Voice Over Recording

Voice over recording is an audio production service in which a voice over actor is recorded to be a part of the general on-screen experience. In it’s original form, the term described the narration one would hear during a film or in a theatre production. However, in it’s more modern form, it has been used interchangeably with voice acting to describe most any type of performance, including those in animation and video games.

There are two ways to approach voice over recording. The first is what we call an ensemble or group record. This method involves having a group of actors record their performances simultaneously. It is thought that this type of recording can often lead to better performances since the actors have the ability to interact with each other.

The second method is recording each actor individually. When working with a cast that are new to their roles this type of recording can be beneficial. It allows for one-on-one time with the actor to try different things and lock them into the performance without holding up the entire group. The recording session can also move faster in some cases due to the ability to work in a non-linear fashion.

Sometimes, as a production comes to a close, it is necessary for a polishing round of voice over recording to help tie together certain contextual aspects lost during editorial. One of the earliest examples of this is 1948’s Joan Of Arc, in which the U.S. version was modified from the original UK release in order to reduce the running time of the film. Due to scenes being removed, additional narration recorded as voice over was necessary to tie the film together.

Voice over recording is also a tool used in language localization. Production companies will often add a translated voice track over the existing original language content in situations where precise dubbing is not needed. You have most likely seen this technique used during news reports when a quick translation is needed.

At Resnick Interactive Group we feel that voice over recording is an art, not a science. Our process has been developed to nurture the needs of our clients by crafting 100% North American voice over work. A comprehensive production strategy is developed for each project we work on and our talented network of Los Angeles based voice over actors, directors, and engineers are then set to work.