Mar 16, 2014 from what ive seen it looks like protools is used a lot by professionals. You also must separate jobs you do on your own in your home studio from voicing for publishers, often in their studios. Im kris, writer, audiobook narrator, awardwinning podcaster, and media consultant. How to work from home parttime as an audiobook narrator. I would admit to being probably a little slower in my production output than maybe some other narrators. Acx is the online interface between audio book narrators and book rightsholders. Hes a stellar narrator, and if it hadnt been for him, i dont know if i ever would have gotten around to reading john scalzi. Learn how to become an audiobook narrator with these secrets. Through acx, you can find an unlimited number of potential acting gigs, and the audiobooks you produce will be available on audible, amazon, and itunes. Nls narrators national library service for the blind and. If you already have an unabridged audio version of your book, upload it here to get it into top retail channels. Blackstone audio, one of the nations largest independent audiobook publishers, is currently holding open auditions for. Jan 15, 2017 it will go over steps for finding and recording the narrator best suited to your book.
Sep 27, 2014 as for books, barbara rosenblat is an industry superstar. How to become an audiobook narrator and work at home. Jun 11, 2015 5 tips you must know when you narrate an audio book published on june 11, 2015 june 11. As audiobooks increase in popularity, keppeler is seeing more audiobook work appear on upwork. In developing techniques for particular genres, a great reference book is robert blumenfields acting with. Post a casting notice now and have samples back within an hour. I was always taught that a narrator should be able to perform all parts, male and female. Keppelers top tip for anyone getting into voiceover work is to invest in a good microphone and headphones. Professional story tellers with years of experience in audio book narration are available to record your next project. Its a pleasure to recommend her book audiobook narrator. In developing techniques for particular genres, a great reference book is robert blumenfields acting with the voice. Oct 09, 2011 7 reasons why your book is not getting auditions on acx jeffrey kafer voice blog june 2nd, 2012 at 4. Going in to this class, i had no clue as to how to do an audio book.
When you use the simple search function tool, youll find tasks for promotional voiceover roles for businesses generally 5 minutes and under as well as corporate training videos, and tons of audiobooks. There is no cost to join acx, but youll have to do the work to establish a proper profile. However, there are three more industryspecific websites for finding audiobook narration work, such as. Before you spend months auditioning to land your first gig, we have some tips to help you get started. Post your audiobook job for free and connect directly with an experienced audiobook voice actor. Ive captured and detailed every step involved from converting your book to auditioning and working with the best narrator for the job. Visit acx university to learn how to produce, publish, and market greatsounding audiobooks. As for books, barbara rosenblat is an industry superstar. When i heard that wheaton narrated red shirts, i decided to go for it.
It offers some tools that really help with sound editing and mastering the tracks. Voice over actors or artists are used in radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, video games, ebook and audio narration and other presentations. An audiobook narrator is the voice talent who reads an audiobook. Learn how you can get a job as a voiceover artist and audiobook narrator. We have 2,416 titles open for auditions, 165,599 producers to choose from, and 191,068 audiobooks on sale at audible, amazon, and itunes. Sep 22, 2018 this video is part of my series about audiobook narration work using the audible acx platform. Narration work for audiobooks is on par with other voiceover jobs in terms of compensation.
The voice actor or artist requires special skills to be successful. You can find me on facebook at sean pratt presents. On this site you will have opportunities to connect with authors seeking voice over artists to audition for their ebooks and audiobooks. Sample of fiction with a narrator, and 1 female and 1 male character exchanging dialogue. Sep 21, 2017 i had the privilege of interviewing audiewinning narrator noah michael levine. Hiring a professional voice actor to narrate your book can greatly improve the quality of your audiobook and help increase sales. Audition a voice for free right now with our automated system. Freelancers, she says, tend to be better for general voiceover gigs, but not.
Typically, most audiobook publishers want one narrator who can do character voices. Apr 24, 2020 you find a narrator sometimes called producer by listening to their auditions. Aug 11, 2016 i crafted a pitch for a narrator explaining a bit about my book and uploaded the first chapter so they could read it as their audition. Auditioning march 11, 2015 melora kordos youve got your audio booth all set up, you got your equipment set up perfectly for your place and your voice, now you just need to book a job. You and the narrator reach an agreement on how much they will get paid for each finished hour of the audiobook. You must have a killer audio book demo to get paying work in this field especially from publishers. In this post, ill walk you through the whole process of how to make an audio book using acx. How i chose a narrator for my audiobook josh steimle.
