Work Doing Voice Over Commercials

By Marci Glover


There are many aspects to advertising which most people never take into consideration. The audience may be drawn in by the visuals and catchy tunes but one of the most memorable parts of any ad is the vocals. Doing work on voice over commercials is a great opportunity though it takes patience and persistence to become truly lucrative.

One big misconception is that all a person needs to make it in this business is to sound appealing when speaking naturally. However, along with that pleasant timbre, one should also be able to use proper diction, enunciate clearly and have the capability to act through vocal expression. A big part of the job is using inflection and timing to create a believable and sincere narrative.

This vocal talent is very commonly used in projects like documentaries, movies, animations, audio books, multimedia and video games. Radio, television and internet ads are perhaps the more frequently heard pieces in this field. Realistically, they are played so often that a majority of the audience has no idea exactly how much they are exposed to this type of advertisement throughout their day.

Advertising of this sort is basically broken down into three main categories. On the first tier are those ads that reach a very localized audience such as civic events and area car dealerships. The second level consists of those covering a regional zone and the third are the ones, often by well known organizations or brands, that are broadcast nationally.

Unfortunately, a large portion of the national tier advertisements are voiced by celebrities or seasoned vocal actors, mainly because their sound is recognizable to the masses. This does not mean that one should underestimate the power, influence and profitability of ads done on the regional and local levels. There is no way a handful of veteran performers can handle every job that comes along, so opportunities will present themselves in all categories.

It is quite rare that an actor becomes successful simply due to their pleasant sounding speeches. To become a marketable product, one must take the time to build their talent and make themselves desirable to the production companies. This process begins by seeking out a vocal coach who is qualified to instruct in the best ways to improve techniques, hone skills and control breathing.

Step two is to create a professionally recorded quality demo tape to submit as part of one's resume'. It should be sent to as many production companies, talent brokers and advertising agencies as are in the desired work area. After mailing out the CD packages, it is important to follow up with phone calls, just as one would do with any other job application.

With a bit of patience combined with a degree of persistence, it is possible for one to build a satisfying career in this field. Aiming for national ads is a respectable goal, though one should not expect to immediately start working on that level. Gaining experience through performing on a number of local and regional assignment is a tried and true way to hone the craft, build experience and become versatile enough to actually become competitive at the top tier.




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