Voice over has evolved with time, in 1906 Reginald Fessenden discovered the AM radio to broadcast his voice to send ships at sea in Massachusetts. In the early 1900s the voice over was used in radio and later it started being used in various other forms of entertainment. For instance in the early 2000s various A-listed celebrities started taking voice over parts in animated films like Brad Pitt in “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas”. However with the evolution of the internet now voice over is easily available to anybody who wants to get started.

Key Elements That Makes A Great Voice Over Artist

Voice over artist is more than just having a good voice, it requires mastering some specific skill set. What skill set makes exceptional voice over services? Let us have a look:

Versatility

A good voice over artist can easily switch between various accents, tones and characters. This versatility gives them a chance to work in many projects from animated films to corporate presentations. Mel Blanc often showcased the versatility by voicing iconic characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck etc.

Emotional Range

Voice over artists could convey a spectrum of emotions from joy and sorrow to excitement and anger. A good balance of emotional range makes the content more believable. For instance actress Cate Blanchett showed emotional range in her narration for the documentary “voyage of time”.

Clear Pronunciation and Dictation

It is very important for the voice over artist to have a clear voice. It helps and makes sure that every word narrated is understood. One of the popular voice over artists Morgan Freeman has clear dictation. It makes him a sought after artist for narrating documentaries, films and trailers.

Adaptability

A great voice over artist should understand when dubbing goes wrong. They should also be able to adapt to various scripts, feedback and directors. It helps in making sure that they meet the needs of each project whether it's dark, twisted, funny or playful.

Technical Proficiency

Voice over artists these days have home studios for recordings. This helps them to record auditions or final tracks without even going to an external studio. A good knowledge of equipment, software and acoustic treatment help them produce high quality recordings from anywhere. One of the popular animated film voice actors Tara Strong has a good technical set up.