How To Create A Demo Reel
People say you have a wonderful voice. They love to listen to you speak or read. So, naturally, you’ve considered the idea of becoming a professional narrator, or at least creating a freelance side hustle. Whether you want full- or part-time work, there are lots of possibilities.
You could narrate audio books, online articles, or the step-by-step assembly instructions posted on a furniture maker’s website. You could become a radio play actor or deejay. With the right connections, you might even get a job as the voice of a character in an animated movie. But first, to be considered for work as a professional narrator, you’ll need a demo reel.
A demo reel is an audio file that includes sample recordings of you reading, speaking, or acting. Prospective employers or clients will ask you for your demo reel. In the same way a portfolio features samples of an artist’s best drawings or designs, a demo reel shows off your vocal talent. Ideally, your demo reel will feature clips of professional projects.
But what if you don’t have a demo reel or any professional clips? How can you get a voiceover job if you haven’t been hired to do any voiceovers?
Consider doing one or all of the following:
Volunteer as a deejay for a local community radio station. You’ll need to sign up for training. Your shift might start at midnight or 5 a.m. You won’t be paid. But experience in a broadcast studio will look great on your resume. And while you’re working you can record yourself talking on-air or reading public service announcements (PSAs). This is a great way to get experience and create clips for your demo reel.
Buy a good microphone and record yourself pretending to be a narrator. Look for information about microphones in How To Choose A Microphone. With the right cable or adaptor and app or software, you can use your laptop, phone, or tablet to record yourself. Plan to make at least three recordings:
Read a short passage from an action-packed story that features two or more characters. Give each character a distinctive voice that fits their personality. For example, use a high shaky voice for a frightened mouse and a deep growly voice for the bad critter that wants to eat that mouse.
Read a short set of instructions from a manual or encyclopedia. Be sure to use correct pronunciations. Find a recording online of any words you’re not sure how to pronounce. Use an authoritative, no-nonsense voice that isn’t boring or irritating.
Pretend you’re a radio deejay talking about what’s coming up next in your show. Make a playlist of five of your favorite songs. Write a script that gives a bit of background info about the songs and the artists. Read the script while sounding like you’re not reading, as you pretend you’re live on the air. It’s okay to imitate your favorite deejay’s energy and enthusiasm until you develop your own style.
Create a limited-series podcast. Choose your subject. Find a friend, or friends, willing to be your guest(s). Make five or six short recordings of you discussing your favorite movie, book, baseball player… whatever. The point is to showcase your voice, personality, and knowledge. Create a YouTube channel or a blog. Write a short description of your podcast and descriptions for each episode. Upload your episodes. Invite all your friends and family peeps to listen, like, and follow your podcast.
After you’ve recorded and edited your audio files, copy and paste them into a new audio file, putting your best work first. And voila! You have a demo reel.
Finally, store your reel and individual audio clips in the cloud where they’ll be immediately available to a prospective client or employer. Sign up for a Dropbox, SoundCloud, Google, or other online account. Then, when you apply for a voiceover job, you can create links to your clips or demo reel to paste into a text or email message. You’ll want your audio clips or demo reel to be available at a moment’s notice. A quick response usually makes a good impression.
Creating a demo reel will take some time. You’ll need to learn a few news skills and make a few new mistakes. But you’ll also have a ton of fun. So, jump in and be prepared for the unexpected.
