"Having worked professionally as an actor for over 20 years, I have a strong understanding of the demands and the requirements of both the acting and voiceover industries. Voice reels produced at SonicPond are tailored specifically for various needs, whether it be acquiring a voiceover agent, updating your old reel, or targeting a specific voice job. " - Martin Fisher

consultation
Initially, actors are invited to the studio for a consultation, where we can discuss the kind of voicereel you want, and talk about the balance of pieces needed to play to your strengths most successfully. I can guide you through the whole process of choosing pieces, or simply provide you with all the material if desired. (Many actors enjoy personally tailoring the choice of pieces for the reel with my guidance). It also gives the actor a chance to get a sense of the space they will be working in, and to meet me (and vice versa), so that once recording begins in earnest they hopefully will be relaxed and confident enough to create their strongest work. (and have fun doing it!) The way the reel normally breaks down in terms of pieces is described here.

recording
We try to make all reels as unique and personal to the actor as possible. All material used will be original pieces devised between myself and the actor, or adapted from existing material taken from numerous sources, such as recent magazines and newspapers, online script sites and even YouTube. We also of course have a large database of scripts to use should you need them. Recording will be done over one full 5 hour day, so that there is no pressure to get everything 'first take'. The key to a successful reel is confidence, positivity, time, and meaningful direction. I approach each reel with the same attitude as if it were my own, and painlessly coach you through the whole process, however little experience you may have. We also have an extensive, searchable database of high quality Hollywood sound effects and music to enhance the soundscape of your final reel, as our aim is always to make each reel sound as dynamic and captivating as possible.

the finished product
The final reel will contain 8 to 10 pieces, made up of a mixture of commercials, promos, idents and character ads, as well as 'straight reads' from fiction or documentary, and will include any accents or vocal talents that you feel you can present well (see here for suggestions of the kind of material to look for). A dynamic 1:30 minute montage of the pieces will kick off the reel. We can also provide you with four 30 second clips for your online Spotlight page, either from the pieces you record for the agent or radio reel, or as session on its own (see Price list for cost of extras), and a Radio drama audition cd if required (See price list for current cost). Listen to examples here

When we edit your reel, we 'comp' (compile) each piece from the best versions of each take, often using different lines from many different takes to reach a final 'perfect' version. We then add carefully chosen music and sound fx to enhance the final sound, creating a 'straight from the radio' feel, and finally edit the highlights of all the pieces into the montage. We then upload all your material onto our server, so that you can then review and approve your performance and the order of the pieces, from the comfort of your own home, before we send out your finished cds.

Two professionally edited & fully labeled CDs of the final reel will be provided upon completion, and if you chose them as extras, a Radio Drama audition cd (optional, see current price list) and a Spotlight clips cd (optional, £15). (Digital media options also available - MP3, RealMedia, etc). As standard, we include on the cd label an itemisation of the pieces, including length, style/type etc, all relevant contact details, and your photo/headshot of choice. (see examples here)

If the usual agent reel doesnt suit your needs, there is an hourly rate available to be able to record whatever you wish to. If you just need a cd of clips for your Spotlight online CV, or you need something not mentioned here, we can provide you with a revised quote by recording fewer pieces, or working to a shorter time frame. Feel free to contact us about this.

please note: payment, cancellations and missed sessions
Payment is due on the session day, either by cheque, cash or bank transfer. Occasionally we can issue invoices upon completion if the final cost is initially unknown. Payment is then to be made within 14 days. A PDF invoice will always be provided. No material, including test edits and masters, can be sent out until full payment has been received.
Missed sessions, ie failure to attend without notice, will be charged up to the full session fee at SonicPond's discretion.
We fully understand that castings can tend to come up the day before, and often can't be moved. However, cancellation with less than 12 hours notice will incur a £75 cancellation fee, as it wouldn't give us time to fill the empty slot.

previous clients
Many of our clients have gone on to acquire Voice agents, and worked extensively and successfully in the voiceover industry. Have a look at the column on the right to see a few of our most successful clients, who they signed up with, and listen to a few examples of the reels they recorded here

Radio Drama CDs
We run a special service to provide you with a Radio Drama CD, specifically tailored to the requirements laid out by the BBC radio drama company, know as Soundstart. Full details of their recommendations for people supplying CDs can be found here.
The session is very similar to the agent/commercial reel session, but allows for 4 hours studio time to record a maximum of 8 pieces of one minute each. Typically these would cover a wide range of styles and characters, including modern drama, classic drama, comedy, prose/narratives, poetry etc. The important thing is to remember that they are a repertary company, casting across many projects and scripts, so the greater the range you show of accents, character types and age range, the better chance you have of success.
As with all our packages, we will give as much advice as you need on how to approach the session, and as much direction and coaching on performance as you wish to have on the day. Since studio producer Martin is an actor with over 20 years experience of the industry, the level of direction you will receive can be as detailed and thorough as you need it to be.
There is no official consultation in advance of the recording day, as the BBC Soundstart website lays out the needs for the reel extremely clearly, tho we will of course always offer whatever guidance we can by phone and email.

foreign language reels
SonicPond has a great deal of experience recording in languages other than English, and will be happy to provide foreign language actors with the same level quality of voicereel. We have so far recorded reels in Welsh, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, Swedish, Romanian, Polish, Hindi, and even Yiddish!
(click on language name to hear an example of each)