Is booking voiceover talent directly with the actor a good idea?
Here’s my (slightly biased) perspective.
Over the years, I’ve used talent agents, voiceover booking websites, and fostered long-term relationships with agencies and production companies for a variety of industries, brands, and types of content.
However, I’m a huge proponent of booking voiceover talent directly, as well. There are so many benefits for your brand when doing this. If you’re wondering why I love direct bookings so much you can take a look at the blog I did already on the pitfalls of booking through voiceover pay-to-play websites.
If you’re a little unsure, here are a few benefits that might have you rethinking your perspective:
1. Clearer Communication with Voiceover Talent
When you book directly, there’s no middleman to filter or distort messages. Sometimes booking through an agent or website and not being able to speak to the actor directly can impact their perception of your needs.
When you book voiceover talent directly, you have a straight line of communication between the VO actor and your production team. You can share your vision, tone, and specific needs with the voiceover actor directly.
This eliminates the back-and-forth and ensures the actor understands the nuances of your project from the onset of the audition and project. A direct connection often means quicker turnarounds, fewer revisions, and absolutely nailing your brand voice, saving everyone time.
2. Cost Savings when Booking
By cutting out the middleman, you’re avoiding added agency fees, platform commissions, or booking service charges. Don’t get me wrong, my agents are great, but brands don’t always have the budget to pay for all of these things, thus, the quality of the actor may be impacted by a more condensed budget.
By booking directly with a voiceover talent, a production manager or brand representative can negotiate fair rates without having to factor in those extra costs. This not only helps you remain within budget, but get better-qualified talent to boot!
And if you book multiple projects at once? You might just find that’s a great way to save a little as well (I’ll cover why in another piece).
3. Booking Customization and Flexibility
Direct booking fosters collaboration. Voice actors are more likely to work closely with you to deliver tailored performances when you establish a one-on-one relationship. Whether it’s tweaking the tone, adjusting pacing, or accommodating last-minute script changes, working directly allows for more flexibility and creative input.
I love collaborating directly with my clients, getting their feedback, and giving them exactly what they’re looking for with minimal back and forth.
4. Building a Reliable Partnership with Voiceover Talent
Establishing a direct relationship with a voiceover actor creates a foundation for long-term collaboration. Once an actor understands your brand’s style and expectations, future projects become even smoother. This continuity ensures consistency in your branding and reduces onboarding time for subsequent campaigns.
Instead of casting a net to capture hundreds of VOs and get the best value, you’re establishing consistency in your campaigns and building connections with your audience by using the same trustworthy and relatable voiceover for multiple campaigns.
5. Access to Diverse Skills from Voiceover Talent
Many professional voice actors offer more than just their voice. They often have their own recording studios, handle audio editing and production, and can even provide guidance on copywriting and script adjustments for better performance. When you book voiceover talent directly, you leverage these additional skills without having to pay extra for agency-managed add-ons.
Booking voiceover talent directly is a win-win for both clients and actors. It streamlines communication, cuts costs, and opens the door to a more collaborative and rewarding creative process.
If you’re looking for a professional voiceover artist to bring your project to life, let’s connect. I’d love to help elevate your brand with a voice that is relatable to your consumers and gives you the consistency you deserve.
