Some moments are just too important to be messed up by an uncle with an iPhone.
And I know, the cameras on smartphones have become more and more sophisticated. But even the most expensive Hasselblads are useless in the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to use them.
Besides, taking stunning pictures requires more than mastering a high-end camera. You’ve got to be at the right place at the right time, taking that unforgettable photo at the right moment.
Professionals don’t get lucky. Years of experience give them a sixth sense, allowing them to not only capture these important moments, but to create them. When you see a professional photographer at work, you see someone who can stage spontaneity. They know how to put people at ease, and how to make them look their best. They make the uncomfortable, comfortable.
The same thing happens when you hire a voice over professional. Amateurs don’t know how to use the equipment, and once they hear the sound of their own voice, they become so self-aware that they mess up even the simplest of lines. It doesn’t help that they know that people are watching them.
A trained voice actor comes in prepared, and knows how to interpret the script and make it sound spontaneous. He or she can take direction without feeling criticized, and can sound as fresh on take twenty as on take one. They know how to work the mic and make words come alive. They have mastered the art of sounding natural in an unnatural situation.
When the reputation of your company is on the line, and you have one chance to make your message matter, who do you choose? Wendy from the switchboard, who has never recorded a voice over in her life, or someone who makes a living as a professional communicator?
Hiring a great voice actor may not be cheap, but working with Wendy is an expensive mistake. You know what they say about first impressions and second chances, don’t you? People are wired to remember the bad stuff, the blunders, and the slip-ups. They will remember Wendy for all the wrong reasons.
So, how can you tell someone’s a pro? It’s pretty simple. The first indicator is their rate.
If you go cheap, you’ll be the one to pay.
Enjoy your wedding!
PS This story is dedicated to Heather and Jeffrey, two wonderful voice over colleagues who just tied the knot. Warmest congratulations!
As a former wedding videographer, I can COMPLETELY attest to this. There was always the dreaded “iPadographer” who thought he knew what he wad doing and would get in and ruin all of our shots! UGH. So glad I don’t need to deal with that anymore. I greatly appreciated the weddings where the Officiant would announce to the audience that the bride and groom had hired a professional videographer and would everyone please practice an “unplugged” wedding by putting their electronics away, or at least staying out of the shots at all costs. Seriously. That’s one side. The other side was, yes, clients would hire as cheaply as they could in some cases, and you could always tell who the novice photographers were when you arrived onsite. I always knew I was in for a wild ride then. I practiced extreme deference to the photographers, because they have that one moment, whereas videographers always have the cameras rolling…but they do truly get that one moment in time (cue Whitney!) and you dursn’t interfere or block their shot. Conversely, the photographer always knew not to stand right in front of our camera for any great period of time (they could be in front and just duck) or they would block our shot and the camera would only see their backs. It was always the rookie novice with the Casio camera who would go right up the aisle and post up RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME FOR THE WHOLE FREAKING CEREMONY. Of course, this being the cheapo clients who hired the Uncle-with-the-iPhone, they neglected to pay for a second fallback camera angle. Their loss! You truly do get what you pay for.