As an eLearning instructional designer, finding the right voice actor is crucial for creating engaging and effective training materials.
As an eLearning instructional designer, finding the right voice actor is crucial for creating engaging and effective training materials.
But have you ever wondered what a day in the life of your voice actor looks like?
Here’s a quick look at the daily routine of a professional voice actor, and how their productivity, service, communication, and speed of response can impact your eLearning projects.
First things first, as a busy, working voice actor, I’ve always fancied myself a “time architect” and every day is a client-centric. Each day needs to be realistic and workable so that expectations are exceeded if possible, but at the very least, met.
I typically start my day by checking emails and ye old calendar, likely over breakfast (but after solving Wordle!). I’ll respond promptly to any new requests or messages. Communication is key, so a good voice actor will prioritize prompt and clear communication with their clients to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
A voice actor will typically warm up their voice with exercises and vocal drills. I end up sorta singing my responses to client emails and messages before hitting “Send”. It ends being a reminder I’ve picked the right career talking, haha, and it has always felt efficient and helped to set the tone of any messages.
Next, out go the pyjamas, on go the “work clothes” and real shoes, and the recording begins! A voice actor’s home studio set up will be optimized to deliver high-quality (often referred to as broadcast-quality/ready) recordings that meet the client's expectations.
As the day goes on, a voice actor will take breaks as needed to rest their voice and recharge. For example, I find that if I noticed myself “checking out” for even a sentence, the first thing I’ll do is retake that sentence, then take 5 to ”reset”. If working on multiple projects as I do each day, I’ll use this time to review and edit recordings, ensuring they’re of the highest quality and ready for the client's QA/review process. It’s all about attention to detail.
Communication never stops! Throughout the day, your voice actor will respond promptly to any client requests or questions. They may also provide feedback and suggestions for the script or delivery. It’s a collaboration. Email is best for a track record, but I also have 5 messaging platforms open to chat and collaborate with clients and prospective clients.
There’s an old message from Shari Lewis (Lamb Chop on Ed Sullivan WAY back) that became a command early in my business/voice career: "The next day begins with preparing the night before". At the end of the day, I plan for the next day's work.
So, as much fun as we have pretty much all day, every day, there’s an unrelenting focus on productivity, service, communication, and speed of response. As an eLearning instructional designer, it's important to choose a voice actor who can meet these standards and deliver the best possible training materials for your learners.