If you’re looking for voice over services for your next project, there are typically three paths you can take:
- Reach out to freelance talent
- Go through a traditional voiceover agency
- Shop around an online marketplace.
Regardless of whether you’re planning a global ad campaign, a series of audiobooks, or some explainer videos, any of these routes can work.
However, success will really depend on understanding what each of these voice over services can offer.
In this article, we’ll break down the perks and pitfalls of each path.
We will also highlight the kind of projects that are best suited for each. This will help you better understand which services will likely work best for your needs and so lead to the success of your project.
1. Freelance Talent
What are the Advantages of Working with Freelance Voice Actors?
Connecting directly with a professional freelance voice actor, whether through their personal website or even on social media, can feel like a safe option, especially if you’re new to using voice over services.
When you work with freelance voiceover talent, the experience tends to be more personal as you’re dealing directly with the VO artists themselves.
This allows for a more hands-on approach, where you can direct the artist, tweak recordings, or oversee several revisions before everything’s done and dusted.
Additionally, since there’s no middleman involved, you won’t have any extra fees, making freelance voiceover services a more budget-friendly choice.
What Are the Disadvantages of Working with Freelance Voice Actors?
Of course, taking the freelance route will generally come with a few trade-offs.
For one, quality can vary a lot. Not every freelancer is professionally trained or equipped with top-level recording gear.
If your project involves multiple voice actors, whether in the same language or not – you’d need to edit and process the audio yourself (or using a professional sound editor / production company) so that everything sounds consistent.
There’s also no built-in safety net if something goes wrong.
For instance, tales have been told of clients been ghosted by fly-by-night freelancers they found online during critical projects. (This is why research is a must).
Revisions might take longer too, and turnaround times can be unpredictable—especially if your freelance voice actor is working 24/7 juggling multiple projects for other clients.
Unlike agencies and marketplaces, they won’t have a third party managing administration, accounts and more, which can see your job sliding to the back of the line if it’s not deemed as “important” as others.
When Should I Hire a Freelance Voice Actor?
That said, freelancer voice over services are a great fit for passion projects or those with tight budgets.
If you want to roll up your sleeves and stay involved in the process, working with a freelance voice actor can also be a perfect choice.
However, while there are many talented freelance artists out there, you’ll need to do due diligence to ensure you find someone who is as professional as they say.
Always check out reviews, compare prices among freelancers, and trust your instincts! If you feel the talent lacks what you’re looking for, you’re probably right. It’s best to offer a polite “thank you!” and move on!
2. Voice Over Agencies
What are the Advantages of Working with Voice Over Agencies?
The main advantage of using voice over services through an agency is that they’ll do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
A professional agency will vet their talent, ensure consistent quality, and steer you toward the voice talent that best fits your project’s brief and budget constraints.
You’re also more likely to get seasoned pros with top, professional recording setups who can offer fast turnarounds.
What Are the Disadvantages of Working with Traditional Voice Over Agencies?
If you’re on a budget, bear in mind that agencies come with an additional fee, so it may not be the solution for you if you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution.
Most agencies charge a commission, which is usually around 20% on top of the voice-over fee.
In addition to the commission, some agencies may add costs for post-production work and other unexpected expenses, such as casting, revisions, and studio time.
Of course there are agencies, such as Voice Crafters, who can organize castings and auditions at no extra cost.
So, make sure to check out what’ll be on the bill and what the agency will do freely to support you before you make your final choice.
When Should I Use Agency Voice Over Services?
If you have the money to spend and no time to supervise, an agency is the best bet.
Once you give them the details, they’ll come up with the goods.
Sure, you may be paying top dollar, but you know you’ll get top quality as a result.
That said, an agency like Voice Crafters can provide a dedicated talent pool with consistent, project-specific pricing.
So, as well as being sure you’ll receive quality voice work, you’ll have a firm idea of costs before you agree to anything.
Voice Crafters also offers a comprehensive QA on deliverables—voiceovers, captioning, translations, and more.
This can give you great peace of mind if you’re working on a a multilingual project or other high-stakes campaign.
3. Voice Over Marketplaces
What are the Advantages of Working with Voice Over Marketplaces?
Voice over marketplaces, also known simply as voice over companies, bring a ton of convenience to the table, primarily because they offer everything in one place.
For starters, you have access to a wide pool of talent, spanning all languages and experience levels.
You can browse through hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of voice actors, pinpointing your specific requirements including accent, voice age, pitch, and price!
In fact, price is something you can generally negotiate with this kind of voice-over service; most marketplaces have a healthy mix of up-and-coming voice actors with competitive rates to seasoned pros who can get you phenomenal results quickly.
A major advantage of opting to go with a voice over company is that things can happen quickly.
If you know what your needs are, you can post your project, get matched with talent, and have everything negotiated and booked within hours.
While most marketplaces tend to have built-in tools like usage rights management or payment protection, some also offer you other (often free) production assistance, such as AI script copywriting and transcription, and translation services.
What Are the Disadvantages of Working with a Voice Over Marketplace?
The biggest downside of using a voice over marketplace? Decision fatigue.
With so much diverse talent available, it’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of endless scrolling.
Before you know it, you’re second-guessing everything—including why you came to the platform in the first place!
Another common problem you may come up against with this kind of voice over service is inconsistent quality.
To avoid this, stick with platforms that vet their voice actors thoroughly— like Voice Crafters (Yep. We’re an agency AND a marketplace!)
That way, you won’t find yourself fit to scream as you sift through endless demos that don’t meet your standards.
When Should I Use Marketplace Voice Over Services?
Voice over marketplaces are perfect for projects with tight deadlines or that need diverse or multiple cast members, such as a global ad campaign.
If you’ve got a mid-range budget and want a good choice of talent, this kind of voice over service can be the sweet spot.
You’ll be able to find professional voice actors who check the boxes on everything from the right tone to the preferred time zone.
Final Words
Finding the right voice actor doesn’t have to be a hassle.
There are voice over services for every need, no matter your project, budget, or deadline.
However, if you’re still not sure, which route to take, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to advise.
If, on the other hand, you have an idea of what you want and you’re keen to get your project off the ground, post your project on our platform.
Make sure you request custom auditions based on your script (it’s free!) to really hone in on the voice that’s right for your brand and message.
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