The art of recording audio books kindle edition by rosenblat, barbara, oday, dan. This video is part of my series about audiobook narration work using the audible acx platform. Noahs advice will help you learn how to become an audiobook narrator. Through acx, you can find an unlimited number of potential acting gigs, and the. Choose how youd like to get paid for your narration work.
I chose what rate i was willing to pay, measured per finished hour pfh, and then waited to receive auditions. It is a specific skill set that audio book narrators should have. Audio publishers invest a lot of money to acquire the rights to books and must be able to trust a narrator to finish within the deadline. You find a narrator sometimes called producer by listening to their auditions.
We offer professional voice actors for audio books, ebooks, narrations that play on kindle, nook, iphone, ipad and other mp3 players. Longtime narrator ray hagen was instrumental in the initiation and development of these great resources. Audio is one of the fastest growing segments of the book industry and audiobooks are easier than ever to download and listen to on the go. For production narrator shall deliver all files in raw wav format. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Ive submitted six auditions and have received two audio book offers in the first week upon completion of the acx masterclass david and dan lay it all out for you to help you become successful. From what ive seen it looks like protools is used a lot by professionals. Most, if not all, audio book production companies are going to want to hear that on a narrators demo, i. Can you define the different types of audiobook narration. What software do audiobook narrators use to record and. They encourage new audiobook narrators to take the time to spend 67 hours per day reading a book out loud and record their voice to ensure the performance shows acting talent, professional delivery, clear diction, positive energy, and consistency from beginning. How to get started as an audible narrator through acx.
I crafted a pitch for a narrator explaining a bit about my book and uploaded the first chapter so they could read it as their audition. May 11, 2020 voice over actors or artists are used in radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, video games, ebook and audio narration and other presentations. Acx is owned by amazon and audible and helps match narrators with authors book publishers by allowing anyone to submit auditions for open audiobook projects. If your answer to any of these questions is yes, brilliance audio wants to give you the opportunity to audition to be an audiobook narrator. If youre a reader, you love language, and you have both acting skills and small business skills, then audiobook narration is for you. Worldwide casting season 3 of actors 2020 podcast is now open for only kids, teens, and tweens at this time.
Your own perfinishedhour rate, paid upon successful completion of the audiobook. After that, ive never had to audition for another book for audible. Acx is owned by amazon and audible and helps match narrators with authorsbook publishers by allowing anyone to submit auditions for open audiobook projects. 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. Audiobooks are a special part of the voice over industry that only a select few can master. How do i find childrens audio book voice over work. I started working from home as a freelance audiobook narrator on a couple of years ago. I found myself reading for an open call audition at the end of that class and the audiobook gods looked down on me.
Our self service website only lists the best talent at the best voice over rates. Having credits, make a living with your acting proceeds with imdb page is a plus but. Nls narrators also often contribute to say how a pronunciation guide to names of public figures, which lists over 11,000 names, and the abc book. Sign up today and start auditioning for audiobook voice over jobs. It is a specific skill set that audio book narrators should. This seems like the simplest, most timeefficient way to go, but its not. The narrator will record and upload the audiobook, which you will then approve. I just finished and submitted the last files for a project recently so soon i need to start looking for another project and it is likely i will get one through them unless someone approaches me directly on anoth.
A specialist in bringing your project to life, i work with businesses to create enticing audio and blogs to inform your customers and attract new ones. Not every audiobook reader or narrator is a trained voiceover actor, though some performing arts training helps. Karen commins is an awardwinning, professional audiobook narrator, producer, publisher, writer, and leading curator of information about the audiobook industry. How much can you make recording audiobooks from home. For this post, we will primarily be examining ebook and audio book narration. Obtaining childrens audio book work is simple, once you know the correct steps and contacts to begin, ensure that you are well trained, and that your voice over demo demonstrates as many usable characters as you can perform well remember, the more variety you demonstrate, the more likely the chance of getting work then, youll need a solid voice over marketing plan. Do buy this book if you want an intimate, insiders look at how the industrys most acclaimed narrator approaches her craftalong with tips for anyone who records audio books. But, something as basic as audacity can get the recording done. Our voices are experienced in audio books, esl and elearning projects. Jan 17, 2020 practice your narrating and editing skills through auditions, and improve from author feedback. Get free auditions from top narrators in every genre.
