recommend that a language voice director listens in on your session. Especially if your project is for an audiobook, game or animation. It might also be worth them listening in on a corporate recording, especially if there are specific acronyms that are being used.
Having a language voice director attend your voice recording will aid in making sure nothing goes a miss in the session. They can pick up on pronunciation, dialect tweaks and tone of voice.
Costing
The cost for your project is quoted from a variety of elements. This would include talent hire, studio hire, word count and usage fee. Studio hire is often calculated from the word count, but this will vary on a project-by-project basis.
The usage fee allows you the right to use the talents voice to promote your brand, service, or product. This will be applied if your project is for TV, Online, Radio, Cinema or an Event.
The fee will be determined by how long you wish to promote your campaign with the artist’s voice. For example, radio often promotes on a schedule. Once this is confirmed, then the usage fee can be determined.
Chatterbox
We pride ourselves on being able to bring your audio to life. No matter what the project is, we can assist through studio hire, project assistance and vocal talent sourcing. Our specialisms are:
- Commercials
- Corporate videos
- Animation
- Games
- Podcasts
- Audio Books
- Audio Guides
- Bespoke Casting
- E-Learning
- Inflight Entertainment
- Text to Speech
- SRT Creation, Burning-In, On-Screen Text
And much more!
Trust in Chatterbox and see how our talent and studios can help complete your project. Give us a call on +44 (0) 203 744 3558 or email us at info@chatterboxvoices.co.uk to discuss your latest project.
