What Information Should You Send to a Voiceover Artist?

One of the most common causes of wasted time, miscommunication, and frustrating revision rounds in voiceover production is an incomplete project brief. When a voice artist receives vague direction — or no direction at all — they are left to guess what you want. Sometimes the guess is right. Often it is not, and you end up paying for additional session time that could have been avoided entirely.

Professional voice artists do not need you to micromanage their performance. They need clear information to make informed creative decisions. Here is exactly what to provide, organized by project type.

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The Core Information Every Brief Needs

Regardless of project type, every voiceover brief should answer these five questions:

1. What is the project and what is it for? Give a two-sentence summary of the product, service, or organization, and how this recording will be used. "This is a 90-second product explainer for our B2B software platform, intended for use on our website homepage and paid social media campaigns."

2. Who is the audience? Describe the listener. "Marketing managers at mid-size companies" is more useful than "professionals." "Parents of children under 5 years old concerned about nutrition" gives the artist a person to speak to.

3. What is the desired tone? Be specific and use human language. "Warm, direct, and confident — like a knowledgeable friend explaining something important, not a corporate announcement." Include reference recordings if you have them.

4. What is the timeline? When do you need the first delivery? Is this a rush? Standard delivery for most artists is 24–72 hours.

5. What is the usage and distribution scope? Internal only? Online ads? National broadcast? This affects rights and pricing, and your artist needs to know upfront.

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What to Include for Specific Project Types

Commercial and Brand Advertising

• Final approved script (or audition excerpt with clear word count)
• Brand guidelines or tone reference document (if available)
• Visual reference: storyboard, animatic, or rough cut if timing matters
• Music bed or sound design reference (the voiceover should complement the overall sound)
• Specific any-pronunciation notes for brand names or product names
• Broadcast usage details: market, channels, run length

E-Learning and Training Content

• Full script with slide or scene numbers aligned
• Module title and course context (where does this module sit in the overall training?)
• Technical terminology glossary with preferred pronunciations
• Whether the course is self-paced or instructor-led (affects pacing requirements)
• Any previously recorded modules for consistency reference

Corporate Narration and Video

• Edited video file or rough cut (for time-synced reads)
• Script formatted in split-column format (scene description | voiceover text)
• Target duration per section if critical
• Whether the recording will be used with or without music

Audiobook

• Full manuscript in PDF or Word format
• Pronunciation guide for all proper nouns, place names, invented words
• Character list with any specific voice direction
• Author's preferred reading pace and tone (some authors have strong preferences)
• Sample of any previously recorded volumes for series consistency

IVR and Phone Systems

• Complete prompt list numbered sequentially
• Any hold music context (energetic, calming, neutral — the voice should complement)
• Brand voice documentation
• Technical format requirements (8kHz mono for telephony is standard; confirm with your engineer)

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File Format Requirements

Always specify your required delivery format explicitly. Do not assume the artist will guess:

• File format: WAV (preferred for production, lossless) or MP3 (320kbps for high quality)
• Sample rate: 44.1kHz for most applications; 48kHz if syncing to video; 8kHz for telephony
• Bit depth: 16-bit minimum, 24-bit preferred for post-production flexibility
• Channel configuration: Mono (standard for most voiceover) or stereo (confirm if needed)
• Noise floor: Request recordings with minimal processing (no heavy compression or reverb) if you have an audio engineer handling post-production

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The Revision Policy: State It Upfront

Unclear revision expectations create friction. State your revision policy clearly:

• "Our quote includes two rounds of revisions"
• "Script changes after recording begins will be quoted separately"
• "We may need a re-record if the final cut requires different timing — we will pay the session rate for re-records"

Most professional voice artists include one or two revision rounds in standard rates. Additional rounds, wholesale script rewrites, or re-records due to client-side changes (not performance issues) are typically billed separately.

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On RealVoiceover.com: The Structured Inquiry Form

One of the core features of RealVoiceover.com is the customizable inquiry form on each artist's profile. Rather than sending an unstructured email and hoping the artist extracts all the right information, you complete a form that the artist has designed to capture exactly what they need for their specific workflow.

This means your brief arrives organized, complete, and ready for the artist to act on immediately — instead of triggering a back-and-forth email chain just to establish basic project parameters.

Browse artist profiles and submit a structured brief at RealVoiceover.com — find the voice that fits your project and communicate everything they need to deliver exactly what you are looking for.