HANDY SOLUTIONS FOR A TRAVELING VOICE ACTOR

Voice over work is no more a traditional closed studio recording job in front of those big diaphragms, and a director watching you over from a glass wall.  This dynamic working generation balances their profession and their will to travel around the world well. It applies to voice actors too, who would love to work while traveling to the remotest corner of the world and keeping their clients happy too.

If you also are one of those travel enthusiasts, then you must be tracking ways to record your voice professionally without the studio. Like a manager carries his entire office in a laptop hard disk, a voice artist can also bring his studio in a backpack and fly wherever he wants. You need to keep the list of required items and choose the most portable and efficient option for each. So, no matter if you are a professional audiobook voice over artist or a commercial VO expect, you need to have your voice travel kit ready to continue your work while you are on the go. Let us have a look at your travel guide.

Isolated Space 

Although it is challenging to plan isolated space in advance but not impossible, it’s important to avoid noise. If you are booking a hotel, prefer booking a room on higher floors and away from noisy areas. You can tell your requirement to the hotel and try to capture the best-isolated corner for you. In case you are a pro video game voice over artist, you would need to make those catchy sounds, and being isolated would be a primary requirement there!

If you are traveling to a relative or friend, then it’s best to discuss it as your prime work requirement and ensure peace while you work.

Sound Recording Booth

If you are a professional, then you know the importance of noise cancellation and the prevention of bouncing voices. A sound recording booth is nothing but creating your noise-proof compartment where you will record the voice. There are many options available online, and they are portable enough to carry in a duffel.

If you don’t want to invest and want to save this cost, you can also create a blanket fort. Check out online how you can do the same; additionally, take the help of a pillow and towel. You only need to be creative, and you are ready to record.

Recording Equipment 

Once you are sure of how and where you set up your recording workstation, it’s time to select the equipment required to do the job. Selection criteria of any equipment will be based on three factors; it should be most portable, durable, and enable high-quality sound.

1. Laptop - First thing you need is iPad or a laptop. Preference should be given to the laptop as it assists you in many works apart from recording. It should suit our three guiding factors, i.e., it has to be lightweight to keep it handy. It should also be durable to sustain the travel bounces. It should have a configuration to support the apps required for your work.
   There are many mini-size laptops available in the market with high-end configuration. While selecting a laptop, remember to pick the one with no fan noise while working. Because you may need to keep your mic closer, and it will catch the fan sound.
2. Internet: The internet may appear as the basic available thing around us while we work in our setup. But it can be a real pain to do a small task while on travel if we don’t get good options. 
   Before traveling, ensure the availability of high-speed internet options in the area and your backup if one choice didn’t work out. If you can opt for mobile data, then check out establishing a hotspot with mobile data. 
   As a buffer, keep a list of CCD and Dominos café near you. You won’t record there, but they can be a help in need for other assisting steps.
3. Microphone: You have your studio at home, but carrying your mic may not be a wise decision. The foremost reason is, studio mic has a large diaphragm, and they are very delicate too. Packing them in luggage is not a safe option and even plugging it in hand baggage needs a lot of care. Also, the studio mic is ultrasensitive to low-frequency sounds and may not be an efficient option during travel, where we may need to cancel many background noises. Most professional voice over agencies in India use hi-fi mics in their recording studios but such microphones would not be good for travel.

Mic involves a hefty cost, but you need to check its cost throughout its life, ideally ten years. There are many portable options in the market, and one of the most used options these days is the shotgun microphone. It is a very durable option designed for field use. The only problem with it is a narrow axis-like pick-up point, so you have to stick to the mic while recording, but it has an advantage too. Since it picks voice only when you stick to the mic, it also automatically reduces noise. Check and ensure mic and laptop interface. 

If you are fond of traveling a lot, follow the basic principles in selecting items and setting up your traveling studio in a bag ready to pick-up for even those last-minute travel plans and enjoy your passion for traveling along with your profession as a voice-artist.

Related Blog :

How Animation artists are at the forefront of new digital age marketing

How Online Video Advertising Trends Have Enhanced The Need Of Professional Voice Overs

Tips To Find Video Game Voice Actors To Elevate Your Gaming Experience