The journey of getting started as a voice actor can be thrilling, with all things in place, because it isn’t just about being able to talk. We all can do that! But there’s a difference, for someone who wants to become a voice-over artist as an African freelancer, it is a career path with lots of competition. This means you would want to put yourself at the top of the ladder. 

But before getting into the steps of becoming a professional voice-over artist, what exactly is voice acting? Voice acting is the act of delivering voice-over on video and audio content in an attempt to inform or entertain. Voice-over artists are referred to by many different job titles, such as voice actors or actresses, voice-over actors or actresses, voice artists, and popular voice-over artists.

Voice actors act vocally, reading from a script aloud to voice information content in documentaries, training videos, commercials, and other information-based programming, and to voice characters in dubbed movies, animated movies, TV shows, commercials, computer games, and so forth. Now, you get the idea of what being a voice actor is about.

A professional voice-over artist can record themselves using their studio facility and recording equipment, which can be set up in their workspace. They can also occasionally do voice-overs in an external recording studio.

Steps to Become a Voice-Over Artist As An African Freelancer 

Working as a Voice actor offers you not only the ability to work anywhere but also the opportunity to develop a successful career based on your talent and creativity, as well as a variety of other benefits for a voice-over performer.

Here’s a guide on how to become a voice-over artist as an African freelancer: 

Get Voice Coaching and Training  

When beginning a career in voice acting, you have to agree that you simply don’t know what you don’t know. You may have a good ear for voice-over work, but the most successful voice-over artists can tell you that education is still key to success and is required to achieve a successful career as a professional voice-over artist. There’s only so much value in attending training sessions and hiring a coach. 

Vocal coaches are professionals who are knowledgeable in their line of work and can expose you to techniques, concepts, and strategies that you never would have thought of on your own. They can reveal to you things that allow you to be more sensitive to your abilities and then turn your improved skills into profit. They can find that rough edge in your talent and refine it into something beautiful and valuable. 

You can find vocal coaches online with affordable fees and mentorship programs. 

Record a Demo 

Why a voice demo? It is really important! Your voice demos are like your pictorial headshots; they are proof of you calling yourself a professional, so if you’re the kind of person who thinks a selfie on your iPhone will suffice, by all means, record these demos yourself. However, the working professional should talk to as many individuals as possible about who they would recommend, listen to demos on record companies’ websites, determine what is good and what isn’t, and then prepare for a recording session.

This, too, goes hand-in-hand with voice acting training. Don’t neglect one for the other; you don’t walk before you run. Years later, you’ll be glad you did when you go back to listen to your past voice records. 

Connect With Other Professional Voice-Over Artists 

In an industry like voice acting, you’re just finding your feet but are already industry experts. Don’t get lost and experience burnout navigating it alone; connect with others. Several great organisations offer resources, webinars, and workshops to voice-over actors of all experience levels. These are places to learn about the business, network and share with others, discuss everything from rates to technique to equipment, and more.

Set Up A Workspace 

Thanks to technology, you can now record your voice acting from home, especially if you live in areas with no established recording studio. This, therefore, means that you will need to be the engineer as well as the artist. A temporary set-up with a mic, pre-amp, and editing software will set you back a few hundred or thousands, depending on your currency. Educate yourself on how to use them (read manuals and watch tutorials on YouTube) and how to acoustically treat and soundproof your recording room.

Start Voice Acting 

A professional voice-over producer produces voice-overs for a range of different projects, and one of the areas that is growing the fastest in the field of voice-over is actually within the education sector. Obtain eLearning voice-over opportunities online for eLearning course materials and corporate training.

Consumers are always craving wonderful story content, too. As a response to screen saturation and the proliferation of audio streaming services, such as Audible and Spotify, audiobooks and podcasts are becoming increasingly trendy platforms for delivering stories and ads.  

Final Thoughts 

Some qualities will help you stand out as you become a voice-over artist as an African freelancer. To succeed as a voice-over artist, it is very good if you have the following qualities like confidence, versatility, consistency, and reliability. And for skills you would need;

acting skills, voice range, clear enunciation, voice pacing, technical knowledge, business skills, people, and productivity skills. 

With all these in place, you are on your way to having a successful voice acting career. Need more freelancing tips? Join our community of freelancers now.