This post is the third installment in this series written for people and businesses who have the need to hire female VO talent. This series discusses the contrast between what services and qualities a full-time female VO talent can offer versus a part-time voice talent. You can read Part 1 of this series, “Benefits of Hiring a Full-Time Voiceover Talent“ and part 2, “Why Hire a Full-Time Voiceover Talent For Your Next Project?“
A Member of Many Teams
In addition to my personal support and marketing team (see previous installment), there is a second team that I’d like to address. As a full-time female VO talent, I think of myself as being a valued member of all of my client’s teams. In production, a team can consist of the account executive, the video editor, the copywriter, the concept creatives, the project director, the producer, and of course, the end client.
The daily repetition and continual flow of voiceover projects through my studio (including everything from female commercial voiceovers, narration voiceovers, direct response, IVR, etc.) result in a very high level of expertise in the voiceover department for me personally. I can step in and take on my role, leaving the producer/director to focus on the big picture and other team members to focus on their individual roles and responsibilities.
My years of experience and daily practice as a full-time female VO talent have made it second nature for me to automatically produce the most effective timing, pacing, and delivery. “We need to shave off 2 seconds”… No problem! “We need to re-write the copy…” Gotcha covered!
I enjoy helping with the script if needed, suggesting copy edits or verbiage that may sound more fluid in the vocal delivery. Solid experience in various VO niches has taught me what works best in specific genres, and I can tailor my voiceover delivery accordingly.
This level of experience can be extremely valuable during a real-time session, when there may be the client listening in, along with the producer/director/editor, and time is of the essence.
My client is often an agency or production company who wants to complete the project while also looking good in front of his/her end client. The choice to work with a VO professional who produces fast, accurate results, can take direction well, knows where the edit points are within the copy for quick pick-ups, and makes it all look and sound easy, is a real advantage for my client and ultimately for the outcome of their project.
Part-time talent who lacks on-the-job experience may make more mistakes and take a lot longer to deliver quality results. This can actually make the producer/director look bad in front of their end clients.
Inexperienced VO talent can quickly feel “in over their head” in the middle of a session. And unfortunately, most producers/directors don’t give second chances, especially if the talent’s performance reflects negatively on them in front of their end clients.
Hiring An Expert Female VO Talent Saves You Time and Money
In addition to the quality product, voice over studio equipment and set up, and professional attitude, an extra bonus with full-time female VO talent is having speedy communication and a quick turnaround if needed. Personally, I love those last-minute requests, and my clients have come to depend on me to be available in a pinch.
Hiring an experienced full-time female VO talent makes sense for any business with voiceover talent needs. When your car needs expert service, don’t you prefer to go to an experienced full-time auto mechanic who spends all day under the hood, has dealt with a wide range of issues and problems, AND knows exactly how to fix them?
Likewise, it makes sense to hire an experienced female VO talent who spends all day in the studio, honing and improving her skills and abilities. Many a client realizes after the first or second try at hiring less experienced talent that they may end up spending MORE money in the long run. When the final project isn’t of the caliber needed, and they’re forced to go find another voice talent to redo the audio tracks, they learn to make a better casting choice in the first place.
Having a full-time focus on anything will improve the end product. When you’re dealing with something as nuanced as voiceover, especially for marketing and branding situations, it is imperative as a producer, to work with a high-quality VO pro who is versatile, quick on their feet, and has plenty of depth in talent, and ability to tap into during live sessions.
The VO talent you choose to hire should deliver not only a top-notch audio product but also be a valuable member of the team you employ to consistently provide quality work to your end clients and, ultimately, make your job and life much easier!
