Latest industry news from Matinée

With 25th December fast approaching, it’s the time of year when many of us are getting ready to wish friends, family and colleagues alike a Merry Christmas! Have you ever wondered, however, how those across Europe spread festive cheer?

One talking point that never seems to be far away from the voice over industry is the role of technology. The emergence of Siri and other automatic voice tools come with that inevitable question – will the machines ever take over?

Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed it would be rolling out Skype Translator on Windows devices, with a new update for the video calling app. Nearly four weeks later and all but everyone with Windows PCs, laptops and Surface tablets should have received the update.

To succeed as a voice artist, having the correct microphone technique when recording is as important as having a great voice. It is, however, something which many struggle to get to grips with. So, we decided to put together an infographic which covers The Basics Of Microphone Technique.

English has been a global language for over a century now, and it’s widely regarded as the universal language for business. It is holding up pretty well as the language of choice for business ventures taking their services overseas – but for how long?

At a quick glance, closed captions and subtitles look almost identical, but the differences that set them apart aren’t as subtle as they first appear. Choosing between the two can have a drastic impact on how audiences understand your video projects – and your decision could say a lot more about your brand than you realise.

Whether you’re just starting out as a voice artist or have worked in the industry for years, it’s human nature to make mistakes from time to time and, on occasion, we simply need to take a step back and remember the basics.

Can you believe it’s a staggering 109 years since what is regarded as the first ever voice over was recorded? Whilst many wrongly assume that Walt Disney was the first voice actor, voicing Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie in 1928, it was actually Reginald Fessenden, 22 years earlier in 1906 who held this achievement to his name.