While voice-over actors promote their setups as “professional quality, broadcast-ready studios,” often a relatively small percentage of their recording spaces actually are. A quick look at social media on any given day shows numerous actors in need of a quieter space to work. When they audition or work unattended on audiobooks and other jobs, it’s easy enough to pause and circle back to avoid sonic disruptions—but that won’t fly for bigger-budget commercial projects that typically have clients on the line.
So what constitutes “professional quality?” Nothing—as in hearing nothing but the actor. Case in point: Post-Covid, my first session back at the studio where I work in New York City had me worried! A new building was going up directly across the street and the noise outside was deafening. To my delight, when I walked into the studio—which actually faces that street—it was dead silent. That is what engineers and clients expect when someone says, “professional studio.” And keep in mind that errant sounds don’t have to be major construction projects to be a problem. Noise issues and poor acoustics from actors crammed in small closets or moving blanket forts are what’s driving clients to get actors back into proper studios.
If an actor is going to work at home for the long-term, it’s a good call to invest in that work for the long-term as well; that means ditching makeshift recording spaces for something more practical and professional, like proper acoustical treatments or a full-on isolation booth.
Studios Make the Most of the Changing Voice-Over Landscape
Actor and voice artist Jim Conroy was dead set against putting in a home studio pre-pandemic, despite his agent urging him to do so. He changed his mind, however: “When Covid lockdown hit and going to a studio was off the table, my agent said I wouldn’t eat if I didn’t do it.” Conroy had his own booth up and running in five days.
Conroy’s booth is equipped with a Neumann mic, Pro Tools, Source-Connect and everything else he needs for a competitive sound. This has opened up a world of opportunity for him, too, as he’s made inroads into animation work that was once exclusive to Burbank; as a result, he can now be heard in multiple cartoons on Disney, Nickelodeon and Max—all recorded from home. “My booth is five steps from my couch and ten steps from my bar,” he said with a grin, before adding, “but your home setup better come correct for that luxury.”
Some voice actors have found that having their own personal recording booth has helped them work more simply for the fact that they can be more flexible with scheduling. New York City-based voice actor Malikha Mallette set up her own booth at home during the pandemic and enjoys the flexibility it provides: “Just today, I had four sessions—two of which were last-minute—and there’s no way I could’ve pulled that off as seamlessly if I had to travel from studio to studio.”
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As an engineer, I breathe a sigh of relief when I see a voice actor in standardized home booth for a remote session. They don’t solve every problem though, as actors still often need some coaching on mic placement and position. This is a big problem with actors working from home. At studios, an engineer or assistant will adjust the mic for each actor entering the room. Often, in remote sessions, actors don’t even realize they’re too far from the mic—or that it’s backwards! This makes for awkward session starts and wastes time.
Still, those are hurdles that time and experience can overcome. For voice actors, the barrier to entry has never been lower, as they can easily purchase affordable mics like the Rode NT1 or the Stellar X2 with interfaces like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo or the Universal Audio Volt 1. Add in a pair of headphones and a mic stand, and presto: You’ve got a competitive home setup—provided you’ve also got a proper space to record in.
