We’ve sat down with one of our favourite Italian voiceover artists, Luca, to ask him for some tips and tricks about the voiceover industry. He discusses his favourite projects, plus some great advice on managing your time and communicating your availability.
Luca is a talented voiceover artist working at GoLocalise, our international voiceover agency in London, UK.
Watch the video below with Luca’s answers about the profession of a voice actor. And feel free to listen to his voice samples here! We added English subtitles because he’s speaking Italian. The transcript is also available below.
Transcript
Talk us through one of your days as an Italian voiceover artist?
Good morning! So, my daily life as an Italian voiceover artist. So, to be a voiceover artist, I think the most important thing is giving complete availability. To give complete availability to the agents who call and message you to offer you a job once they hear from the client. So, complete availability to the agent, who will pass it onto the client. That’s very important. Being available, giving availability. Of course, when you’re not able to provide total availability, you need to try to be flexible, timewise.
My agents often message me asking, for example, “the client is asking if you’re available on”… let’s say “Tuesday and Wednesday. What does your schedule look like?” Generally speaking, I give them complete availability. So, I’m available both days. But, there’s always a day that works better for me. So, I’ll say “Wednesday would work better for me because I’m more flexible.” And that’s my answer when I know I’m busy a specific day. And that sums up my daily life as a voiceover artist. That’s how I handle my life.
What has been your most exciting project so far?
The most exciting project I’ve worked on. I’ve worked on a lot of incredible projects. Some of them were really rewarding and thrilling. There was this cartoon I really enjoyed. In English, so my Italian voiceover accent was clearly audible. In this cartoon I played Leonardo Da Vinci. Typically Italian, so he spoke English with a strong Italian accent. Actually, they asked me to exaggerate my Italian voiceover accent and make it thicker. It was so funny.
But I think my voice will remain especially associated with a project which has made me well-known and recognisable in Italy, as it targeted the Italian market, which is my official voice for Amazon. I did the first spot for Amazon and have kept doing spots for them since, advertising Amazon’s new offers. It was a small YouTube intro where I spoke really fast.
One of those ads you can skip. Those 30-second ads you can skip after five seconds. I spoke really fast and said: “Just 15 seconds to talk about Amazon’s incredible daily offers. For example, you can find this, that and the other.” Yes, I’d say this is a project I really care about and cared about back then. There’s a pause on this for now. Such a pity.
Can you share any tips for Italian voiceover artists just getting started?
Advice for new voiceover talents. We’re talking about creating a reel for the first time. Obviously, your reel is crucial because it’s how you sell yourself. It’s what will convince clients that you’re the voice they’re looking for, the voice that fits. It’s important you show your potential. I strongly advise you not to alter your voice. Use your real voice.
Obviously, you need to record a professional voice reel. I’m not in a professional setting now, I’m in a kitchen. This is not my real recording voice. You can hear the room’s echo. It has to be professional. Use your real voice. You can perform with it, going up or down a pitch as you see fit. But don’t overdo it unless required.
For instance, a cartoon or a fictional role. As long as you’re playing a human, your voice has to be real. So, use your real voice. The one you think suits you the most. The voice you use to speak every day. And an important piece of advice is to distinguish between categories.
Commercial voiceovers, which can be – even if it was a bit too fast – it can be what I did for Amazon. If I did it slower, it would sound lively, explosive, exciting. “Just 15 seconds to talk about Amazon’s incredible daily offers.” It’s not as fast as the original, but it’s classified as commercial. Something that thrills and appeals to the listener. So, this would fall under commercial. There is a product or service to sell.
We then have a category that gets called many different things. I’d generalise it as corporate. That is when you communicate something. This can be a new service too, or something similar. But your voice needs to have a different tone. You’re not selling anything, so this requires a much calmer tone. The pitch is far less varied. It’s much more direct and perhaps a little drier.
I’m not sure what else to say. Let me try an example. “We’d like to inform all listeners that we’ll be providing a new service for approved audiences as of tomorrow. You can find all information here. We’re here to help you.” This could be classified as corporate. So, it’s still serious, professional, persuasive and reliable. But you’re not selling anything.
So that’s my advice. Record a professional voiceover reel including at least one commercial and one corporate reel.
What advice do you have for a client working with you for the first time?
Lastly, a tip I would give a client. Yes, for a session to run smoothly. Many times… It’s a question, yes… I’ll try to give a simple answer. Sometimes the clients don’t know what they want. They think they want something, but then completely change their minds. They may realise something else fits their spot better. Or could work in a different way.
So, they suddenly change the direction they want you to go in. So, a lot of the time, the client doesn’t know exactly what to say. In this case, make the job yours and give suggestions. As professionals, suggest a version of the spot. It will be easier to do this if it’s commercial or corporate. And, based on this, make a suggestion accordingly. If the client doesn’t give much direction, try to be the one to provide it.
Again, many times they don’t know what they want. Or they might hear your voice and think, – as was the case for me – “This fast-paced and bright voice really suits Amazon commercials. That’s exactly what I’m after.” Or perhaps, the opposite: “your voice is low, reliable and calm. I like this tone.” So, you’ll be the ones to provide instant feedback on what they can have. This is when the clients don’t know what they want. Generally speaking, when clients know what they want, whether it’s commercial or corporate, they’ll tell you straightaway what they want to convey. That’s important.
So, my advice for clients would be: to try to figure out what they want from the start. Do they want to sell something? Are they after a lively, engaging tone? Or are they after something that sounds more serious and reliable? It’s important to give the voiceover artist such feedback. So they can manoeuvre their vocal skills accordingly.
This is a great piece of advice: figure out the direction they’re after. That would be very helpful. If they don’t do this, it’s up to you artists to provide them with your interpretation. Which may sway them one way or another. I think I’ve answered everything, and I hope it helps. Good luck and goodbye!
End of transcript.
Italian Voiceover Agency
Enjoyed meeting Luca, our Italian voiceover actor? Look at other professional Italian Actors at Golocalise’s webpage.
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 Italian audio translation and Italian 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 subtitles services.
FAQs
What is an Italian voiceover artist?
An Italian 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 typically have native-level proficiency in the Italian language and possess the ability to convey emotions, accents, and intonations effectively.
What qualifications and skills should I look for in an Italian voiceover artist?
When hiring an Italian voiceover artist, it’s important to consider their qualifications and skills. Look for artists who have native-level proficiency in Italian, 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 an Italian voiceover artist?
When selecting an Italian 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 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 an Italian voiceover artist?
The cost of hiring an Italian 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.
