As the end of 2018 closes in (just 6 weeks until Christmas) you may already be thinking about your goals for 2019.   If you’re reading this then chances are you’re already thinking about discovering what you can do with your voice, so now is the time to start planning.

Our first Introduction to Voice over 2-day course will be held on the weekend of February 16 & 17 next year and we’ve already filled 3 of the 10 places available.

Hopefully we’ve already shared plenty of information here to help you decide if this course is for you, however if you’d like to ask questions about the course or anything else we do we’re happy to chat with you on the phone (because we love to talk – use the number at the top of the screen) or you can use the email form on the contact page.

You may also like to check out the reviews we’ve been getting, both from those who have done the 2-day weekend course and from 1 on 1 coaching sessions.  Read the reviews HERE.

Don’t forget you can take up the option to pay for your course over 3 monthly instalments, plus if you know someone else who would love to take up this course, perhaps it will make for a great Christmas gift 😉

It’s almost November and before you know it the year will be over, so we have now locked in the dates for our first Introduction to Voice Over course in 2019.

The weekend of February 16 & 17 is the one you’ll need to keep clear if your new year resolution will be to finally do something with your voice or simply find out what it’s like to record a voice over.

Now while Feb 16 & 17 is still a few months away it’s worth noting that the course we ran in October was fully booked 7 weeks ahead of the weekend.  There are only 10 places available so don’t leave it to the last minute.

If you’re keen to secure your place now, you can take advantage of the option to pay over 3 months or simply pay the full amount up front.   

Finally if you have any questions about the group course in February or our 1:1 coaching sessions feel free to contact us any time.

It’s funny to think that at the start of 2018 Voices of Tomorrow didn’t even exist!

Andy and Cecelia were teaching voice over and audio production to students at the now closed Radio Training Institute in Melbourne, but it was an experiment to offer a new Introduction to Voice-over class to a broader audience. 

But, after an amazing weekend course at Bang Bang studios in South Melbourne,  it was an experiment that worked and the future looks bright! 

With 10 participants from various backgrounds including, teaching, acting, call-centre marketing, retail and more, we got the chance to explore what each and everyone’s voice could do and to listen and learn from each other. 

With such a great space to work the group spent was plenty of time in the studio getting used to the sound of their voices through headphones and practising the tips and tricks they had learnt.

There will be more group classes to give you the chance to try voice over in 2019.

Stay tuned for dates, and if you’re interested in more 1:1 training, contact us via the contact page, facebook or on the number at the top right of the page.

I recently turned up to a Voice Over job at a studio that I’d never worked in before, with an agency and client that I’d never worked with before.  Now that’s quite normal, however as we settled in to start the recording session I quickly realised that something was missing.

There was no pen or pencil…nothing to write with in the recording booth.

What do you need a pen for?

That’s a reasonable question if you’re new to voice over work.   Initially you may not need a pen, however there’s a good chance that once you read thought the script a few times you’ll start getting feedback from the client or producer on how they’d like to you read it.  This may include which words to emphasise, if they want an up/down/neutral inflection on a word or end of a sentence ,if some words need to be grouped together a certain way or perhaps a word needs to be deleted.

It’s possible that you may remember some of these directions, however if you can mark up your script to reflect the instructions given then you can spend less time thinking about it and more time actually doing it.

Additionally you may like to add in your own reminders on the script like finding the right place to take a breath in a long sentence.

My story ended well.  I got my hands on a pen and marked-up my script so I had quick reminders to ensure was always following the feedback given.

If you’re interested in learning more about voice over, working on how to mark up scripts is just one of the things we cover during our group courses and 1 on 1 coaching sessions.

Andy

There’s still six weeks before our next Introduction to Voice Over Course runs on the weekend of October 2 & 3, however we now have just ONE place remaining.

If you’ve been thinking of doing a Voice Over Course this year, the October 20/21 course is the last one we’ll be running in 2018 with the next likely to be in February 2019 depending on demand.

If you don’t feel that the group course is for you, we do also have 1 on 1 Voice Over Coaching sessions available.   These can be run at a time that suits you and structured for your level of ability, from just starting out of those who simply need more experience in a studio to fine tune their abilities.

If you have any questions about the October course feel free to get in touch via the contact pact or call the number at the tip right of the screen.

See you in October – Remember we have just one place left in this course.

It’s one of the most commonly asked questions and topics of much debate…just how much do Voice Over Artists get paid?  (or how much SHOULD they be getting?)

The answer to this is actually quite straight forward as there’s an industry recognised rate card for commercial voice overs developed by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance in consultation with the communications council of Australia.

This rate card sets the minimum Voice Over rates for Australian voice over artists for commercial uses across all mediums such as radio, television, online and even phone on hold.
If you’re serious about getting into voice over work, these are the rates you would be aiming to work for as a professional voice over artist.

In recent years we’ve seen much confusion and discussion around these rates with an increase in the number of voice over service providers prepared to work for much lower rates in order to secure the work.
This aside, here are some examples of common voice over jobs and the industry pay rate.

Radio Commercial

You get booked for a voice over at a commercial radio station.  The job is 3 x 30 second scripts promoting various products on special for a large supermarket chain.   The ads will run for 2 weeks and only on radio in Melbourne.

Voice Over talent fee = $330

If you did the exactly same job but the radio commercials were going to air on radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin…and be on air for up to 12 months the fee would be $470.

For radio you would be paid the same rate to read up to 5 scripts, as long as they were for the same client / product.

