High-Quality Narration Voice Over
What is narration in a voice over artist context? So many things! Narration is by far the largest kind of work you may hear a voice over actor do. Narration includes the voice you hear guiding you through on a documentary, a TV show, a video on a website. Narration voice over is also all around you. In stores, elevators, amusement parks, in conferences, presented during meetings, on your apps, in audiobooks, on You Tube, in podcasts, at award ceremonies, in museums, in subway systems and more. In fact, for most voice actors 60-90% of their voice work comes from narrations.
Narration is primarily a recorded voice transmitting a message or telling a story where the primary goal is not directly selling something. However, some narration is used to market or promote goods and services. Sometimes narration accompanies video and sometimes it doesn’t. It can tell a story, be instructional, guide, entertain or explain.
What makes great voice over narration? Essentially, a voice over artist who knows how to break down messages within the script or story and deliver it so the listener really “gets it.” That requires more than a pretty voice. It takes artistry and acting chops. Being able to break down and analyze a script. Understanding how to adjust the delivery to make it fit the genre and rise above the din of everything else that competes for the listener’s attention.
Narration style is not a one-size-fits all delivery. Some projects call for a breezy conversational tone, like a how it works or who we are website video. Some narrations call for authority or inspiration, like those heard at a corporations annual general meeting or annual review. Some call for drama, like interactive aspects of a mob museum tour or a self-guided haunted tour of a city. In other narrations clarity is key, like in product videos or instructions of assembly.
While we often think of narration as big, like the classic unravelling of the story as told by Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption, most professional voice actors thrive by performing smaller works, at top notch quality, for much less money than Morgan and are also a lot easier to access. They’ll keep your viewer or listener engaged and interested.
A professional voice over artist, like Kim Handysides, works in a multitude of narration genres, makes your specific narration sound exceptional and delivers your files quickly, in budget and on time. While part of this talent came naturally, Kim worked (and continues to work) hard at her craft every day. She has delivered tens of thousands of narrations in her prolific voice over career and many of them have helped her clients win awards, accolades and lots of interest. Got a narration project you’d like performed? Book Kim for your next project or contact her for a quote or a sample.
High-Quality Narration Voice Over
In a world where everybody has the same access to intuitive studio tools that might have been revolutionary a decade or two ago, it’s never been more crucial to seek out high-quality narration for your voice over. If you’re a casting director looking to record audio for your next big project, you need to make sure that you’re working with a professional voice over artist who knows how to deliver stunning narrations – no matter how big or small your project might be.
Narration Voice Over is All Around You
What is narration in a voice over artist context? So many things! Narration is by far the largest body of work you may hear a voice over actor do. When you think of narration, what comes to mind? Is it the voice you hear that’s meant to guide you through a documentary; the confessional of a character in your favorite sitcom or the way an app guides you through its different features? Narration includes so much more than you might think and we live in a world ensconced by it. Narration voice over is also all around you – you just need to listen. It’s in:
- Stores
- Elevators
- Amusement parks
- Conferences
- Meetings
- Apps
- Audiobooks
- YouTube videos
- Podcasts
- Award ceremonies
- Museums
- Tours
- Subway systems
- The Internet of Things
Narration voiceover and storytelling permeate the fabric of our society in a way that someone who isn’t a professional voice over artist might never notice without being prompted. In fact, for most voice actors 60-90% of their voice work comes from narration work alone.
Boiled down to the basics, narration is simply a recorded voice intended to transmit a message or tell a story. When the primary goal is not directly selling something, the voice over you hear is most likely a narration. With that being said, some narration can be used to market and promote goods or services. Sometimes narration can accompany videos and sometimes it doesn’t. It can tell a story, be instructional, guide, entertain or explain.
What Makes Great Voice Over Narration?
What makes great voice over narration? For starters, experience. As a professional female voice over artist with 30 years of experience in the industry, Kim has worked on thousands of different projects and performed countless narrations at every corner of the field. Over the course of a long and award winning career, she’s developed an eye, (more specifically, an ear) for what makes great voice over narration. Being able to consistently deliver high-quality narration voice over, no matter what the subject may be, is fundamentally integral to actually having a successful career in such a tough industry. Essentially, the main objective of any voice over artist should be to break down a message between the lines of a script and deliver them in a way that makes it easy for a listener to understand.
Portraying the source material so that people can really “get it” is a pillar of the voice over industry. Being able to do that requires more than just a pretty voice – it takes artistry and acting chops. Having the uncanny ability to break down and analyze a script, lean into the most salient points of your message, coupled with an innate understanding of how to adjust the delivery, to make it sound conversational and real or monumental and impactful. These are the foundations of great voice over narration.
Styles of Narration Voice Over
Narration styles are widely different. The style you and your voiceover artist choose depends on your brand, your message, and the purpose of your asset (video/narration). Some projects call for a breezy, casual tone, appropriate for a “how it works” or a “who we are” website video. Some narrations call for authority or inspiration, like those heard at a corporation’s annual general meeting or a division review. Some call for drama, like the story behind a museum tour, an art installation, or a self-guided tour of a city. In product videos or assembly instruction narrations, clarity is key.
While we often think of narration as big, like the classic Morgan Freeman voiceover in Shawshank Redemption, most professional voice actors thrive by performing smaller works. Many provide top-notch quality and are a lot easier to access and lighter on the budget than a narration by Morgan. And they’ll keep your viewer or listener engaged and interested.
A Voice Over Professional You Can Trust
Professional voice over artist, Kim Handysides, works in a multitude of narration genres, making your specific narration sound exceptional. SHe always delivers quickly, on budget and on time. While part of this talent came naturally, Kim continues to work hard at her craft every day. AMong the over twenty thousand projects she’s narrated, she’s helped clients win awards, achieve calls to action and gain lots of interest. Do you have a narration project you’d like performed? Contact Kim for a sample, a quote or to book her, today.