What Defines A Professional Voice Over Talent?

As a voice over casting site that only represents professional voice talent, we see a broad spectrum of clients come through the site and in turn receive feedback on how their chosen voice actor completed the job. But what really defines a ‘professional’ voice actor? Is it someone that works full time as a VO? Is it someone who has been in the industry for over 5 years? Or is it someone that always goes above and beyond to ensure the client is happy?

We’ve had a chat here in the office and put together a list of the voice talent that get booked over and over to try and determine why clients keep coming back to them.

• A professional talent can decipher if a client may need some guidance. Or whether they know what they want, so they keep their mouth closed (except when speaking into the mic, of course.)
• A voice talent who is experienced understands that some clients have a budget and doesn’t make smart comments about how ‘you got a great rate for someone of my experience’.
• Someone who has worked in the industry understands there are slow periods and is grateful for all work that is sent their way, taking the good with the bad.
• A voice actor that is professional is someone who doesn’t demand extra payment if a client needs to change a line in the script.
• A professional voice over artist understands that in the age of the internet having an online presence is not an option but mandatory. Not having yourself listed on every site, but those sites that actively find you work.

Just a few things to think about next time you refer to yourself as a ‘professional voice talent’.