Training Market for Voice Over Artists for Online and E-Learning Videos, Webinars, and Webcasts.
According to Forbes, the training market is worth approximately 109 BILLION dollars, which puts Voice Over Artists on solid ground for markets as Medical, Pharmaceutical, Scientific, and Corporate sectors. Why is training so important? Education, Preparation, Development, and Skills Required for New and Current Employees FacilitatingConfidence and Efficiency within the Organization’s ranks. Training increases Productivity and Effectiveness and gives a sense of pride and purpose to a well-schooled Workplace Team. The Voice Over Artist plays a key role in Communicating, Interpreting, and Promoting the Information directly to the new Trainee(s) and Seasoned Employees.
The Voice Over Artist needs to Identify and define the Objectives of the Training script. By Identifying the Objective(s) of the Training script the Voice Over Artist use changes in Tone, Pitch and Timing in order to EmphasizeObjectives, and Facilitate Listener’s Retention. An obstacle that the Voice Over Artist may encounter is InformationalOverload, or the Data Dump. Unfortunately, the Voice Over Artist may have no option, but to try to lessen the drudging effects of is problem by Voice Skills. Putting the Data Dump scenario aside, the Voice Over Artist should ask themselves “What am I Communicating and has the Audience learned from my Presentation”? Have I placed the Intonations
correctly in the narration allowing the Audience to have a clear Understanding of the Objectives.
Identifying Your Audience’s Knowledge and Comprehension in Medical, Pharmaceutical, Scientific, and Corporate Technical Language.
In my earlier article “Technical Narration for the Voice Over Artist in Medical, Pharmaceutical, and ScientificMarkets “ identifying your Audience’s level of Comprehension and Education, by Pre-Visualization, is key to Communicating Information on differing levels of Technical Sophistication. The organizational culture and demographics also must be taken into account when the Voice Over Artist is delivering the learning objectives.
The Voice Over Artist must be aware of the 4C’s. Clear, Correct, Concise, and Complete at all levels of technicalmarkets if the training is to be understood and retained. Coupling the 4Cs’, the type of media also requires knowledgeof the audience’s background.
How you Narrate a training project for individuals who have limited knowledge of the subject or operation will be certainly different than for those who do. What we need to keep in mind, as Marketing Guru Chris Brogan states, “make the buyer the hero”. This should be reflected in our voice in all presentations but especially, if the listeners are not familiar with technical training material. Hopefully in this case, the writers will have taken into account the current level of understanding by the listeners and adjusted the script.
Training videos for High School Science courses would be an example of an audience with limited knowledge. Although the Voice Over Artist may not directly influence the writing of the script, it is not what you say but how you say it, that creates the tone and environment for learning. A less formal more relaxed friendly voice could be what is needed at this level.
For the listeners who are knowledgeable in the background of the training material, especially professionals the tone, pitch, pace and emphasis of the Narration may need to reflect more authoritative and instructional voice by the Voice Over Artist showing a comfort level and understanding of the technical material when spoken. A voice that might present itself as a colleague would certainly be optimum.
Video, Webinars, Webcasts, How Training Project Formats Effect the Voice Over Actor’s Presentations.
Webinars, webcasts and videos are common types of media formats that training sessions employ and offer different levels of interaction with the audience. Webinars are designed for smaller groups, from meeting-sized groups to online events involving hundreds of people. They often include many of the options available with online meetings, such as Q&A, polls, whiteboard and markup abilities. So, webinars are full-featured presentations or events for a few hundred or (often) far fewer individuals. The Voice Over Artist’s technique for this type of media should include knowing where breaks in the script are to allow Q&A for a live host, describe illustrations-charts-graphs being presentedfor training purposes, as well as presenting survey, polling, or post training testing.
Webcasts primarily present with video and slides or video-only and are based on a video-to-user model. In other words, they’re more like a television show (possibly live) than a meeting. Large webcasts can handle thousands or even tens of thousands of viewers. So, webcasts are audiovisual experiences aimed at larger audiences. The Voice Over Artistmay be involved or not.
The narration of training and e-learning projects for the Medical, Pharmaceutical, Scientific communities offer challenges to the Voice Over Artist that usually are not encountered in other disciplines. Diction, pronunciation, and the understanding of the content are more complex, dense, and more challenging than other types of scripts. It is therefore important that a Voice Over Artist prepare, well in advance, for these challenges by researching the terminology, understanding the material and objectives of this complex read, and having a comfort level with the material for a smooth flow that should be factual and clinical in tone.