This week we spoke with Sarah, one of our most experienced French voiceover artists, to share some tips and tricks about the French voiceover industry. She discusses some of her favourite jobs to date, as well as provides some great hints and tips for new voiceover artists, including advice on creating a voice demo reel.
Sarah’s French voiceover services can be booked through GoLocalise, our international voiceover agency in London, UK. Don’t forget to check out her demos too.
Because GoLocalise is also a subtitling agency in London, we added English subtitles for the French video, and the English transcript is also available below.
Transcript
Talk us through one of your days as a French voiceover artist?
Hi! My name is Sarah, I do voiceover in French and voiceover in Belgian French. I have been asked to answer four questions about the voiceover profession. The first question is: What does my daily life as a French voiceover artist look like? To begin with, I must let you know that I don’t record every day, so doing voiceover is not my only profession. But on days I do record, I generally wake up, I try to steer clear of coffee to avoid mouth noises. If I’m lucky enough to have received the script ahead of time, I will read it through, check if any questions about the text come up, I will do some research, etc. I will also check on how long it will take me to get to the studio because I do not have a home studio yet, so I always head to the city to record. I make sure to get there with plenty of time to avoid any stress. I open the door to the booth and I make sure to leave all my troubles behind. I put on my voiceover talent hat, my voiceover alter ego, and off we go, staying positive at all times, and we start our mission of the day, the recording of the day. Making sure communication with the sound engineer is good, with the director if he is on the line, with the language director if he is on the line, and generally making sure the session goes well for everyone. Once the session is over, I ensure everyone is happy with my work and move on to invoicing.
What has been your most exciting project so far?
The second question is about the most interesting project I have worked on. That is quite difficult to say because all projects are interesting to some degree. There is always an element of learning or discovery. This makes it hard to choose one, but generally what I like is to see the final product. For example, if I voice a character for a movie I like to see the final version of the film, after post-production is complete. The same goes for television ads I like to see the finalised ad. For example, I just recorded for the Tarzan movie. It was great to see and hear myself once the movie was screened. I’ve also recorded an ad for the last iPhone, a TV ad, and it was also nice to see the final product. But, I think my best memory is from a campaign for Amnesty International because it was a very touching project and also because I had to impersonate an adolescent boy. It was a beautiful professional challenge for me.
Can you share any tips for French voiceover artists just getting started?
The third question asks what advice I would give to someone starting in French voiceover. To start with, if you’ve chosen a voiceover career path, it’s a great career path, you never get bored, you meet a lot of interesting people, so well done! You have to start by creating a showreel, a demo. In my demo reel, I would record in a style I am comfortable with. Let’s imagine that you are currently working in an office and that you often do presentations for your boss and colleagues, etc. Corporate presentations. Well, I would record content that is of a corporate nature. Because that’s where your strength lies and you should make the most of it. You might not want to go for video games directly, because that’s a lot more specialised, and once you widen your field of expertise you can venture into areas that are outside your comfort zone. Once you’ve done your demos reels, contact one or more agents. Once you’ve gotten your first job, be very rigorous and honest, but also get paid what you are worth.
What advice do you have for a client working with you for the first time?
The last question is: What advice would I give to a future client who would like to work with me? My answer is to make sure there is always chocolate in the studio, and I will record the best voices in the world. I’m joking because I don’t really have advice to give to future clients because things usually go very well. The minor hitches we might have, are to do with translations, but we always find solutions in the end.
End of transcript.
French Voiceover Agency in London
Remember, if you’d like to discuss your next project, then give us a call on +44 (0) 207 095 5730. Or get a quote from the Client Services team.
At GoLocalise, as well as providing French audio translation and French video translation services for several years, we also provide voiceover services in any language and subtitling and captioning services. We’d love to hear from you whether you need translation, voiceovers or subtitling services.
FAQs
What is a French voiceover artist?
A French voiceover artist is a professional who provides the voice for various types of media content, such as audiobooks, commercials, podcasts, documentaries, films, animations, radio, and more. They will have native-level proficiency in the French language and possess the ability to convey emotions, accents, and intonations effectively.
What qualifications and skills should I look for in a French voiceover artist?
When hiring a French voiceover artist, it’s important to consider their qualifications and skills. Look for artists who have native-level proficiency in French, as they will have a better understanding of the language’s nuances and cultural context. Additionally, they should have a versatile voice range, good pronunciation, clear diction, and the ability to interpret and convey emotions effectively.
What factors should I consider when selecting a French voiceover artist?
When selecting a French voiceover artist, several factors should be considered. Firstly, listen to their demos or previous works to assess their voice quality, tone, and suitability for your project. Secondly, consider their experience in the specific type of content you require, such as character voices, IVR, ADR, commercials, audiobooks, or e-learning modules. Lastly, factor in their availability, professionalism, and willingness to accommodate revisions and feedback.
How much does it cost to hire a French voiceover artist?
The cost of hiring a French voiceover artist can vary depending on factors such as the artist’s experience, the professional studio costs, the length of the script, the type of project, and the usage rights required. Rates may be based on factors like per-word, per-minute, or per-hour. It’s best to contact the voiceover agency directly to discuss your project details and agree on a price that fits within your budget.
