Chapter 17. Working with Voice Actors

We deliberately use the term "voice actor" in the title instead of "voice talent" because these two terms have different connotations. When we think of a voice talent, we think of someone with a full and resonant voice someone who could be a radio announcer, or perhaps someone who can do different foreign accents and celebrity impersonations. "Talent" connotes a raw, innate gift. In contrast, an actor does more than just perform announcements and vocal tricks. An actor assumes the role of a character in the world of speech interfaces, perhaps a customer service representative, an executive assistant, a tour guide, or a stockbroker. Actors breathe life into characters, and those who voice speech applications, at least the really good ones, seek to create interactions that engage users.

The recording session is really a performance, and the actor is the star of the show. Accordingly, the primary concern of this chapter is the central role that the voice actor plays in making your application a success. The first topic is scripting for success, because the importance of preparing scripts for actors is vastly underrated. We then discuss considerations for selecting your voice actor and explain how to get the best performance in the recording studio. We also include coaching tips as well as procedural tips for managing the recording session.