What software do audiobook narrators use to record and easily. The narration of audio books is an art form requiring talents that are far more than just having a pleasant sounding voice considerable preparation is required for the successful recording of a digital book. You can estimate the audio length of your book by dividing the total word count by 9,300. Edge studio voice over practice script library english. By the end of reading this you will be well on your way to reaping the benefits of a whole new market.
Once youve got a book that youre auditioning for youll be sent a section of the book or a chapter, or, on rare occasions the entire manuscript these are the sides. By picking the right books, submitting highquality auditions, and preparing for the time and effort it will take to complete an audiobook project, even inexperienced voice actors can find. These include narrating and producing your audiobook ready for upload to audible or turning your business. Acx audiobook narrators training for recording at home. Becoming an audiobook reader requires a combination of a clear voice, the ability to record remotely and a love of reading. Ive now read via audio several scalzi novels, and ive loved every one of them. Casting a male or female voice to narrate a promo video for an upcoming tv show. Narrating an audiobook requires you to be doing hours and hours of reading. Luke daniels audible hall of famer reflects on his evolution from instudio narrator to home studio producer. There may be narrators out there who are under salary with a particular company, but id say the lions share of narrators are working as independent contractors. When you read for publishers, the pay is better and you often dont do the audio engineering. While the cost of a voiceover for your audiobook will depend on a range of factors including the length of the book and the type of material i. All cleanup, post, mixing and mastering shall be performed by eaudio productions in studio.
Sep 18, 2014 by picking the right books, submitting highquality auditions, and preparing for the time and effort it will take to complete an audiobook project, even inexperienced voice actors can find. A successful narrator has a small business as a voice talent independent contractor, and the work requires stamina, organization, communication, professionalism, and selfmanagement. As of right now, we have close to 180 books waiting to be cast, 70 or so in production and over 40 already completed. You can search the acx website for the perfect narratorproducer, or wait for acx narratorsproducers to audition for your audiobook project. You must also be adept at expressing each authors intentions. Do you want to give your book the james earle jones treatment or is a quirky, more conversational voice better suited as narrator of. However, those who wish to create an audio drama experience with multiple voice actors may also choose this approach too. Voiceoverxtra getting narration work from major audiobook. Auditions and luck and selfpromotion and good timing, and somewhere in there i hope, some talent.
Freelancers, she says, tend to be better for general voiceover gigs, but not audiobook narration. You then select the actor whose read you like best and hire her. Jul 12, 2016 hes a stellar narrator, and if it hadnt been for him, i dont know if i ever would have gotten around to reading john scalzi. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading audiobook narrator.
Through his eyes, you can get a glimpse into that secret life. Practice your narrating and editing skills through auditions, and improve from author feedback. Become an audiobook narrator part 4, lesson 1 choosing a. Acx also helps both authors and narrators promote themselves on social media and offline as well. In addition to earning a ba in broadcast journalism and ms in computer information systems, karen has completed extensive specialized training in voiceover and audiobook narration technique, as well as digital audio production. Barbara is a unique audio book talent, a creative genius who is always at the top of her game. An audiobook narrator on how the casting process works. Certain parallels between an audiobook narrator and a film actor can be drawn. Amazons audiobook creative exchange axc this site connects audiobook narrators with books to narrate. They encourage new audiobook narrators to take the time to spend 67 hours per day reading a book out loud and record their voice to ensure the performance shows acting talent, professional delivery, clear diction, positive energy, and consistency from beginning to end. Learn how to become an audiobook narrator with these. Once you land a few gigs, use those as samples to land clients elsewhere. No mixing, no eq, no compression, no noise reduction, no normalizing, no limiting shall be applied.
In a nutshell, aspiring audiobook narrators need to have the following skills. Oct 29, 2018 you must have a killer audio book demo to get paying work in this field especially from publishers. Youve got your audio booth all set up, you got your equipment set up perfectly for your place and your voice, now you just need to book a job. Before auditioning for a book on acx or a freelance site like, examine the listing to determine whether its a real book with real prospects of generating sales. Then try this simple test to see if audiobook narration will be the right fit for you.