Voice Over Artist

What do you think makes a great voice to use as a voice-over?

Daniel - Admin wrote:

What do you think makes a great voice to use as a voice-over?

Mine

LOL, but what qualities do you think are required?? apart from ego!!

That's the $64'000 question. I think it depends on what or who it's intended for.

Do you want to sell sofa's, chocolate, beer etc, do you want to hear a soft voice, a pushy voice, a male voice or a female voice, or do you constantly want to hear Peter Dickson's voice?

I personally think a natural voice is the best one, especially if they have a passion for the product or whatever they are voicing.

Oh yeah, hi all.

One thing i have noticed in "voice overs" most of them are done with an English accent and not a lot are done with a Scottish one unless of course it is for something Scottish, is there a reason for this, is it something to do with the fact that some people cannot understand our accent(s). Maybe someone out there could enlighten me.

It is taken for granted that the 'Queens English' is the most appropriate accent for anything which is in demand of a voice.

To a certain extent I think that this is a bit 'toff' nosed! There are plenty of great accents out there in this great land! The Scottish accent is a loverly one, but it can be a bit too threatening, (unless that's what you desire). Never the less the Scottish accent's should be used a lot more on radio, T.V. etc...

Yes you are right there the Scottish accent is a great accent to use, it should be used a lot more on TV, Radio etc. So here's hoping that your website discovers someone worthwhile to boost our glorious accent(s), after all we deserve the opportunity to have our 15 minutes of fame even if it only lasts two.

Keep up the good work.

I think the best voice overs are the ones that don't conform to some stupid "style" that have somehow been created, such as the newsreader style, that's just ridiculous, noone talks like that, so why we do we make newsreaders?
Then there's the annoyingly soppy voice overs for adverts for toilet paper or the like, the women always sound like they are cooing over a baby or something and sound really patronising.
I actually went through a stage of noticing a lot of Scottish voice overs, maybe they've started to die out again. I think each accent goes through a fashionable phase. At the moment "celebrities" seems to be the thing.

Hello everyone by the way.

Celebs have had their time, now is the age of the true voice-over artist!!!!

I think the celebs of this world have it easy in getting work, they on the books of various agents who just put them forward for anything, including VO gigs.

It's hard enough getting on the books of an agent when a lot of them only want someone 'recognisable' or with a background.

....and that's why DB Media is here....to let your voice be heard.

We plan to infiltrate every organisation within the U.K. , (then the world), and tell them what they are doing wrong, and why DB Media has the right ideas about what they should be using for a voice in their commercials, game's, telecoms etc.....

Celebs have had their time, now comes the time of the wee people!!!!!!

Daniel wrote:

What do you think makes a great voice to use as a voice-over?

Whatever the talent seekers want that is within your repertoire. Easy to say isn't it, but very difficult to achieve. You have to ask yourself "what type of voice do they want, and can I provide it? It is easy to say "know your limits" but you have to listen to and critique your own voice, think critically if any changes need to be made and can be made and make them. Then go through the process again and again until you are happy where you are then apply for the jobs which want that type of voice. If you have a deep rich voice there is little point in applying for a soap advert, you are almost certain do be disappointed. Good luck

I am learning so much -

am I correct in thinking with Voice overs - you need to bring all what you would do in person one-on-one - or to a group plus

so be - clear - natural- enthusiastic- happy -

enjoy and feel blessed for the opportunity that living brings.

........and smile!!!!! I think you've hit the nail on the head their J, thats exactly it!!! If a role demands that we use our voice any other way, then we just do our best, as that's all we can do, and keep our fingers crossed!!!!

'ello all,

Smiling, that's the first thing I was informed about... and thus I smile. Unless of course I'm not to smile depending on the project.

I agree about natural voices though and not sounding like you're trying too hard to 'be' a voice over. Although I admit, they do give me a chuckle or two in the day.

I have to admit that I have heard some very delusional people, who like those on X Factor believe they can sing, can't voice a script at all!! They can voice just as much as I need another arsehole!!!!

They also make me chuckle!!!!!