The job of a voice over artist is an interesting one, and promises a career with exciting opportunities. But what about the salary of a voice over artist? Read through this article to know more.
The voice over industry is an integral part of the exciting entertainment and media space. There are plenty of career opportunities in this industry. And if you have been getting compliments for your voice off late, choosing this career is surely a smart move. To get a break in this field, a lot of hard work is needed; considering the huge amount of competition in this field. You need not possess a sweet voice, but you should have at least a good one.
Voice over artists work behind the scene, and anonymously. This is the main drawback of this job; they rarely get recognized for the work they do. But for some, working behind the scene holds importance. They have to constantly hone their skills in order to survive the growing competition. As far as the salary is concerned, these people do not make enough money in the initial years, compared to the efforts that they put in. But once they are successful, they can earn huge amounts of money.
Salary
There are many factors that need to be considered. Some voice over artists work on an hourly basis in different firms. The pay in this case, thus varies from one firm to the other. Big and renowned voice studios pay an amount as high as USD 500 for an hour. But these studios also demand that amount of skill and perfection. If you are a freshman, and join a small establishment, expect to be paid around USD 20 for an hour. The salary for full-time employment can be anywhere between USD 20,000 to USD 90,000, yearly. The variation is huge. This is because, as one gets experience, the package also increases. In certain areas, the pay is big, like the states of Los Angeles and New York offer a bigger pay packet. The reason is, Los Angeles houses Hollywood, apart from other big establishments. In New York too, there are plenty of big studios that offer huge pay. Dallas and San Francisco also have multiple studios and rank among the top locations. Other states offer a lower salary, comparatively.
Thus, for a serious career in voice acting, you need to move to areas where there are plenty of such studios. The trend varies rapidly, and how much you earn will all depend on the place of work, your experience and expertise, and the always fluctuating market situations.
Job Profile
Voice over artists generally work in big studios, and are highly in demand for their voice. They need to be perfect with their pronunciation, and of course, their voice. They can lend their voice to many different sources – like say for a narrative story book CD, video games, for movies, short advertisements, animated movies, or even television and radio commercials. The job of a cartoon voice over artist is the most creative one, as they have to try many voice variations. Mobile gaming, audiobooks, and podcasting are emerging areas which need such professionals in large numbers.
Finding a suitable job is a really tough task. Once he has mastered all the voice technicalities, he has to make a demo CD, which should be sent to various studios. Other means to find the perfect job are – using the job websites and employment section of the newspapers. Making contacts, and constantly honing the skills is also significant in finding the right job. He is also sometimes expected to work round-the-clock. Many artists also prepare business cards and send them to organizations or agents that hire for voice acting.