Voice Artist Q&A Sessions: Ben

Ben is a brilliant English voice artist, who has worked with Matinée Multilingual on many projects over the years. Ben’s deep, energetic, and authoritative voice lends a distinct sound to all of the projects that he participates in, which our clients can’t get enough of. He has recorded for a wide variety of projects with us; from narration for nature documentaries, audiobooks, and adverts to corporate voice overs.

Ben started out as an actor, before being introduced to the world of voice over by a team member at Matinée. Since then, the rest is history!

We’ve asked Ben some questions about working within the voice over industry, his top tips for success in the field, and his day-to-day life as a voice artist.

How did you get started in the voice over industry, and what is it that you enjoy most about it?

It was actually someone from Matinée that introduced me to the splendid world of voice over. About four hundred years ago, I was playing Pontius Pilate in a production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ in Reading, and after one of the performances, a lovely man from Matinée approached me and very kindly told me that I had a great voice (clear and good diction and a lovely tone, apparently, his words not mine), and asked me if I’d ever considered doing voice overs. After blushing a lot and thanking him profusely, I replied that I had never considered it but was very much intrigued. He then asked me along to Matinée where I recorded a demo and voila! I was hurtled head-first into the wonderful world of voice over.

What I love most about recording voice overs is the scripts. I love words and love working with words. Voice overs would be rather tricky without words, although I am now extremely tempted to try doing one using only random noises and see what happens. I also love learning new things, and most voice over scripts will be about subjects that I don’t know much about, so I have learnt many an interesting thing from recording voice overs, and some not-so-interesting things, but is all learning nonetheless!

What’s also good is that once you’ve recorded quite a few voice overs, you no longer hate the sound of your own voice. Your recorded voice actually sounds the same as the voice you hear when you’re speaking. You no longer have the utter horror of hearing your own voice played back to you and thinking ‘That’s not my voice! I sound like a barn owl that’s got its foot caught in some farm machinery!’ etc. Well, that’s my experience of it anyway. 

How would you describe a typical day as a voice artist?

I would say a ‘typical day’ for me has changed constantly over the years.  One of my first voice over jobs was a full-time, Monday-to-Friday job where I spent eight hours a day, five days a week in a tiny, soundproof box recording and editing voice overs describing houses for various Estate Agent websites. I would record one, edit it, add music, etc, match it all up to the video of the tour of the house, upload it, and then move on to the next one. I would typically do about 100 voice overs a day there. Whereas a ‘typical day’ now is extremely different. 

Of course, it all depends if I have any work or not. If I do, then the day would consist of reading the script, researching anything I’m not sure about from the script, checking on any pronunciations I’m not sure of, and then, if asked, recording a sample of the script and sending it to the appropriate people so they can check they’ve got the right man for the job. Then I’d probably eat some biscuits, then I’d either get set up for recording the voice over from home, or drive to the studio and have a nice chat with the studio engineer, probably eat some more biscuits, record the voice over, have another nice chat, look at the biscuits and decide I’d probably had enough, then get on to the next project.

If I don’t have any work, then a ‘typical day’ would be me writing one of my poems or short stories, recording a voice over for it, and then turning it into a video and putting it on YouTube… and then eating lots of biscuits. 

What has been your favourite project that you’ve worked on with Matinée so far?

My favourite project that I have worked on so far was for a French nature documentary series that required an English voice over as it was going to be broadcast in the UK. There were several videos all about different animals. I got to watch the videos whilst I was recording the voice over so I, of course, instantly felt like David Attenborough! I love animals so absolutely loved every second of it, and getting to watch what I was talking about whilst I was talking about it was superb, and very helpful. I also learnt a lot about the animals which I hadn’t known before, and was very impressed that I hadn’t been distracted by how unbearably cute they all were! 

What is the best kind of project brief to receive? Is there any information that you find particularly helpful to be included before a project takes place?

I have to say, I do prefer a short but detailed brief. A long brief can feel a bit intimidating, not to mention confusing if it contradicts itself. The brief just needs to explain what the client wants, and mention how they want particular words pronounced. The tone that they want is very important. For example, I once did a corporate voice over for a company that made different types of doors. They didn’t give much of a brief at all, and their reaction to my first voice over that I sent was that I sounded far too excited and interested, and could I try it again sounding as bored and disinterested as possible!

I thought this was rather odd but I did what they said, and they loved my second attempt! So that’s something they could have put in the brief. If it’s a live-directed session then they can of course just say there and then, and get me to change whatever they want, but if it isn’t then the brief is much more important.

How do live-directed sessions benefit you as opposed to recording independently?

Live-directed sessions can feel a bit intimidating, a bit like being a performing monkey, but the important thing to remember is that the people directing you are on your side and want you to get it right just as much as you do.

I was nervous about them at first, and still can be sometimes, but it is actually very supportive having someone there with you, and very helpful as they know exactly what they want. It means you don’t have to second guess yourself, as they will tell you what they like and what they don’t like, and that immediate feedback is very useful indeed. You can ask them anything you need to about the script, any pronunciation queries, and you can make sure you are speaking in the right tone. It also means you don’t have to worry about it once you’re finished, because you know the client liked it and were pleased with the results.

What are your top tips for somebody wanting to get started in the voice over industry?

I’m not really one for giving tips and advice as I’m a bit too humble (and prefer eating biscuits), however, I would definitely empathise the importance of a good showreel/demo. If you don’t have that, then you won’t get very far. And don’t worry if you don’t have a clue about how to do one or what to put in it, I didn’t have a clue when I started. I recorded my demos with Matinée, and they were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, encouraging and supportive. 

It’s a good idea to try and find out what your voice is most suitable for, which may be many different things, but it’s good to know your strengths. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need someone else to tell you your strengths, at least at first, and you’ll find that whoever you record your showreel with will help with that, plus you’ll learn as you go along and with each voice over you do you’ll learn more about your particular strengths. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If there’s something you’re not sure about in the script then ask. The people who you are recording it for want you to get it right just as much as you do. And be prepared to go with whatever the client wants. There might be a word that you know is not pronounced that way but they want it pronounced that way so that’s what you do. If I can, then I’d do a couple of takes with the two different pronunciations but only if they are ok with that. I said I didn’t like giving advice and I’ve ended up giving quite a lot! I shall now shut up and find some biscuits. 

Why do you like working with Matinée?

Visiting the Matinée studios is like going home. The staff are always so welcoming and supportive. The place always manages to feel professional without feeling cold or corporate.

I’ve never left the Matinée building feeling anything other than satisfied, and hoping it’s not too long before I’m back there again. Plus, it was them that got me into this crazy world in the first place, so I owe them a great deal. It’s a long time since that young, naive actor stepped off the stage as Pilate and met the man from Matinée (not to be confused with the man from Del Monte). I shall always be grateful to him for bringing me into the varied, voracious world of voice overs.

You can listen to Ben’s demo’s here!

Do you require a voice artist to record for a project of your own? Get in touch!

Here at Matinée Multilingual, we have a vast database of talented voice artists who specialise in everything from explainer videos to interactive toys. Whichever language you require a voice over in (we offer over 80!) and whatever your next project is, let us help you bring it to life with our expert voice over services.

We’ll help you connect and engage with your audience with the perfect voice over, all the way from offering a selection of hand-picked voice demos, to recording and editing the final audio file.

Why not get in touch with us today and find out more about how we can help you?

Call us on +44 (0) 118 958 4934

Or email project@matinee.co.uk