The perfect briefing: 7 things your voice artist needs to know
Some briefs arrive like this: “Hi, I need a voice for a video, how much?”. Delighted to answer, but it’s like calling a restaurant and asking “how much is eating?”. It depends, my friend. Here’s the exact list of what a voice artist needs to give you a fixed quote and record it right first time. Seven things. Note them down and your voice overs will come out better, faster and cheaper.
1. What the piece is
Radio spot, corporate video, e-Learning course, phone system message? Each format has its register, its pace and its rate. It’s the first question because it conditions everything else.
2. Where it will be used
The same voice over doesn’t cost the same on your intranet as on national television. It’s not a whim: it’s usage rights, the licence for the voice depending on reach and time. Tell me where it will air and for how long, and the quote will be exact with no surprises.
3. The script (in Word, for the love of all things audio)
The final script, in an editable format. That’s where I mark pauses, intentions and pronunciations: my working score. A PDF is a photograph of a script; a spreadsheet is a biblical punishment. Word, and everyone’s happy.
4. The tone you’re after
“Natural” is the most used and least useful adjective: we all want to sound natural. Give me concrete references: an ad you like, a competitor’s video, two adjectives of your brand. “Warm but premium, like this example” beats “just make it natural” every single time.
5. The tricky pronunciations
Proper names, brands, technical terms, acronyms. Is your product pronounced the English way or the Spanish way? A WhatsApp voice note of you saying it is worth more than three emails. This point alone prevents 80% of re-records.
6. The edit reference (if it exists)
Is the video already edited? Send it over: I’ll record to its timing. Is the music chosen? I want that too, because it sets the pace of the read. Recording blind and hoping it fits is playing the lottery with your money.
7. Delivery format and deadline
WAV or MP3? Clean or mixed? One file or twenty, and named how? And for when? If the answer to that last one is “yesterday”, tell me early: rush jobs exist and get done, but they’re better known at the start than discovered at the end.
With these seven answers, your voice over walks into the studio with everything in its favour: same-day fixed quote, first-take recording and zero misunderstandings. Shall we try? Send me your brief (even a partial one, I’m not that strict) and I’ll get to work.
