Sure, they’re called explainer videos, but the trick to good explainer voiceover is knowing what they really are: you-get-it-ers. Doesn’t have the same fun ring to it, but you get it, and so does the end user.

A good voice for your explainer project is genuine, knowledgeable, and authentic and is never preachy. When you book me, you get a guy in the know talking to other people in the know. It’s fresh. It’s casual. It’s authentically professional, and it opens the door for your clients to have a conversation with their clients.

You-Get-It-er?

You know that a good explainer video is all about the formula. Intro the problem, show the problem, solve the problem, enjoy the solution, then a nice little call to action. It’s kinda like a five act play, which is a formula that worked out pretty dang well for William Shakespeare.

People might think formulas are boring, but I think it opens the door for more fun! I can give you the classic “meet Bob” explainer voiceover if that’s what you and your client need…but we can also freshen things up a bit and invite some more fun in. A little wink here, a little nod there, you know what I mean?

Problem, Solution. Rinse, Repeat.

All explainer voiceover reads lean toward the conversational and authentic, but there’s a subtle difference in how to approach each type of read. For a Whiteboard, for instance, I let my cool teacher vibe really shine, for a professional and relatable didactic read. Here, the goal is to instruct a process.

But for live action, while your viewer sees real people, the goal is to have the voiceover float underneath your video work and support it. Rather than guide the viewer by the hand, as in Whiteboard, the voiceover becomes a sort of tour guide: there when you have a question, but letting you take as much time as you need at each section.

Animated can fall somewhere in between, or it can be a chance for character to really shine. Hop on over to my Kids Media demo to see how zany and energetic things can get, if your projects calls for it!

Live Action. Animated. Whiteboard. And more!

You gotta hit :90 exactly? Boom. We’re hitting :90 exactly. Need a little breath in between your lists so your super cool animations can really pop? You got it, daddio.

Most of my explainer work is self-directed, meaning you send me the script with some direction notes, and I send you back two to three options on the read. I’ll give some slight variation in pacing and character, and usually multiple options on your end tag. Hopping on for a session is never and issue, but I was a theatrical director for over ten years, so I’m happy to handle it.

Oh Heck! Always on Spec.

Unlike some other areas of voiceover, explainer tends to be buyout for organic use on social media and websites. In line with the GVAA rate guide, I tend to be around $350 for up to :90.

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