How to Brief a German Voice Over Artist –
Checklist for Agencies & International Clients

Agencies and marketing teams know the problem: the project is running, the deadline is approaching, and somewhere in the production chain the voice recordings are still missing. A quick email to the voice over artist — "script attached, please record by Thursday" — and then the waiting begins. And the follow-up. And the correction rounds.

The solution is simple: a complete briefing from the start. It takes 15 minutes to put together a good briefing document — and it saves several hours of corrections, back-and-forth and re-productions. This guide gives you a clear structure and a ready-made template you can integrate directly into your agency workflow.

The 7 most important briefing points

A complete voice over briefing covers these seven areas. Each point has a direct impact on the result — and every missing point is a potential source of error.

1. Target audience

Who will be listening to the recording? Describe the target audience as concretely as possible: age, profession, context, expectations. "B2B corporate clients, 35–55, technically literate" is a workable briefing. "General audience" is not. The target audience determines the tone, the complexity of the language and the speaking pace.

2. Tone and style

How should the recording sound? Warm and personal? Factual and informative? Dynamic and sales-driven? Serious and trustworthy? If you have a reference audio — an existing spot, a competitor's production, a brand whose tonality you like — send it along. Nothing is more precise than a sound example. Supplement it with adjectives: "sounds similar to X, but slightly less advertising-driven and more informative".

3. Speaking pace

Slow and deliberate, medium pace or fast and energetic? For phone prompts the tendency is: slower. For advertising spots with a fixed broadcast length, the pace is determined by the word count. If you have an exact target length (e.g. 30 seconds for a radio spot), note it — the voice artist can adjust the pace accordingly and flag if the script is too long or too short.

4. Emphasis and pauses

Are there words or phrases that should be particularly emphasised? Brand names, product names, key messages? Note them directly in the script with a marker (e.g. *BRANDNAME* or CAPITALISATION for emphasised passages). Should there be pauses after certain sentences — e.g. for a musical sting? This must be specified explicitly. A voice artist does not automatically know where your editor will insert a transition.

5. Technical specifications

Which file format do you need? Mono or stereo? Which sample rate and bit depth? Are there loudness requirements (e.g. EBU R128 for broadcast)? How long should the file be — with or without silence at the start/end? The more precise your technical requirements, the less post-production you need afterwards. If unsure: name the target system (telephone system, broadcaster, video editing software) and we can clarify it together.

6. Deadline

When do you need the finished files? State the real date — not an artificially early date "with buffer". Professional voice over artists deliver on time. If you have an internal review process after delivery, plan this separately in your project schedule. An express surcharge applies if delivery time is less than 24 hours.

7. Revision rules

How many correction rounds are included, and what do they cover? Corrections within the scope of the original briefing (different pace, different emphasis, one sentence again) are usually one to two rounds without surcharge. Script changes after production are billed additionally. Clarify this in writing in advance — it protects both sides.

Common mistakes in voice over briefings

Mistake 1: No reference audio

Adjectives like "warm", "professional" or "natural" are open to interpretation. What sounds warm to you can conjure a completely different idea for the voice artist. Whenever possible, send a reference audio — a spot, a prompt, a YouTube video. That is the most precise briefing you can give.

Mistake 2: Forgetting technical specs

Many agencies think of "briefing" primarily in terms of tone and style — and forget the technical requirements. Then the delivery arrives in the wrong format, at the wrong sample rate or without loudness normalisation, and another round is needed. This is easily avoidable: one line of technical specs in the briefing is enough.

Mistake 3: Sending the script just before the deadline

Many agencies finalise the script internally at the last minute and send it just 12 hours before the desired delivery time. This is possible for express orders — but with a surcharge and increased risk of errors. Always plan voice over productions as a separate milestone in the project schedule. At least two working days lead time is needed; more for larger projects.

Mistake 4: Script changes after recording

Once a script has been recorded, content changes mean a new recording — and new costs. Have the script approved internally before it goes to the studio. This sounds obvious, but in practice it is surprisingly often skipped. A simple internal text approval by email can prevent expensive re-productions.

Remote direction: be there live without travel costs

In the past, agencies and clients had to travel to the studio for a recording session. Today that is no longer necessary. Remote direction allows you to follow the recording in real time, give instructions and correct immediately — from your office or home office.

Source-Connect: The industry standard for professional remote direction in the voice over industry. Source-Connect enables low-latency audio transmission and is supported by many studios and professional voice artists worldwide. If your agency or client uses Source-Connect, compatibility is guaranteed.

Video call (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet): The straightforward solution for standard projects. The audio quality is not broadcast-ready, but perfectly adequate for direction purposes. You hear the voice artist clearly, can communicate directly and adjust the direction — simple and without technical hurdles. For many projects this is the most pragmatic choice.

Remote direction is particularly recommended for advertising spots where energy and emphasis are critical, and for complex IVR projects where many small individual phrases need to be precisely calibrated. Mention in the briefing whether you want to use remote direction — a suitable time slot will then be scheduled.