Voice Talent

Voice talent refers to anyone who offers their voice for live or recorded programs. They may lend their voices for voiceovers in radio and television commercials. They may serve as actors and dub films in foreign languages. They may voice animated characters in cartoons and feature films. They can be actors or they can be people who have been specially trained to be announcers.

All sorts of people hire voice talent. Advertising agencies and casting companies book voice actors and announcers for radio and television commercials. Big sports arenas hire an announcer for games and special events at the arena. A company may hire an announcer to serve as a master of ceremonies at a corporate event. There are many people who make a living using their voice in a variety of ways.

Computer companies and video game companies hire voice talent to be the voices of certain programs and video games. Many computer programs have a voice-guided tutorial that is read by a voice actor or voiceover specialist. Since video games are becoming more and more realistic, more voice actors are voicing the characters in the video games and many games feature an ongoing narrative.

Public announcements are just one of several types of voices you hear each day. Announcements at the airport, on public transportation, in department stores and in shopping malls are live or pre-recorded using a person who lays down the vocal track which is then played over a public address system. There are even speaking clocks that use voice talent to pre-record the time for playback later.

Voiceovers are needed all of the time for television and radio commercials, and many actors specialize in voiceovers. Sometimes many famous actors will lend their voice to a television commercial. This is so the product gets more recognition because people will recognize the actor's voice. Still, other voiceovers are done strictly by voiceover actors who make their living recording voiceovers for commercials. Their voices may be very familiar to you, although you have never seen their face. Some voice actors have signature voices that they do, while others are more diverse and can create vocal characters should a script call for it.

Voice talent is essential in many forms of entertainment and commerce today. Cartoons would not exist without the talents of a voice actor. Television and radio commercials often demand voiceovers and public address systems all around the world need a voice to make their announcements if they are automated systems.