Top 10 Voice Reel Tips
Producing a voice reel can be enjoyable and stressful at the same time. On the one hand, you have the creative freedom to add what you want, yet on the other hand; there are high expectations you have to meet.
Voice reels can be challenging to get right the first time. To give you more in-depth information on creating your reel, let’s look at the top 10 tips in detail and whether any other elements within those tips can help you improve the final product.
Don’t want to be left solo? No problem! Voicereels can help you produce the best possible reel, with input from industry insiders.
Top 10 Voice Reel Tips
The first and arguably most important tip on this list is that you should create a unique script that doesn’t copy from other voice actors.
Tip 1: Create a Script Unique to Your Talents
The first step in creating a reel is to lay out what you need to say and how you are going to say it. When writing your script, you mustn’t copy content from the demo reels of other voice actors. Not only would it be done in bad taste, but any potential clients can ostracize you. Your reputation matters! Also, it’s uncool – please respect other voices!
Use your aptitude to display why you would be the perfect personality to work with on a project. There’s nothing wrong with getting inspiration from other talented actors, but there’s a fine line between inspiration and duplication, so tread carefully.
Tip 2: Don’t Attempt To Include All of Your Portfolio
If you’ve already been in the industry for a while and you’ve done great projects, you may want to include sections from all of your projects in your voice reel. Although two would be good, you only have a limited amount of time to be able to show your skills. Decide on the best projects you want to include.
Tip 3: Reveal Your Vocal Range
Professional voice reels for actors should demonstrate a wide vocal range. Ensure that you show the different types of tones you can speak in and show off your ability to command and entertain using your voice. Start off with using your natural voice and then figure out a way to display how you can manipulate your voice to suit different themes.
Tip 4: Spend Time Choosing the Right Equipment
You need to spend a lot of time choosing the right condenser microphone, headset, noise protection filter, and shock mount to prevent the mic from picking up specific background noises. The right equipment will help you create high-quality and impressive voice reels.
These are also the tools of the trade! So having access to this equipment is a necessity for your budding career.
Tip 5: Find a Specialization
Finding a specialization can help you create your voice reel since you know what kind of content clients want to hear. You can specialize in animation, advertisements, corporate training videos, and narration for educational material such as documentaries. After you specialize, you can rewrite your script to include why you would be great for the specific domain in which you want to work.
Tip 6: Create a Shorter and More Digestible Demo
Between 90 and 120 seconds is the average length of a voice reel. Any longer can damage the integrity of your audition; after all, it can become very tedious if someone is going through hundreds of different reels.
Chances are that casting directors will listen to the start and then move on – these are busy people. So making sure you start with the most relevant, impressive, and attention-grabbing read is a priority.
Tip 7: Hire a Voice Acting Coach
Hiring a vocal coach can be an expensive addition; however, rather than thinking of it as a cost, it’s more of an investment. Mastering the command of your voice can be an outstanding way to diversify your talent.
A vocal coach can help eliminate the tension in your jaw better and improve your pitch and voice projection range. Furthermore, someone who has already worked in the industry can give you more insight into what voice-over is most sought after and which are the most essential traits to consider when crafting your voice. We can help you source a coach in your time zone.
Tip 8: Pay Extra Attention to Pacing and Volume
One of the most common mistakes that beginners can make when producing a voice reel is that they end up pacing incorrectly or struggle to keep their volume in check throughout the recording. While you can fix some volume issues post-production, the pacing is much harder to fix. Ensure that you are speaking at a suitable pace by practising and having someone keep an eye on how it sounds.
Rule of thumb: prevention is better than relying on post-production, try to minimise recording errors for much higher quality end results.
Tip 9: Use Free Editing Software To Clean Up Your Voice Reels
You can use several free voice editing software to clean up your voice reel. Editing is a critical step in creating the perfect voice reel, but it shouldn’t have to break the bank. Use open-source software that you can use to cut, copy, amplify, normalize, and trim the files according to your requirements. Or rely on a trusted service like Voicereels to do it for you.
Tip 10: Don’t Forget To Warm Up
Although this may seem simple enough, there are still some people who end up forgetting to warm up their voices. Before recording, you should perform a few vocal exercises to help facilitate blood flow and oxygen flow to the muscles in your throat, helping you perform more smoothly.
Examples of vocal exercises include massaging your neck and throat to relax the muscles in that area. Other exercises involve humming in different pitches and rolling your lips to remove tension.
Conclusion
When you’re ready to create your voice reel, don’t forget to warm up your voice, create a shorter script, and be selective with the type of content you include. It can be hard to intrinsically know what to include, so it’s always best to work with professionals. Voicereels offers a wide array of voice reel production services and advice to ensure you know exactly what to include to maximise your reel’s potential. Never miss another opportunity.
