Preparation: a clear briefing as your compass
Before recording starts, there is work to do. A voice artist is not a machine where you insert text and ready-made audio comes out. Good preparation prevents us from losing valuable time during the session searching for the right tone.
In the control booth, we always work with a clear briefing. In it, we define the key elements beforehand:
- The desired tone (should it be business-like, informative, or very intimate?).
- The pace and pauses within the text.
- The pronunciation of specific brand names, abbreviations, or technical terms.
For example, if we work with Thomas, who lives in France and has a very natural French sound, or with Polish voices like Aleksander or Malgorzata, this preparation is essential. It helps to capture the right nuances in the local language.
In the studio: the director as guide
During recording, the voice director is at the controls. A director's job is not to say if something is good or bad. It is to guide the voice artist to the right feeling.
Here is a practical directing insight: never give a voice artist abstract instructions. For example, "make it twenty percent more enthusiastic." That is confusing. It leads to unnatural acting. Instead, give a concrete situation. For example, say: "Deliver this sentence as if you are giving a helpful tip to a good friend at the kitchen table." That small shift in the artist's imagination immediately creates a natural, believable tone. Our client Floris also noticed this effect. Afterwards, he was very satisfied with the open and smooth communication that quickly led to the desired result.
Unravelling the price tag: how costs are really structured
Another misconception is that you work with the same rates for every project. To avoid misunderstandings, we always explain the cost structure beforehand. The price of a professional voice is made up of two parts.For commercial work, like a radio spot or an online ad, you pay a fixed basic fee for the recording itself, plus a buy-out. This buy-out covers the rights to use the recording. It determines the channels where the recording is distributed and how long it remains online. For non-commercial work, such as internal e-learning or a corporate video for internal use, we usually calculate the price per word or per project. This way, you know exactly what to expect upfront. There are no unexpected costs later. This ensures the transparency that Nicolas and Peter also mentioned in their reviews about our smooth process and fair prices.
The right match for your project
Whether you need a French voice-over, a Danish voice like Andreas, or a Polish voice actor like Bartek for an international campaign: preparation is key. Our database gives you access to native voices in languages such as German, English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Approach the casting process methodically, step by step. This prevents a hasty decision from leading to a recording that misses the mark.
