Voice over plays a huge role in how viewers respond to your video content. A professional voice over can make all the difference in how engaging your message is and how much impact it has. Getting the tone and style of your voice-over right can also help you overcome any language or cultural barriers that might otherwise hinder your content.
The first step to a successful voice over is finding the right recording space. This may not be as luxurious as a recording studio with sound-absorbing foam, a fancy microphone setup, and a computer workstation that looks like NASA’s Mission Control, but you can still create a great space for your voice over by ensuring it is quiet, free of distracting noises, and easy to get comfortable in. Make sure to position your microphone about 6 inches from your mouth, and remember that your relationship with the mic can make or break your recording. Try positioning it closer and further away to see how it affects your tone and clarity.
Proper pronunciation and enunciation are essential for sounding professional. It is also important to find the right pace for your script. Pacing that is too fast will confuse your audience, while pacing that is too slow can be boring and off-putting.
A well-known example of a successful voice over is Don LaFontaine, who began his career by recording the VO for movie trailers and became the voice of the movies for an entire generation. He knew how to strike the right balance between lighthearted and serious, and how to make his voice believable and relatable. voice over