Voice over demos are imperative to have. It’s almost impossible to be accepted by a voice talent agency or even booked for any jobs without one.
A voice demo showcases your range of tone and style. A good voice talent will have one main demo and then a number of demos broken down into various categories like retail, promo, soft sell, natural, characters etc.
When starting out most voice talents will make a ‘mock demo’ featuring scripts that have been made up. A lot of new voice talent make the mistake of trying to copy voice artists who are established. Whilst you should learn from them, you should always have your own natural style. Good producers, casting directors and agents can see straight through demos that are trying to replicate another voice.
Your voice over demo should showcase your natural voice without too much music or effects. NEVER put effects on your voice such as reverb or echoes. This is probably the biggest single mistake a new voice talent makes.
Keep it short. Each piece should be 15 seconds long, and the entire demo no longer than 3-4 minutes. Most agents, directors, producers will only listen to the first 20 seconds before making up their mind if you are right for the job, so your best piece should be first.
It’s best not to clog up anyone’s email account with your demo. You should place it online first and then send them the link.
Voice over demos should be short, sharp and straight to the point!