The right talent is just as important as the right location.

We excel in special interest video, infomercials, voice-overs, and industrial films.

We provide talent resources for a variety of projects including:

Print Models

On-Camera Commercials

Voiceovers:  Commercials, Promotions & Narrations

Infomercials

PR Campaigns & Media Tours

After you have selected the perfect talent, we’ll help you acquire and edit your digital images.  Videography and Photography in the studio or on location.  Full service video editing is also available.

Selecting the right voice-over or on-camera talent for your next video production.

Struggling to find the perfect voice-over or on-camera talent for your video production? You’re not alone. We’ll break down essential tips and tricks for selecting the right person for the job, so you can start seeing results. Ready to get started?

Let’s dive in!

Introduction

Selecting the right voice-over artist or on-camera talent for your next video production can be an intimidating task. With so many voices and performers to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and make a poor decision that could end up costing you money, and worse; damage your reputation.

Fortunately, there are ways to make sure you get the best voice artist or on-camera talent for your next project. By following a few simple steps, you can maximize your chances of finding the perfect performer for your project while minimizing risk.

First and foremost, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you need when selecting an actor or voice actor. Have a clear vision of how you want their performance to sound or look on camera. Consider what kind of emotion or attitude you want conveyed in their delivery as well as any other specific details about their performance that are important to achieving success with your video project.

Once you’ve determined the type of personality you’re looking for in an actor, take some time to research potential talent by reading reviews from previous clients and listening/viewing samples from past projects they’ve been involved in. This will give you a better understanding of the quality level they can deliver within different styles and genres. It will also help narrow down potential candidates more quickly.

Finally, after selecting one or two preferred performers, it’s important to ensure their schedule lines up with yours – not just availability at the moment but overall timeline objectives such as if there will be any necessary retakes if needed during post-production workflows!. This step is especially essential if potentially hiring unionized talent; since they may require special contractual considerations when being booked by third parties.

By keeping these tips in mind when selecting voice-over artists or on-camera talent for your upcoming project, there’s a higher likelihood that your search will be less daunting and deliver great results!

The Basics of Voice-over and On-Camera Talent

As you plan your next video production project, understanding the fundamentals of voice-over and on-camera talent selection can help ensure a successful final product. The following are some key considerations when selecting the right person for the job.

Voice-over Talent Voice-over actors bring character and life to animations, corporate videos, audio books, e-learning modules and more. When selecting voice-over talent, consider the following attributes:

Voice quality: Is the voice pleasant and calming or energetic and enthusiastic? Is it deep or high pitched? Can the accent easily be understood by people not familiar with that dialect? Is there a signature sound to the actor’s delivery that is recognizable? Acting ability: Does the actor have good enunciation, timing, pronunciation and annunciation skills? Can he or she convey various emotions through their performance?

On-Camera Talent On-camera talent adds an impressive layer of professionalism to any project. When selecting someone for this role consider these factors: On camera presence: Does he or she have an engaging smile or attractive facial features? Are his or her body language cues convincing enough for believable performances on camera? Acting ability: Can the actor connect with viewers through facial expression, gesture and eye contact to effectively convey emotion in each scene? Does he or she have a curious nature that allows them to ask proper questions in interviews on camera with ease?

Overall Project Fit Additionally determining if each talent is right fit for your screenplay narrative helps to further inform hiring decisions. Evaluating how well they match up with your vision goes beyond just technical skill –– accounting for physical appearance (i.e. height) wardrobe needs as well as dialogue delivery must all be taken into consideration as you make your final choice between potential actors in both categories.

Identifying Your Needs for the Project

Before selecting a voice-over or on-camera talent for your video production, it is important to first identify the necessary skills, attributes and characteristics the talent must possess. Consider questions such as: What type of character should the talent take on – friendly, authoritative or conversational? Is it essential for them to have experience recording in a professional studio setting? Are there any specialized talents – singing, lip syncing, accents or dialects – you might require for this particular video project?

Once you are clear on what type of voice-over or on-camera talent is required for your project, you should create a job description outlining all of the necessary criteria. This job description can include details such as: the intended audience; whether a professional acting background is needed; any experience that would be beneficial; language requirements (some projects may require bilingual actors); physical requirements (i.e. height); and other special instructions. By putting together this job description in advance, you will make it easier to match potential voice-over and on-camera talents with your project’s exact needs.

