Great narrators breathe life into a text while infusing each word and punctuation mark with color and meaning. In toy story 2, a toy collector steals woody, and buzz leads the other toys to rescue him only to find that museum life sounds very appealing to their friend. Its always exciting to discover a new narrator i adore. Aug 11, 2016 i just chose the narrator for the audiobook version of my book chief marketing officers at work the audiobook will be published through. Voice actors have been around for a long time, but audiobook narrator jobs have become a surprisingly big part of that industry in recent years. Are you thinking about getting into voiceover work. A native of london, england, shiromi arserio is a stage actor, voice talent, and audiobook narrator. Ive narrowed my best audiobook narrators on audible down to three. In the meantime, my all time favourite, absolutely the best ever narrator of all time for me has to be sean barrett.
Accordingly, if you have a 60,000word book, your finished audiobook would likely have a runtime length between 7 and 8 hours. T his article explains how to produce and market a professional quality audiobook using amazon acx. Hannah, the loving and sweet housekeeper and stand in mom, sounds harsh, even a little dimwitted. To me, she sounded like she was doing a william shatner impression. From alist celebrities to talented voice actors with multiple pseudonyms, these voices. Sep, 2017 voice over actors or artists are used in radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, video games, ebook and audio narration and other presentations. Why is the voice narration of many nonfiction audio books so bad. Remember, oftentimes that cost only includes narration, and audio engineering, editing, costs for marketing and reselling are additional. It also provided us an opportunity to start sharing with each other, from one column to the next, those narrators that do and dont work for us since we, as audiobook enthusiasts, know with great certainty that the narrator holds the power to make.
Hes a very slow reader, almost laconic, but his tone is so relaxing and seductive, its a tremendous storytelling voice. Early on, she says, i lost out on work because i didnt have a really great pair of headphones, and there was background noise that i wasnt hearing. Consequently, many voiceover talent, screen and stage actors, and people in other fields are eager to become narrators. Five essential elements for great audiobook narration. Voiceoverxtra audiobook pay narrator revenue sharing. To get started as an audiobook narrator, heres what you need. Have you ever listened to a book or author youve never heard of or that youd never considered before just because of the narrator. Feb 04, 2016 16 audiobooks with sexy narrators just in time for valentines day.
Bad narration can turn a perfectly excellent book into a chore to slog through. Voice over actors or artists are used in radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, video games, ebook and audio narration and other presentations. But when she travels home to console her sister, whose marriage is on the rocks, she runs into exflame zach zemaitisand passions are. This collection retells the classic story of the original toy story and shows just what happens when a new toy comes to town. Jul 12, 20 narration can make or break an audiobook.
Holly wasnt bad, but sometimes the way she said things made something a little cheesy turn into super cheesy. What are some audiobooks wrecked by poor narrators. Jan 17, 2018 to investigate how audiobooks are made, we sat down with a professional audiobook narrator, suzy jackson, to break down her work. You have to bear in mind many factors to keep the listeners engaged such as how your voice should sound, the pace at which you are reading the story and how many character voices you should put on if any. When the content of an audiobook is matched to the right narrator voice, the result is a completely captivated audience. Theyre a treat to listen to, but i honestly get distracted sometimes by all the voices. Titled 8 reasons why youre not landing acx audiobook gigs, the post is an entertaining, insightful and, we think, useful. I already have recommended the acx master class to some voice actor friends who are interested in exploring audiobook narration. Not another bad date not another bad date audiobook, by rachel gibson.
Become an audiobook narrator intro introduction to audiobook narration using audible acx duration. Oct 09, 2011 titled 8 reasons why youre not landing acx audiobook gigs, the post is an entertaining, insightful and, we think, useful insiders look at the acx reply bri knickerbocker. A professional narrator is an expert at doing this. Watching a business deal turn into love was great as well. If i had to venture a guess, id say its thanks to peoples long commute times and the boredom that comes along with that. How to get started as an audible narrator through acx. Audiobooks with all the parts narrated by different actors are called full cast audiobooks. Why are audiobooks narrated by a single narrator instead. The book itself wasnt that great, the main character was a condescending prick to his wife and kids, and when you add that voice, damn its like the awkward neighbor you hate to be around. Drew is beyond awful, from the tone of voice, the inflection and even too not maintaining a masculine voice.
