Recording Voice Overs

A good quality voiceover is an important aspect to your video essay. If it is poor quality, or if you sound bored, nobody is going to be interested in your video! The first step is to record your voice over.

Recording your voiceover

If you are using Premiere to edit, you will be able to record straight into the program - see the video below.

If you are using something else to edit - you can use Quicktime or Audacity to record. If you don't have a microphone, you can use the voice memo app on your phone to record.

Tips when recording your Voice over

• Practice reading your script out loud. It might seem weird but you need to practice saying the words out loud. If there's a sentence that is tricky to say, change it!
• Try to record in the most quiet place as possible. Many voice over artists will record under their doona or in a wardrobe because that will muffle any echoes the most and get the best quality recording.
• Whatever microphone you use, you should be approx 15cm, or two fists, away from it. Too close and you will get distortion. Too far away and you will get other noises. If you can see the levels whilst you are recording, make sure they don't enter the red.
• Have multiple takes of your recording, repeating certain lines if you stuff them up. You will be able to edit around any mistakes you make.

Editing your Voice over

• If editing in Premiere, take some time to get your levels correct. This is so any film sound, your voice over and music you may use are balanced so you can easily hear each one.