When most people think of voiceover, they think of commercial voice over jobs. Commercial voice acting is a big part of the voice over industry with many different channels. In this post on how to become a voice over actor, we take a closer look at different types of commercial voice acting.
Commercial Voice Over Jobs
First of all let’s explore the many different forms of advertising use by companies. Broadly these fall into the following categories:
- Radio Commercials
- Television Commercials
- Internet Commercials (we cover some of this in a separate section)
- In-Store Commercials
One of the most influential parts of any commercial is the voice you hear. The voice actor needs to be able to fit the tone of the brand as well as provide sell the product or service. Depending on the target market and demographic, the voice may sound like the guy next door, an educated professional or a fun and lively teenager.
The main job of the commercial voice-over professional is to promote and influence the audience. This can be anything from a luxury holiday to a vacuum cleaner to beauty products. Commercial voice over jobs are applicable to nearly any industry. These commercials may be broadcast on the radio, on television, in podcasts, over the Internet or, more recently, through smartphone applications. There are obviously some industries that use advertising more than others. Most of these relate to products we all buy on a day to day basis and see advertised on TV. Household products, food, holidays, entertainment e.g. film releases and cars attract big budgets.
The chosen commercial voice over actor and script direction is the result of careful planning and decision-making on the part of the company, ad agency, or director. The actor is specifically selected to effectively reach the target audience most likely to be interested in buying the product or service. Case in point: a commercial voice over for a rugged four-wheel drive truck is going to sound very different from the voice you’ll hear selling a luxury sports car.
Examples of Commercial Voiceover Work – Performed By Peter Dickson
Radio Commercial Voice Over Jobs
Radio stations continually have a rosta of advertising that changes. Radio commercial voice over jobs can be national or local. If you want to find out more about about radio commercial voice over jobs then visit your local radio station.
Radio commercials are sometimes produced in-house by radio stations, but often by independent production companies. Some prefer to direct and record VOs using ISDN or other remote recording methods. Voices read a script to time, which usually is for a short ad.
There are a huge number of ads produced on a daily basis for the hundreds of radio stations. This is a great way for a voice actor to get regular commercial voice over jobs.
TV Commercial Voice Over Jobs
Advertising agencies work for brands and smaller companies. The client will agree a budget for advertising that is then used across many different media. The advertising coordinates every aspect of the advertising or marketing campaign. They come up with the initial creative concept, write scripts…and much much more. TV Commercials now are no longer just seen on TV, many are also distributed across the Internet. Some examples of large global advertising agencies are BBDO, WPP, JWT and TBWA.
Internet Commercial Voice Over Jobs
Some advertisements are made specifically for Internet only use e.g. a pre-roll ad for a YouTube channel or programme. These ads may reach millions of people. Other forms of Internet voice over jobs involve explainer videos. These have become an increasingly popular way for a company to simplify their marketing message.
Useful Tips – Auditioning For Commercial Voice Over Jobs
#1. – Make sure you produce a great show reel. A good show reel can make or break your chances of getting voice over work. As a member you can take our course on how to produce amazing show reels. Here is a FREE VIDEO from that course.
For more information on voice acting visit our series of posts on how to become a voice actor
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