Drawing the listener into a story using only your voice is an art. Aug 10, 2018 become an audiobook narrator intro introduction to audiobook narration using audible acx duration. Dont let a bad reader ruin your audiobook experience. Do you ever outgrow the pleasure of having a story read to you. Narration work for audiobooks is on par with other voice over jobs in terms of compensation. Our first speaking of audiobooks column carried the subtitle, its all about the narrator and was a general discussion of romance audiobooks. Ive listened to a lot of incredible audiobooks preformed by many.
James adams is founder and ceo of beeaudio, an audiobook publisher offering fixedprice digital service and a voice talent pool of 40 narrators. Audiobook narrator musthaves keppelers top tip for anyone getting into voiceover work is to invest in a good microphone and headphones. Supports pdf, word, ebooks, webpages, convert text to audio files. Jul 12, 2016 10 audiobook narrators we cant get enough of. Curvaceous adele harris is prepared to give up dating forever. Why narrating an audiobook is a lot harder than you think. Youll want to read this article that is devoted to that topic. Choosing the right narrator for your selfpublished audiobook can make or break its success, but whats the best way to go about it. Not only is my primary job as an audiobook narrator and producer, but i also work with crossroad press in casting and doing the post production on the audiobooks they produce through acx. And to make the audiobook recording process even more apparent. The world war z audiobook is a better experience than reading the text, in my opinion.
Although i was able to figure out the mystery halfway tithe book, i really enjoyed seeing how it all played out in the end. When it comes to audiobooks, narration is everything. A voice thats swoon worthy for any and all who listen. A narrators voice is not merely a delivery system, an element extraneous to the text, but an integral one fulfilling, enriching, injuring or. Keppelers top tip for anyone getting into voice over work is to invest in a good microphone and headphones. Top 5 voiceover mistakes audiobook narrators make serve no. Why is the voice narration of many nonfiction audio books so badmechanical unlistenable. She holds a ba in theater from rose bruford college of theatre and performance. Good narration can elevate already fantastic books to new levels.
A narrators voice is not merely a delivery system, an element extraneous to the text. Since its an oral history, hearing individual actors perform each interviewee works very naturallybut where the audiobook really outdoes the text is when it comes to voices with accents. I just chose the narrator for the audiobook version of my book chief marketing officers at work the audiobook will be published through. David walliams, peter serafinowicz, nitin ganatra, sarah. I negotiated with my publisher for the full rights to the audiobook, so i get the full proceeds of each sale after audible takes its cut, which equates to 40% of each sale.
What other elements do you look for in a satisfying audiobook. If an author must strain to hear your sample, its a poor reflection on your professionalism. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Voice actors of all experience levels have found this line of work to be incredibly rewarding. Youre probably familiar with the handmaids tale from its recent adaptation into the hulu series, so you know how cinematic margaret atwoods writing can be. How to become an audiobook narrator and work at home.
In addition to narrating dozens of audiobooks, her voice can be heard in documentaries, elearning projects, and video games. Blackstone audio, one of the nations largest independent audiobook publishers, is currently. Historical mystery writer anna castles shares what she learned by recruiting narrators for the audiobook of murder by misrule in the form of an interview with her final choice of candidate, joel froomkin, followed by their five top tips. Reese did do a decent pigeon coo and she does a decent evil persons voice. As audiobooks increase in popularity, keppeler is seeing more audiobook work appear on upwork. So an evening spent in with whoopi and her gorgeous voice is a valentines day well. If something sounds wrong, you know theres a problem somewhere. Fantastic voice, beautifully pitched and really engaging. Not with audiobook network, we offer an allencompassing audiobook package. Demos are the audiobook narrators resume, and showcase ones ability to do male and female voices, different emotions and settings, a variety of dialects or languages, and more. Aug 07, 2014 audiobooks with all the parts narrated by different actors are called full cast audiobooks. Finding audiobook narration training is a good option, but its not necessary. Get the audible audiobook for the reduced price of.
