Voiceover artist FAQs
Answers to common questions about hiring a professional British voice actor.
What kind of recording studio do professional voiceover artists use?
I work from a purpose-designed, acoustically treated voiceover studio in my home, complete with strategically positioned bass traps, acoustic panels and sound-deadening materials. This ensures recordings are clean, consistent and broadcast-ready.
What equipment does a professional voiceover artist use?
I record using an Aston Spirit microphone running through an Apogee Duet interface, and capture audio using TwistedWave software on an Apple MacStudio M4 Max.
Recordings are delivered in any format required. As standard, I record cold, raw and clean with no added compression, processing or sound-sweetening unless specifically requested.
How quickly can a professional voiceover artist record a script?
Turnaround depends on the script length and project requirements, but it can often be very fast.
I once turned around a short script sent from a London client – whilst I was in Australia – in just 10 minutes. Voiceover is all I do, and I work from my studio 24/7 (unless I need coffee, which usually means a quick trip to the bakery).
If I receive a script of up to around 300 words along with a clear brief – including tone, pacing, pronunciation guidance, timings, music or footage if relevant – I can usually deliver clean audio within an hour or less.
How much does it cost to hire a professional voiceover artist?
My Basic Session (or Studio) fee depends on who the client is and usage. The B.S.F. represents the initial cost to book me, my voice, my time and recording studio facilities. I also require information as to where and for how long the audio is going to be broadcast/used. For example, radio, TV, cinema, social media, the internet, YouTube, podcasts, on-hold/IVR messages etc. Also, which regions and/or countries. Once I have this information, I can quote more accurately. Cost vary across platforms, mediums, regions and countries. Contact me to discuss.
Do voiceover artists charge for retakes or pick-ups?
This depends on the scope of the work.
Usually, one round of small pick-ups is included as part of the original quote. However, if the script or any part of it is changed, rewritten or amended after the final approved script has been recorded, additional fees may apply.
The cost depends on how much material needs to be re-voiced.
How do you brief a voiceover artist to get the best recording first time?
Two words: live direction.
I welcome live online sessions using the agency or client’s preferred VOIP platform. I also welcome any other personnel who need to attend the session.
Having said that, I usually find that less is more. The more people listening in, the longer the session tends to take and the greater the chance of technical glitches such as buffering, drop-outs or latency. None of these issues affect the recording itself, but they can slow things down for those present.
A live, monitored and directed session usually means we capture exactly what’s needed the first time, avoiding the need for re-voicing later.
Read more about what to expect when hiring a voiceover in my blog.
Where can I listen to professional voiceover demos?
There are dozens of samples of my work available on the ‘Hear’ page of my website.
Listen to them – and get in touch if you have any questions.
How much experience should a professional voiceover artist have?
I made my first professional “paid for” radio commercial as a voiceover in 1984 whilst working at my regular job as Music Director for the ABC in Australia.
I’ve been voicing now, full-time, for over 30 years.
Can voiceover artists pronounce foreign names or technical terms?
Yes — provided I’m supplied with a recording of someone clearly saying the word, name, place or phrase.
I regularly work with clients in the UAE and across Europe, pronouncing many different (and sometimes difficult) names and places in several languages.
Why are most professional voiceover artists not household names?
Voiceover artists are often heard far more than they are seen.
Apart from well-known actors and celebrities who voice projects from time to time, most professional voiceovers remain largely unknown outside the industry.
Whenever I’m asked what I do for a living, after a few minutes of conversation I can usually identify something the person has heard on radio, TV or across the internet that I’ve voiced.
Fundamentally, we’re fairly shy folk.
Do voiceover artists help improve scripts or pronunciation?
Often, yes.
As part of what I do as a voiceover actor, I frequently correct grammar, adjust punctuation and occasionally suggest alternative ways of saying something if the wording doesn’t sound quite right when spoken aloud — particularly when text has been translated into English from another language.
After years of reading thousands of scripts, this is something that comes naturally. It usually helps the client’s audio sound more natural and flowing when the right words or phrases are used and pronounced accurately alongside the correct punctuation.
In live sessions especially, I’m very happy to offer input if the client would like it.
What is a neutral British voiceover?
The phrase “neutral British voiceover” is often used to describe a clear, widely understood British accent without strong regional characteristics.
It’s commonly used in international advertising, corporate films, documentaries and online content because it travels well across different audiences.
In practice, clients usually mean a voice that sounds natural, articulate and recognisably British without being strongly tied to a particular region.
Can AI replace professional voiceover artists?
AI-generated voices have improved rapidly – but can never replace the nuance and understanding of a human voice.
Professional voiceover work still relies heavily on interpretation, pacing, emotional nuance and the ability to respond to direction during a recording session.
Human voice actors bring a level of performance and adaptability that AI cannot replicate.
I explore this subject in more detail in my blog AI vs the Human Voice: A Considered View from the Booth.
How do you hire a voiceover artist for a project?
Hiring a voiceover artist is usually quite straightforward.
Most projects begin with a brief outlining the script length, the tone of voice required, where the recording will be used (for example advertising, corporate video, training content or gaming), and the expected turnaround time.
Once those details are clear, the voiceover artist can provide an accurate quote and schedule the recording session. In many cases the recording can be completed remotely from the artist’s studio or through a live directed session. If you’d like to discuss a project, feel free to get in touch here.
What information should you send a voiceover artist before recording?
The clearer the brief, the smoother the recording session will be.
Ideally, the voiceover artist should receive the final script, guidance on tone and pacing, pronunciation notes for unfamiliar words or names, and any reference material such as video, music or timing cues.
When these elements are provided in advance, recording tends to be faster and avoids the need for revisions later.
What types of projects use professional voiceover artists?
Professional voiceover artists are used across a wide range of media including television and radio advertising, corporate films, online marketing videos, explainer animations, documentaries, e-learning programmes, video games and telephone systems such as IVR or on-hold messaging.
Many modern projects also require voiceover for digital platforms including YouTube, social media and app content.
How long should a voiceover script be for a 30-second or 60-second recording?
A useful rule of thumb is that around 150 words equals roughly one minute of spoken voiceover, although this can vary slightly depending on the pace and style of delivery.
For example:
• 30-second voiceover: approximately 70–80 words
• 60-second voiceover: approximately 140–160 words
However, pacing can change depending on the style of the script. Commercial reads, character work or dramatic narration may require more breathing space, while corporate or informational scripts may move slightly faster.
If you’re unsure whether your script length fits your intended timing, I’m always happy to take a quick look and advise before recording.
What other professional experience can support voiceover work?
Alongside voiceover work, I’ve spent over 45 years singing in bands across genres from pop and rock to jazz.
Between 2008 and 2013, while living in Australia, I performed as a vocalist with two 20-piece jazz, swing and lindy-hop big bands covering artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Harry Connick Jr., Bobby Darin and Nat King Cole.
While I don’t generally sing jingles, I have contributed vocals to projects that required it.
Beyond music, I’ve also written and voiced poetry, compèred live events in the UK and Australia, interviewed actors and musicians, written radio news content as a journalist, commentated at outside broadcasts and performed improvisational comedy in ensemble teams — even co-writing and performing in a five-piece comedy troupe.
Still got a question?
Get in touch.