Television / Internet Commercial 

You’re booked to read a single 30 second script for a Television commercial. The ad will also run online on Facebook or a website as paid advertising and will run for 2 weeks.

Voice Over talent fee = $715

If the commercial was just on free to air and/or pay tv, broadcast in more than one state of Australia, the rate would be $530.

Unlike Radio, for Television the voice over fee is per script.

Phone-on-hold message

Sound boring?  If you’re booked to record a basic on-hold message the runs less than 60 seconds for a small business the fee would be $190 for a recording session of up to 30 minutes.

Where do I sign up for that!?

Ok.  It’s important to set some realistic expectations for anyone who is new to the Voice Over industry.

If you put the time and energy into your skills as a voice over artist and live in a city like Melbourne or Sydney then the types of jobs listed above could be in your future, however there’s a path to be travelled to get there.

If you listen to some of the earlier blogcast interviews we’ve done with voice over artists you’ll understand that the pathway to success in voice overs is different for everyone…and so is the level of success.

So perhaps the question is where do I start, rather than where do I sign up?

Learn…
More about the industry
How to read scripts
How to use your voice

Get experience…
You’re going to need lots of experience to gain the confidence and skills needed to work as a voice over artist.   This could mean doing some voluntary / unpaid / low paid work that’s suitable for those who are starting out.

It’s important to know that no voice over course or coach can guarantee you work in the industry.   However you may find that this is a good place to start.

Keen to start your Voice Over journey?

Join us for the Introduction to Voice Over Course held over the weekend of October 20/21 (2 places available) or consider booking a 1 on 1 in-studio coaching session.

You’ll get much more out of our weekend course however the 1 on 1 sessions are great if you just want to get a taste of the practical side of voice over work (for those who are new) or want to get more in-studio experience.

If you have any questions we’d love to hear from you.

In addition to our popular Introduction to Voice Over 2-day group course, we now offer a range of personal voice over coaching services.

If you’re completely new to voice over you may like to try out a 2-hour studio coaching session before joining us for the 2-day course.

The 2-hour studio coaching session is also suitable for emerging voice over talent who are looking to gain more experience being directed in a professional setting.

Are you ready to create a demo?  

One of the most common questions we get asked is ‘When should I make a voice over demo’.  Before booking in to have us help you create a demo, we’re more than happy to have a chat with you and ensure that now is the right time, or give you some direction on what you should be doing first.

Skype Voice Over Coaching
Coming soon – Connect with a Voice Over Coach for a 1 hour Skype session to work though script reading techniques and more.

Feel free to contact us if we can help you with any questions around our group course or 1 on 1 sessions.

You’re thinking about getting into Voice Over work…but where do you start?

We get asked this all the time (which is why we’ve set up our Introduction to Voice Over Course) but many people actually think the first step is to go out and buy a microphone ,set up their own home recording studio and start promoting themselves as a voice over artist.

Yes, a time may come where a home studio may be a useful tool, however we don’t recommend this as a starting point.

The ability to record your own voice doesn’t automatically give you the skills needed to read and interpret scripts or use your voice effectively with the right tone, intonation and projection. These are some of the basic skills that you must learn and then practice.

As mentioned, a home studio for voice over recording may be something you can look at some point in your journey towards becoming a voice over artist, however that initial investment would be better put to use in getting yourself some training / coaching in the basic skills that are required even before you step up to the Microphone.

If you’ve been thinking about Voice Overs as something you’d like to try, come along to our Introduction to Voice Over Course – the next is running on October 20 & 21.

Our Introduction to Voice Over Course is designed to be accessible to everyone.   

Not only have we designed this two-day course for people who have either little or no experience with voice over, but we’ve also made it more affordable by giving you the option of spreading the cost of the course out over 3 months.

This means you can pay instalments of $183.34 over three months, or pay the full cost of $550  (inclusive of GST).    This option isn’t available from any other beginner voice over course provider in Melbourne.

What do I get for my investment?

The total course fee of $550 ensures we can deliver the best experience possible as an introduction to the voice over industry.    You’ll be working with two voice over professionals, in an industry standard recording facility where we’ll record everything you do in the studio.

We’ve also limited the number of participants to just 10 to ensure that everyone can receive personal attention as needed over the two day course.

Finally when you sign on for our Introduction to Voice Over Course, be assured that we’re also here for you after you leave with your certificate of completion and copy of your recordings.   For those who are looking to pursue work as a voice over artist, we provide you with the next steps in gaining valuable experience and encourage you to keep in contact with us and get in touch with any questions or advice you may need.

Ready to get started?

Head over to the course bookings page, or get in touch via the contact page or phone number above.

The next date for our Introduction to Voice Over Course is closing in with just under 3 weeks to go!  (September 1 & 2 !)

One of the highlights of running this course for us is the variety of people who attend.  So far we’ve had a great blend of participants, both male and female, ranging in age from early 20’s to retirees…all from different backgrounds.

We’ve also found that everyone gets along really well over the two day course.  Perhaps it’s because they all come for the same reason – to learn more about voice over and using their voice.

Actually for us it’s important that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the Introduction to Voice over course as it allows us to create a safe space for everyone who is stepping up to the microphone for the first time.    It can be somewhat intimidating if you’ve never tried to read a script or even walked into a professional recording studio before, but when everyone is quite to to the experience it’s exciting and fun.

So if you’ve been toying with the idea of doing a voice over course, don’t be shy.   We’re hear to help and everyone is who comes along will be sharing your experience.

If you have any questions before you sign up, please feel free to email via the contact page or use the phone number at the top right of the screen and give us a call.

Andy & Cecelia.