In this article, whether you are a filmmaker, director, marketing agent, or just want a good read, how you can find the right voice actor for your commercial. Casting for commercials can be very difficult, more so if you are in the early stages of your commercial, don’t have a vision, and are just putting the feelers out to see who you attract. It is important to remember that different commercials will, naturally, require different people. When it comes to commercials and actors, there is not a one-size-fits-all.
There are many factors for you to consider when you are casting for your commercial, from gender to age. Whoever you choose, they should be able to act professionally and appear natural on the camera. Yes, it’s fair to say that choosing a voice actor can be a challenge, but with this article, that is no longer a problem.
Purpose and Audience
Purpose
When getting started looking for a voice actor, you should at least have a vision for your commercial so you know what your commercial hopes to achieve. Whatever the purpose of your commercial may be, you will need someone who can engage your audience. With that said, different commercials call for different people, so it is important to establish whether you need an actor to convey serious emotion; make people laugh; speak to them like a father to a child; reprimand them, or anything else. From the beginning, establish purpose.
Audience
When you have the purpose drilled down, you should be a step closer to establishing who your audience is. If you are selling women’s body care products, then you obviously want to target women. However, with that said, there are many other factors to consider, such as wealth, background, and age. Establish who your audience is.
Brand
You need to get a feel for your brand. The commercial that you put out should be a reflection of your brand, and because of this, so should your voice actor be. If you put a non-serious, comedic actor on your commercial, those who listen to it will associate it with comedy. If it is a serious matter, hire an actor who can be serious [this is something a lot of people struggle with].
Stereotypes
It is important not to unintentionally conform to stereotypes when you are selecting a voice actor, for it can be very easy to do so. You may think that only men drink whiskey, so for a whiskey commercial, you need only hire a muscular man with a beard. This is wrong, and in fact, women LOVE whiskey! So, while not conventional, why not hire a woman for your whiskey commercial? It is important not to adhere to stereotypes in a world that is constantly evolving, shedding stereotypes and stigmas, and changing.
Selecting a Voice Professional
When you have the information gathered throughout the previous points, you will be able to finally select a voice over professional for your commercial.
Gender
Selecting a gender for your commercial is very important. We briefly discussed this in the previous paragraph, where we mentioned not conforming to stereotypes. This still stands true. But with that said, you should cast a voice actor that is true to the character they are playing and you shouldn’t change their gender simply by virtue of trying to break social boundaries. When sympathy is required, select the right voice, for it may be paramount to the success of your commercial.
Acting
You need a good actor. Even if you are just shooting a voice over, the voice over specialists must be good actors and must be able to play characters. Your voice actor needs versatility. If your campaign is a more serious one, then you need an actor who can be serious, for it is very important should you want your campaign to succeed.
Other Things to Consider
Now, by this point in our article, you should know exactly who you need. Now it’s just a matter of finding them, isn’t it? There are a number of agencies available, and a number of places to look, as well as things to look for. We will now discuss other important parts of your commercials behind-the-scenes process.
Studio
If you are doing voice overs, you need a good studio just as much as you need a good actor. This is something some people forget, which is why their commercials wind up sounding scratchy and unprofessional. Your actor must be comfortable in a sound booth also. You need a good studio with plenty of sound booths. You can rent a studio for the day, or for however long you need them if you do not own one.
Editors and Producers
Along with your studio, you will also need editors and producers. The recording is just the first step in your commercial, and next, with the voice actor selected and recordings made, you need to edit and produce the commercial and turn it into an actual commercial. Selecting editors and producers is very important should you want your commercial to succeed. A poorly made commercial will deter anyone from supporting your business or campaign, or whatever it is you are making a commercial for. The highest quality of production and editing is required in our digital age, for even the most uninformed and least technologically savvy person will be able to distinguish a poorly made commercial from a good one.
Message
It is important to properly convey your message in a commercial. With so much fanfare involved in commercials, this is usually lost on people. It is important that your commercial expresses what it is intended to express, so not only can you convey your message, but so people can take you and your commercials seriously. A commercial is a great way to express a serious message, but if you just mess around and turn it into a joke [as all commercials seem to do], you will be considered a comedy director, rather than a serious director.
With the help of this page, you now know to select a voice actor and organize your commercial. Hiring voice actors are the most important part of your commercial, for, without them, it cannot be. Choose wisely.