I got my start as a voice over actor when the "real person", "conversational" tone was at its peak. A couple years later, the pandemic hit. Things got a little too real, so it wasn't the time to talk too "real-ly" anymore; we needed to be a little more pandering, a little more empathetic, a lot more "We're All In This Together." As well, the demand for us to have a professional home recording studio increased dramatically, which enabled voice over actors who had one (or the ability to quickly build one) an edge. During this time, podcasts sprouted up left and right and they're not gong away away time soon. So, what should we keep an eye out for 2023?
Audio Advertising: Audio content and consumption is at an all time high, and advertisers will want to jump on that bandwagon and focus on audio versus video. Yes, consumers are still watching video, but listening to podcasts, audiobooks, meditation, webinars, conferencing, language apps, and more while on the go is so popular, advertisers would be un-wise to ignore those opportunities. For us, we need to make sure we have some voice over samples and demos to offer with this trend.
High Quality Audio: During the pandemic, we saw a big rise in people wanting to try their hand at voice over. It makes sense, most of us are home anyway, so why not make some money. With the increase in audio only consumption - therefore less visual distractions- the need for quality audio is even more important to be able to deliver what the client is looking for. Making sure your audio quality is up to par is a good way to set yourself apart. Remember, Average audio levels should be -12 dBFS, with peaks no higher than -6 dBFS.
Emotional Connection: As voice over actors, our job is to be believable to the clients and to their audience. An authentic and engaging voice is still important going into 2023, as brands are focused on more candid, honest, and human-feeling interactions with their advertisements. However, we still need to be on brand and that varies from client to client. We can do this by keeping up with our script practice and incorporating feedback and guidance from auditions, booked jobs, coaches, and our own instincts.
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