Voice Talent
What is a voice talent?
A voice talent is an individual that is capable of narrating, doing voice overs and engaging in spoken word projects that occur on or off-camera for a variety of video and audio projects. Voice talent can be found on Upwork representing a variety of skill levels and styles.
How do you hire a voice talent?
You can source voice talent on Upwork by following these three steps:
- Write a project description. You’ll want to determine your scope of work and the skills and requirements you are looking for in a voice talent.
- Post it on Upwork. Once you’ve written a project description, post it to Upwork. Simply follow the prompts to help you input the information you collected to scope out your project.
- Shortlist and interview voice talent. Once the proposals start coming in, create a shortlist of the professionals you want to interview.
Of these three steps, your project description is where you will determine your scope of work and the specific type of voice talent you need to complete your project.
How much does it cost to hire a voice talent?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced voice talent may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A contractor who is still in the process of building a client base may price their voice talent services more competitively.
Rates typically charged by a voice talent on Upwork are:
- Beginner: $30 per hour
- Intermediate: $72 per hour
- Advanced: $150 per hour
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.
How do you write a voice talent job post?
Your job post is your chance to describe your project scope, budget, and talent needs. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a contractor to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
Job post title
Create a simple title that describes exactly what you’re looking for. The idea is to target the keywords that your ideal candidate is likely to type into a job search bar to find your project. Here are some sample voice talent job post titles:
- Voice talent needed to narrate a car commercial
- Freelance voice talent wanted to provide spoken overview for explainer video
- Person needed to do promo for upcoming podcast series
Project description
An effective voice talent job post should include:
- Scope of work: From speaking in baritone to singing, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with specific recording devices to any other preferences, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Voice talent job responsibilities
Here are some examples of a voice talent job responsibilities:
- Sing new jingles for upcoming product launch commercial
- Provide voice over styles according to clients’ creative briefs
- Change pacing and tone for audio book projects
Voice talent job requirements and qualifications
Be sure to include any requirements and qualifications you’re looking for in a voice talent. Here are some examples:
- Must have access to audio recording equipment such as software, microphone, and headphones
- Must have 1 year of experience providing voice overs for regional or national commercials
- Portfolio of work must include voicing children’s characters