Highlights of their responses are below, followed by their actual comments. Earphones awards search our favorite listens with these award winners. The dynamic range the ratio of soft and loud sound, pitch and timing all contributing to the variable colour of the voice to. Spending nine hours or more in the company of a terrible reader a shrieker, mumbler, droner, tooth whistler or overzealous thespian is an experience that can truly ruin a book. For this post, we will primarily be examining ebook and audio book narration. The only problem is that if hes reading in his regular voice i. Below are my top five requirements for great audiobook narration. Sep 18, 2014 how to get started as an audible narrator through acx. First, i far preferred joe ardens portion of this audiobook. However, being able to jump from the voice of the narrator to other distinct characters is also an art.
Audiobooks voices need to hire an audiobook voice actor. As an audiobook narrator, youll simply be turning print and digital books into audio files by reading them cover to cover in your attractive voice. Rachel gibsons spunky new york times bestselling romances are confectionary treats for listeners. Someone who has had voice training or acting lessons can also make for great narrators. Why are audiobooks narrated by a single narrator instead of.
Jim dale, best known as the voice of harry potter in all seven of the book series and for the record breaking 4 different character voices in one book, best puts it. Authentic a narrator should sound authentic to the time period or setting of the work, as well as the genders, age, the moods of the characters. Voiceoverxtra audiobook pay narrator revenue sharing \a. Below are some attributes of an effective narrator. Ive listened to a lot of incredible audiobooks preformed by many talented voice actors. Lawrence xvii put a ton of effort into making the class valuable and personal. Tips for choosing and working with an audiobook narrator. Jan 17, 2020 as audiobooks increase in popularity, keppeler is seeing more audiobook work appear on upwork. Some of the biggest british voices in audiobooks belong to faces you might not. David walliams author, narrator, peter serafinowicz narrator. As a newcomer to both voice over and this genre in particular, i have absolutely no idea what.
Being an audiobook narrator takes skill and practice. A new york times best seller winner of the financial timesmckinsey business book of the year award 2018 the full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of theranos, the multibilliondollar biotech startup, by the prizewinning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite pressure from its charismatic ceo and threats by her lawyers. Tips for choosing and working with an audiobook narrator amazon has made it super easy for authors to hire narrators to turn their books into audiobooks, and the best part is, you dont need to have a pocket full of money to pay the narrator. Anyone else irritated by audiobook narrators doing different voices. No matter how excellent the writing, how exciting the story, how deep the characters, if its narrated poorly, it makes for a bad listening experience. The handmaids tale by margaret atwood, narrated by claire danes. In the us, 81yearold actor george guidall is considered narrations. These challenges mean if you take somebody whos not a trained actor say, the author of this article whisk them off to audible studios and make them record part of an audiobook, youll. How i chose a narrator for my audiobook josh steimle.
Bad, bad prince i listened to this book because of a romance challenge and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Freelancers, she says, tend to be better for general voice over gigs, but not audiobook narration. Michael robothams new novel good girl, bad girl initiates a new series, featuring psychologist cyrus haven. Maybe ive just listened to narrators who are bad at it then. How to work from home parttime as an audiobook narrator. Aug 05, 2019 dont let a bad reader ruin your audiobook experience. The recent boom in audiobooks means that the voiceover artists who bring them to life. Narrator sounds like a mix between data and hank hill. If youre specifically interested in becoming an audiobook narrator, read on. I listed to at least part of another book the nazi officers wife by the same narrator and for that book she was fine, but she butchered this one. As you probably know, audiobooks have become mainstream entertainment. I like one narrator who differentiates the voices just enough. A narrator s voice is not merely a delivery system, an element extraneous to the text, but an integral one fulfilling. If you want to become an audiobook narrator, youre in good company.
We spoke with audie awardwinning narrator, tavia gilbert, to gather tips on how she launched a career as an audiobook narrator. What listeners are saying karen krauses buoyant tone and gentle pacing carry listeners serenely through an ever shifting universe in the maze of a young girls subconscious mind. Finally, in toy story 3, andy is all grown up and heading off to college. What is about their voice that makes you want to listen to everything theyve ever recorded. Sep 27, 2014 are you thinking about getting into voiceover work. To investigate how audiobooks are made, we sat down with a professional audiobook narrator, suzy jackson, to break down her work.
306 188 1562 1035 464 248 1460 184 397 430 1466 1141 1130 519 1416 918 1259 893 1133 102 316 1233 556 1394 1086 887 560 407 186 759 1149 1115