Oh, what to wear? You’ve been told the best part of voiceover recording is that it doesn’t matter what you wear. You’re not on camera. A-list clients are notorious for rolling out of bed for a session looking like… let’s just say there were no cameras allowed. But there’s one consequence of clothing choice that matters for your recording session. It’s all about the sound.
Lose noisy clothing and accessories. Does anything you’re wearing create sound with subtle movement? That pleather jacket? That high collar? What about your bling? A noisy necklace? Dangling earrings? If you’re going to be hooked up with a lavalier microphone, perhaps a less crisp “less starchy’ shirt would be better. Lots of layers tend to encourage movement from voiceover actors. A single comfortable shirt will do. Control your hair and hair accessories. Talent who are used to the occasional hair toss to the camera tend to continue this habit off camera. Stop. It makes noise… and we don’t care what you look like. We only care how you sound in the booth.
Sure, dress for the weather outside. But make sure you get comfortable for your session… before your session starts. Don’t wait for the recording engineer to pester you about any unwanted sound created by clothing or movement.
Enjoy this clip of B Roll from The Lego Movie featuring voiceover from Will Farrel, Nick Offerman, and more. They’re not wearing multiple layers. Nick and Will are both wearing a tee shirt. Will’s wearing a watch with a strap that doesn’t “clink”. Notice how voice talent get into character while being mindful of staying on mic. Be aware that large diaphragm, hi-end studio condenser microphones are sometimes recorded with a tighter polar pattern than a shotgun mic, like a Sennheiser 416. Work the mic within reason when shouting. Otherwise, stay in the pocket without limiting your creative delivery.
Cheers to your voice. Cheers to your art… and we’ll see you in the booth… and hopefully….. only hear your voice!