Thanks again to Rich O’Donoghue @ io Audio for penning this article on ‘How To AI Proof Your Voiceover Demo’:
With AI technology gathering pace it’s important to consider a few things when creating a new demo or tweaking older demos. We want to make sure that your demo is guarded against the wrong use of
AI technology. As we know it is possible for your voice to be copied by AI and used in other projects, without your knowledge or permission. To help protect your work there are few things you can do.
When it comes to any existing demos have a listen through and see if there are any edits that are just raw audio, that is: there is no music, sound effects or ambience underneath the audio. If you do have existing demos that have raw audio, then it’s a good idea to mix something underneath. Although there are some cases where music etc is not needed e.g. when it’s a close intimate read, it’s still important to mix something underneath that will disrupt AI from getting a clean copy. We can help with this so get in touch if you need help.
Be cautious of unknown buyers on freelance platforms asking for test samples of your voice especially if they’re asking for you to voice a long script! We know that AI can copy short snippets of voice and use that but try to keep auditions short, especially if it’s not a reputable platform and send them in compressed low bitrate samples. Even though the quality might not be the very best it will still be audible and useful for the auditions. This may also apply to sending your full voice demo, perhaps have a low bitrate version for unknown sources of work.
When it comes to script writing for demos our team is constantly aware of the importance of the human performance! Especially when it comes to various forms of narration like corporate or E Learning. In the past we’ve worked on demos that included what might be considered as the typical boring read. We’ve engineered the way we work to be conscious of making sure our scripts allow the voice over to connect with the copy in an emotional / human way. For example, we might include E Learning scripts that use empathy or humour. Something else to consider is whether you should allow your demo to be downloaded directly from your website. On the surface, it’s convenient for agents, producers, or casting directors who may want to save it for later reference. However, it also creates risk: once your demo is downloaded, you lose all control over where it goes, how it’s stored, or who has access to it.
Having voice demos that showcase your unique human qualities are what will help set you apart from AI. Each script should be tailored to help you connect with the copy, in a human way, and showcase nuanced performances that AI struggles to replicate! This is why we put so much effort into writing tailormade scripts for each artist. We want to capture not only great performances but personality and what makes each voice over unique and better than AI!
Emma Harvey, voiceover agent at Harvey Voices, couldn’t have put it better with this quote: “Protect your voice, it’s not just data or sound it’s your signature. AI can be a great assistant but don’t let it promote itself to CEO of your career. The team at IO Audio can help protect what’s most valuable to you”
If you need any help in AI proofing your voice demo, feel free to reach out to us.
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