Stand Out in Voice Over Auditions: Tips from the Top

Working professionally as a voice-over artist is a fulfilling and fun career, but how can we really make an impact to get our foot in the door? We interviewed some top professionals in the industry to get their take on what we can do to stand out, how we can get booked again, and the big no-nos to avoid. 

So let’s dive in together and see what they have to say! 

Gavin Harrison 

Harrison is an L.A.-based voice director, actor and script adaptor for anime such as Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. 

What do you think makes a good voice-over reel? 

Only a minute long, any longer and it makes you seem too self-indulgent. This is what I’m always told by agents to give, and it’s what I look for as a director. 

Strongest stuff first, if someone listening isn't interested at all in the start, they won’t want to keep listening.

You should be malleable and ready to change your reel to better suit the needs of what you're applying for or what roles you’re in the market for. 

Are there any mistakes you see voice-over artists make when auditioning or on the job? Messing the lines up in auditions shows a level of unprofessionalism because you had the line in front of you AND the opportunity to rerecord them. When I’m auditioning, what I’ll do is listen back to it and read the lines just to make sure I’ve not missed a word or said a line differently. I appreciate when actors send two takes of a line and the second one has a completely different spin on it, but when there’s only one and they’ve done a whole different thing… where’s the one I asked for?? It also shows whether you can take direction because if I ask for something, are you going to do it that way, or do your own thing?

PUNCTUALITY! Don’t just be on time; be early, so you’re not rushed and you can give yourself time to settle before you go into the booth. 

How important is vocal versatility versus having a strong signature sound?

I’m a character actor, so I do lots of different voices all the time, because of this, I lean a lot more on versatility over having my own signature sound. When I cast in anime, I only cast actors who can do different voices because they’ll often be cast as multiple different characters.

If you have a signature voice, it’s because you’re already quite famous, people recognise your voice, and you’ll get cast for a role that was designed with you in mind. 

Nuala O’Leary 

O'Leary is a British film and TV producer with extensive experience in the industry, having worked on the series Who Is Erin Carter? and Strike Back, as well as the movie Miss You Already. 

What do you think makes a good voice-over reel? 

Clarity, a sense of character, distinctiveness, but overall, whether or not their voice fits what I need it for. 

What can a voice-over artist do to stand out in casting/auditioning? 

Having personality, feeling like they want to be there, that it’s important for them to be there. 

A lot of great actors just have charisma and the ability to make you feel like you’re the only one they’re talking to: they sell themself to you.

Having a different read on a character, that makes you think, “Wow, I hadn’t thought of that.” Having courage in your conviction and confidence to state your opinion. 

What can a voice-over artist bring to the table to make connections and get booked again?

Punctuality and being professional. Being understanding and generally just being a nice person. 

Alex Painter 

Having worked in many musical positions, including a composer for film, TV, and documentaries, we asked Painter about his experiences with voice-over artists. 

What can voice-over artists do to help musicians?

Good sound quality and editing are so helpful for writing scores around it. It’s way more helpful to have it mixed for me because it makes it so hard to write music when there are digital clicks and unhelpful frequencies still present. You have to second-guess what’s going to still be there in the final mix of the audio. 

It never has to be perfect, but it really helps me do my job more effectively, even if it’s just roughly edited and roughly EQed. 

Roth Rind

Rind is a writer and director based in Burbank, California, known for his work in commercials and sci-fi and drama content such as The Bumbry Encounter and This Is Fine. 

What do you think makes a good voice-over reel?

Breadth of your talent, voice-over actors are really being hired now because of their skill outside of one note. A good reel will only be 30-60 seconds and includes a wide range of voices that I can make a good judgment off of. 

What can a voice-over artist do to stand out in casting/audition?

Understanding the text and bringing something unique to the table: stand out. After hearing so many auditions doing the same takes, we’ll really want someone to come in with a unique voice and shake it up; provide a new perspective. 

How important is vocal versatility versus having a strong signature sound? 

It depends on the project, but versatility is more important in audiobooks and series like anime. Though a signature sound can be key for bigger actors and brand association. 

Can you share an example of a time a VO artist nailed an audition/job and why they were chosen or brought back? 

We were doing auditions for a commercial piece, and this guy, Jerry Gas’n’Go, sent in an audition, and the presence of his voice completely floored us, and we were like “That’s the guy!” He had such a swagger and confidence, so we hired him 6 or 7 more times. We could send stuff to him to get recorded, and he would have it done by the end of the next day: he was very fast and flexible. 

There’s a clear common theme with these interviews: Be on time, be professional, and it’s generally appreciated when you’re a nice person. It makes it far easier to work with someone that you like than someone you can only treat as an annoying coworker. 

With the help of these experts' nuggets of wisdom and your own incredible talent, you are well on your way to knocking your next audition out of the park. You can do this!!!

Written by

Ciaran Foster