Finding the Right Talent

Finding the ideal talent for video production projects can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, you can find the perfect voice-over or on-camera talent to bring your project to life. You should begin by researching industry websites and attending casting calls to locate potential recruits. You may also work with an agent, who can provide a wider selection of professional actors, models and influencers.

Once you have made contact with potential actors or on-camera personalities, conduct interviews and showcase audition tapes to help narrow down your selection. Be sure that other members of your production team also have a chance to review the talent for their professional opinion too. Additionally, find out if a particular voice-over actor has experience working in similar productions or successfully delivered lines for past projects.

Finally, consider any additional requirements such as shooting location; availability; pay scale; time commitment; rehearsal time and scheduling conflicts that could arise from selecting different talents. By considering all factors when looking for suitable actors or on-camera personalities you will find the best talent to help make your project successful.

Evaluating the Talent

Evaluating the perfect voice-over or on-camera talent for your next video production is one of the most important tasks in the pre-production process. When selecting a performer, there are several key factors to take into consideration, such as experience, technical skills, versatility and availability.

In order to properly assess a potential performer it’s important to review their demo reel and sample files thoroughly. Listen for vocal qualities like tone, clarity and resonance as well as on-camera presence. Additionally, consider their specialty areas such as character voices or hosting live events. Above all else, look for someone who has an appropriate type of voice and performs with enthusiasm that matches your project vision.

When doing in-person interviews with candidates it’s also a good idea to run some test scripts with them if possible. Directly evaluating how they handle certain lines of copy will allow you to make a more informed decision when comparing multiple performers. Don’t forget to research each candidate’s industry reputation before making your final selection. By following these guidelines you can ensure that you find the perfect fit for your upcoming video production!

Working with the Talent

Once you have selected the perfect voice-over or on-camera talent for your next video production, it is important to establish a productive working relationship with them. Here are a few tips for working with talent to ensure success:

• Establish clear expectations: Be sure to explain the project and discuss your expectations for the deliverables before you start working together.

• Ensure good communication: Maintain regular communication with the talent. Allow time for questions and keep them updated throughout the process.

• Monitor workflow: Monitor progress on a daily basis to make sure that all deadlines are met and that all tasks are completed on time. Encourage feedback from the talent so that any issues can be addressed quickly.

• Create positive vibes: Creating an atmosphere of mutual respect will help ensure that everyone involved in the project is happy and focused on achieving their goals.

• Say thank you: Be sure to thank the talent for their hard work and dedication when the project is completed – this will go a long way in creating goodwill between you and future talents!

Finalizing the Talent Selection

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you can now take the final steps to selecting the right talent for your production. You need to consider both the style of delivery that would be most suitable for your project, as well as the technical aspects of their performance.

To best evaluate their delivery style, start by determining if a professional or amateur “voice” would work better for your needs. Professional actors generally have more training and experience in delivering dialogue according to a script and on-camera talents need to be able to deliver a script with natural facial expressions that fit well with the overall tone of the piece. Once you have identified this preference for your project, review any demos provided by potential actors to determine if their voice fits within these parameters.

In terms of technical elements, ask about sound quality when reviewing an actor’s demo reel or audio clips. Achieving a desirable sound depends on factors such as microphone quality, room acoustics and quality of audio equipment; this usually impacts the nuances in an actor’s vocal performance. Finally, make sure they are experienced working with the video editing platform where you intend on producing the piece; this is particularly important if you plan on making substantial changes later during post-production process. Once you have completed these steps and selected the right voice or on-camera talent for your video production project, it’s time move onto casting them in it!

Conclusion

When selecting and hiring voice-over or on-camera talent for your next video production, remember to consider their experience and samples of their work, ask around to get references, and be sure to negotiate a price upfront. As with any project, the right decision at the start will help ensure you have a successful end product.

With all of these steps in place, you’ll be able to confidently select the perfect voice-over or on-camera talent, who can bring the right tone and personality to life in your video.

Shari Haller

314.913.5626

mikeh@hallerconcepts.com

4501 Mattis Road   St. Louis Missouri   63128