As a voice over artist you do need to have a demo. One piece of work that showcases your very best talent. It is easy to dismiss the importance of the demo and simply say – I have a great voice and everyone will think so too. You could not be more wrong. On average with each job post a producer will receive in excess of 50 demos. How can you ensure that yours stands out and you get more voice over work as a result? We have asked our top talent to help with that question.
Invest in Production Qualities
Production values matter. It is not just about the voice but also how well it is dressed. Having a professional produce your promo material can add a breath of fresh air to the whole demo. You can also follow advice from Zoe and go the extra mile by calling the producer before you send the demo. Introduce yourself and say that demo is on its way!
Make sure you have a well produced, varied showreel. And when you have one, always speak to the producer themselves before emailing it over.
– Zoe Vernon, England
Use Recommended Source
Do ensure to go with a trusted website to have your demo made. Unfortunately the internet is full of people who promise the world and can hardly deliver. Many of our talent had bad experiences too. Make sure to ask for recommendations before you pay the bucks.
Reels – These are everything! If you have a strong reel, you will get work. There are lots of other places you can get a demo made, but just be sure it’s a recommendation as unfortunately you can get ripped off.
– Amy Solomon, England
Impressions Matter
The auditioning producer is likely going through 100 demos a day. Yours may be number 1 or number 44. For all you know he really may be fed up at this point. How do you instantly wow? You have less than 10 seconds to impress. Producers are busy people and if you respect that straight away you are off to a great start. Put your absolute best material at the start. Wow with every breath you take.
The main tip from me is that if an up-and-coming voice over would like to to get producers and agencies to actually listen to their showreel, they first have to create a very, very good one. The producer has to ideally be intrigued and captivated within the first 20 seconds, so the first 20 seconds has to be the best-of-the-best from the voice-talent – their shining-most example of something amaze-balls, riveting, captivating – and, preferably, unique. Producers are usually listening out for a voice with qualities no other voice has.
– Greg Marston, England
Connect Like a Maniac
In order to get the work you do need to be courageous and send your demos right, left and centre. Watch the latest job postings like a hawk. Do make sure that every email you send is made personal and written for that specific posting. Copy/paste jobs are very easy to spot and can take away any chance of landing the gig, even for those with truly impressive talents.
You have to put yourself out there in order to get the work and to not be afraid to send your demo to everyone.
We specialize in turning sound into an experience. With professional custom voice overs, radio jingles, AI voices, commercially safe ads, jingles, royalty-free music and podcast editing services; we cater to all your audio and video needs.
