How To Become A Voice Over Artist Australia

Getting a foot in the door

Setting out on a career path can be an exciting and rewarding time in life. It can also be tiresome, confusing, frustrating and at times feel like the world is out to thwart your every endeavour.

This is especially true for those wondering How To Become A Voice Over Artist Australia.

 

You’ll need a demo

Assuming you can read, well you’ve got this far, then you have all the qualifications required to do voice overs. If you have a great voice that’s a bonus. Like everything in life you’ll improve with practice.

To get started there’s a “Catch 22” situation that has to be conquered. People generally won’t hire you if you haven’t had the experience. However, you won’t get experience if you can’t get a job.

To circumvent this little hitch you need to have a “demo reel”. That is a short collection of you reading some scripts of radio or TV commercials. You might include an excerpt from a more narrative style presentation.

 

The demo is your envoy

The “demo reel” as it is called should demonstrate your ability to interpret different feels and styles of delivery.

The name “demo reel” is a hangover from the analogue recording days when magnetic recording tape was the medium used for most audio projects.

Generally, the demo would be on a 7-inch reel recorded at a speed of 7.5 inches per second. This format would replay on all open reel tape recorders. Today USB thumb drives and CDs are used or an MP3 or Wav file sent as an email attachment.

So the demo is an essential tool to get started on How To Become A Voice Over Artist Australia.

 

Making your demo

You have to put your best effort into your demo tape.  It’s your calling card. When you send the file off attached to an email or snail mail a CD or USB, you want to sound the best you can.

Don’t pussy-foot around trying to record on your phone or ipad. Instead you should spend a few bucks having a professional recording studio help you assemble your demo. It’s a worthwhile investment in your future and you can claim it on tax.

The studio engineer will help you in the recording stage. He or she will advise you on keeping your energy level throughout the recording session and tell you if any sections need re-recording.

When you have the voice down you can ask the engineer to mix in some appropriate music and sound effects. This will give your demo the professional touch it needs and make it sound as if it has already been broadcast. No more “Catch 22”.

When you’re equipped with a demo then all you have to do is start knocking on doors. Follow the basic sales rules and success will follow. See a lot of people, ask all to buy and use common sense.

To hear some of the most professional voice over artists and to get some ideas for your reel head over to www.mediagroup.com.au