FAQ

Having lived and worked in four countries, international narration is my specialty. I record in Dutch (native speaker), English and in German. I’m often involved in challenging multilingual projects because I strive for authentic pronunciation. Let me give you a few examples:

The Alaska Native Heritage Center hired me to record a German audio tour loaded with words in the different native languages of that region. The audio book I recorded on Bratislava contained Russian, Polish, Slovak, Yiddish, German, Rumanian, Italian and French.

My most in-demand accent is neutral English.

Most definitely. As a former newsreader and anchor for Dutch radio, I set the standard for what is called “Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands” or ABN. ABN is the national norm for accent-free Dutch, similar to RP in the UK or ABE in the USA.
Friends and colleagues from Holland are often surprised that my Dutch pronunciation hasn’t changed since I left The Netherlands. I use that to my advantage since I’m one of the very few native Dutch voice-over talents based in North-America. I also visit the Netherlands as frequently as I can, to make sure my Dutch is still current.

Please note that some Flemish talents advertise themselves as Dutch speakers. Dutch and Flemish are as different from one another as American and British English.

It depends on your project and my workload. A 60-thousand word audio book takes a bit longer than a 60-second commercial. On average, my turnaround time is 12 – 24 hours. Rush delivery is available.

Once you send me a sample of your script I’ll gladly record a demo for you at no charge. Remember: the more specific you are about what you’re hoping to hear, the easier it is to give you the read you need.

Some voice-over professionals watermark demos to protect their work. I prefer to make small changes to the text to make sure it cannot be used commercially.

Yes, I do. Most of my work is recorded in my soundproof voice-over studio. You’ll never have to worry about hiss, echoes, rumble or other background noises amateur narrators are notorious for.

I use an ultra low-noise Sennheiser MKH 8060 shotgun microphone (the successor to the 416), a pristine Solid State Logic 2+ preamp and A/D converter, Mogami cables, and Twisted Wave audio editing software on an iMac. I edit my work using state of the art Austrian Audio Hi-X55 headphones. I connect to the Internet using a high-speed Ethernet connection.

Absolutely. Editing is time-consuming and requires a different kind of expertise. On average, it may take at least two to three hours of editing to produce one hour of finished audio.

I can send you clean, ready-to-use audio files in most formats. This saves you time and money.

I have several agents on the East and West Coast of the United States, as well as in Europe.

No. I am a non-union voice-over talent.

I have clients on five continents: Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses, non-profits and governmental institutions. Click here for a long list.

I provide voice-over services and I do not hire or represent talent. Clients often ask me for recommendations. If you’re looking for a specific voice, accent or foreign language, I’d be happy to refer highly experienced, reliable colleagues to you.

I prefer Wise (formerly TransferWise) or PayPal  for international payments, and I accept checks drawn on U.S. banks.

I’m the author of Making Money In Your PJ’s, Freelancing for Voice-Overs and Other Solopreneurs.

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