“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucius
There's no truer statement (today) from when this statement was first coined 2500, or so, years ago. However, it is often hard work to record voiceovers (it is); like when you're hired to record a medical narration with terminology that ties your tongue into knots; but it's supposed to sound like you say these words/phrases everyday. Good thing there are a few sites that have audio of how medical terms are pronounced.
Voiceovers are a labor of love. I get paid to talk; if it were only that easy. What you hear is only a fraction of what goes into hearing...what you're hearing. Its great when I get material that I'm familiar with or have knowledge about, or even better- I have experience with. For those times when I don't have a clue about the material, I have to do some homework.
Prior to sitting in front of the mic there's alot of work (not fun) that has to happen to before I can hit the record button. For new clients, there's the virtual door-knocking, phone calls and emails that introduce me to the decision makers; that, tied in with www.justmyvoice.com, SEO and marketing is what keeps me current in cyber-space. Then, of course, after a job is complete- getting paid.
Now for the 'FUN' part. When I get a project that needs to be produced (adding music and/or sound effects) the wheels in my head go into over-drive. I look at the script and place myself in that scenario: 'What would I hear if I were at this place, am I in the city? Is the traffic heavy? Maybe it's windy; are there any sirens?; or maybe, I'm inside...'; it goes on and on. It's crazy what the mind can do from reading a script. After the voiceover is recorded, the project starts coming together (like building blocks); sound effects are strategically placed, the proper music is chosen; then the volume levels are all adjusted and BOOM- a produced recording; or is it? I listen to the finished piece and adjust accordingly. Sometimes productions come together by accident, like Bob Ross says: "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents". Halloween projects are alot of fun to produce; the things you can do with the right program, music and sound effects is amazing.
The finale is when I get positive feedback from the client...it don't get much better than that.
by Rich Brennan