With the growing consumption of videos, there has been an exponential increase in the demand for voice-over and dubbing artists. From advertisements to video games to animated movies, voice acting is everywhere. You may find a voice actor working on a video game one day, a commercial the next and an animated movie the following day.
People often assume that voice-over and dubbing are all about having an attractive voice and producing funny sounds. But it’s much more than that!
If you want to start your career in this industry, here are some skills you need to master:
1. Voice clarity and flexibility
A successful voice actor is known for the clarity and flexibility in his/her voice. Companies are always looking for actors who can pronounce every word clearly and confidently. Poor enunciation can adversely affect the message to be conveyed and the overall image of the brand.
Moreover, different recordings require various voice personalities. Therefore, a voice actor must possess different kinds of voices, depending on what a video director wants.
2. Acting skills
It is one of the essential skills you need as a voice-over and dubbing artist. Having a unique and confident voice is not enough. If you want to attract more audience, you must possess some acting skills to bring any script to life. You need to express the emotions with your voice alone, and this makes voice-over complicated.
If you’re not confident about your acting skills, you can join an acting school or practice at home in front of your family or friends. You can even read scripts and books loudly in different voices, accents, and tones to further hone your skills.
3. Technical knowledge
Being a voice actor means you should know how to deal with various tools and equipment required in this field. A computer or a mobile and a good microphone is all you need to record your voice clearly.
You must have all the necessary apps and software to record and edit your recording. Since these are constantly changing, make sure you are aware of the latest technological advancements in this industry.
4. Reading fluency
To be a successful voice actor, a voice actor must read aloud fluently. This skill is essential in the case of audiobooks, long-form narration, e-learning modules, and much more. A voice actor must understand the intent behind what he is reading. Furthermore, he must speak the content with proper tone, accentuation, and pitch.
If the voice actor connects to what he is reading, the listeners are more likely to take an interest in what he wants to say. But how can you establish such a connection? Well, there are several different techniques to do so. You can use your hands to make gestures, make facial expressions to convey emotions or use your body to interpret actions in your voice physically.
Conclusion
Now that you are aware of the necessary skills to become a voice-over and dubbing artist, it is time to work on them. And, when you are ready, start marketing your services – both online and offline. Create a profile showing your voice-over or dubbing experiences, and audition for everything that suits your interest. Voice over and dubbing is a challenging industry, and actors who are passionate about what they do are more likely to become successful in this field.
If you are looking forward to building a long-term career as a voice-over/dubbing artist you can contact us – DUBnSUB. We are a full-service post-production company based in Gurgaon, India with branch offices in Myanmar, France, Germany, and the USA with a community of experienced linguists and voice-over artists.
Additionally, for any requirement/queries, please contact [email protected] or give us a call at +91 124 498 2484. We will be more than happy to help!