Voice over definition
The concept of voice over is familiar to everyone, even if you don't look for it intentionally. It's simply a recording of someone reading the text aloud overlaid on the video sequence. As a rule, a voice over in videos is used to give them variety, brightness, and interesting overtones. Interestingly, such sounds allow viewers to better understand the essence and concept of the video recording.
Although voice acting is "invisible", it still has a critical meaning. The way the voice is used helps to improve the impression of the film. Voice over contributes to the emotional impact on the viewer when watching certain scenes or the entire video as a whole, which can be especially important for certain types of content.
Although the definition of a voice over is quite understandable, the process of recording it is not that simple and relies heavily on the video source. Let's find out more!
Types of voice over
The function of voice over is pretty straightforward, but it doesn't always sound the same. It depends on where and what the voice over is used for:
- Narration.This is a common reason for using a voice over in videos – with it, you can briefly and easily introduce the characters, indicate the place and time of the action, and convey other information to the viewer.
- Animation. With the advent of many amateur animations on YouTube and other platforms, the need for voice acting has increased. After all, the visuals can be understandable in and of themselves, but the voice over on top of it "enlivens" the characters.
- Commercials. In this case, a voice over helps introduce a new product or company concept to the target audience while the visual shows it to you.
- A separate case of voice acting skill is narrating audiobooks. The reader has a more creative task because they are a storyteller. With their voice, they bring the characters of the book to life and draw the listener into the story.
And these are just some types of voice overs. Whatever the purpose of recording them is, it can be classified as a separate type if it's different from the existing ones.
Voice over process
Recording a voice over is quite a complex process, whether it's recording your voice or a paid voice actor. However, it is best to determine the desired result in advance and prepare all the necessary components.
- Microphone. Even if your project is non-professional, the voice over should sound clear and have high quality, and you can't save on equipment. Modern smartphones record sound quite well, but if the result doesn't suit you, it is worth investing in a good microphone and accessories to reduce noise and improve quality if such functions are not built into the mic.
- Script. Of course, there is always room for improvisation, but a voice over script is a must. It will help not only not to get lost during the recording, but also to practice before it in order to know which words to emphasize, what feeling to convey in certain sentences, etc.
- Video editor. How to add a voice over to video if they are recorded separately? Fortunately, it is not such a difficult process compared to the actual recording. Now, even basic video editors will allow you to easily add an audio file to a video; what's more, you can even do it on your phone using add music to video apps. The main thing is to edit the files correctly, so they are not out of sync.
Voicing over is a tricky process, but don't let that scare you away. If you want to do it as a hobby or professionally, go for it! Who knows, maybe in the future you will become a popular and sought-after voice actor.
