Here are some Frequently Asked Questions we get here in Child Voices Towers:
What does my child need in order to work for you? A professional voiceover parent. Sorry, but we decided very early on to only work with children from Voiceover parents/carers as they have easy access to professional studios, which in turn helps with licensing and we are therefore able to offer incredibly prompt turnarounds on work.
What sort of work do you book? We book lots of different genres of work including, Radio and TV Commercials, Corporate work, Charity reads, translation services etc.
How long is a session? It can range from 10 mins to a couple of hours, depending wholly on the job in question. Radio commercials for example are much quicker to voice than English learning translations.
What rates do kids get paid? With Child Voices, we charge MORE for children, not less. Children are a niche commodity and they will always be accompanied by an adult chaperone. That costs more. We never charge less for children just because they’re children! Plus we offer a professional studio within our fee structure and assistance with licensing.
What do I need to do to prepare my child for a session? Make sure they’ve been fed and watered! It’s always good to share the job information with them too and practice, if possible. If they are the child of a VO parent, they may well understand what goes on, so familiarity is really helpful.
Do I need to be there for the session? In a word, probably. As a VO parent, you’re going to need to “drive the desk” unless of course, you head out to an external studio, where a professional chaperone may take on the responsibility of the parent on behalf of the company. Either way, children are always chaperoned.
Are all sessions directed live with a producer? No. Oftentimes the VO parent will record with their child alone at home.
My child has no experience, but their sight reading is great. What’s the best way to get started? Practice practice practice. Then get a proper demo made. You need to showcase your child’s talents effectively. Don’t just tell people about it, show them.
Will my child have to miss school to do voiceover work? No. Most of the time, work is carried out after school. If you did need to miss school, you’d have to get a different license to the “home studio” licenses our kids have.
How can I get a demo recorded? We offer Demo Days throughout the year, where a child will get invaluable coaching and 1-2-1 time with a producer/director to produce a professional demo for you to use as you see fit.
When will we get paid? We normally request payment in advance from clients and hold that in escrow for the children. After files have been delivered, the client has 7 days to review the audio and come back with any queries or change requests. Once the client is happy, funds are then released to the child.
How much commission do you take? Commission can range from 15% to 25% across the market. We take 20%, except in cases where there is a significant amount of admin to do, which is usually on ELT projects where large fiddly scripts are often involved.
Do I need to pay you a joining fee? Absolutely not. We don’t charge anyone to be listed on our site – we merely take a commission from all work we source for you/your child.
Why does my child need a license? All children who work for any form of remuneration need to be licensed. That requirement stops on the day they officially leave school at 16. It is a criminal offence to hire a child who is not licensed, which could culminate in a fine or imprisonment to anyone who does employ them. You need to speak to your local authority’s child employment team for more information. Every council works differently – be warned!