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[shelvalentine]

Hi there, we're working on an adventure game (our first!) and got to the point where we need voicing done. Having googled around we quite liked the look of this guy https://timbickvoiceover.co.uk but not really sure what questions to ask or how the procedure works in terms of getting what we want. Any advice much appreciated.

[TonyLi]

Congratulations on getting to that point in your game!

Gamasutra and GDC offer a wealth of information on working with voice actors.

Q&A: An indie dev's guide to hiring, casting, and directing voice actors has business-related tips.

DB Cooper's

has practical tips for preparing for voice actors and handling recording.

Remember to include stage notes when you want the actor to convey something in a line, but also be open to letting them interpret lines.

Make sure to set up a clear, consistent naming convention for your audio files, and track them in a spreadsheet so you know which ones are done, which need retouching/re-recording, etc.

[VoiceActorKat]

Hey there,

Full time British voice actor here, I can take you through what we usually appreciate from a game dev when being contacted about collaboration...

A little intro about who you are, links to your company profile and previous/current work.

Details about the production and the character you would like the actor to play. If an accent or specific age range is required, let them know! Include a rough word count.

If you have a strict budget for what you can offer for the role, be upfront about this from the get-go. Many voice actors negotiate their budget for each production, based on what is being asked of them. So, there's often a middle ground that you can shoot for, even on a limited budget.

Where will the game be released? When are you expecting to record, and is this a one off gig or a role that may grow in the future as the game develops.

Once you've mentioned these things to a voice actor, they'll be able to get back to you on if they are interested and available to provide the work you've asked for.

Drop me a line if I answer any more of your questions.

Kat