There was a recent incident involving a voice actor having their audition used in a way that they didn’t consent to, and as a voice actor myself, I wanted to give my two cents. If you haven’t heard about what happened, though, here’s the gist of it.

What Happened?

A voice actor at an online voice casting website auditioned for a role, only for it to be downloaded and reused without their permission. I understand that the website has some protections in place so clients can’t download the samples, but there are ways around it. Just like someone with technical know-how can record Netflix shows despite their protections, a client can download a sample if they know what they’re doing.

A client from overseas downloaded one of the samples, put it on a video, and showed it to their end client. Well, the talent who sent the initial sample found out, and she wanted compensation. The client claimed that this was a demo for their client, but the actor replied that the client didn’t understand the industry standards.

And I’m certainly on the actor’s side. Why wouldn’t I be? We spend a good amount of time sending free samples that we spent our valuable time recording, and someone uses that sample without our permission or compensation. The client was from Dubai, so things may operate differently there. But when you’re on the World Wide Web, there needs to be standards that all cultures follow, and not using someone’s sample unethically is an easy standard everyone can agree to.

Now, some clients may not see the big deal about this, especially if they’ve never worked as a freelancer before. There are certain fields where misusing someone’s work or expecting to work for free is sadly normalized. I, along with many other talents, denormalize some of these double standards that voice actors have to face.

The Problem With Misusing Auditions

This problem is part of something bigger, and it’s not just voice acting. Many freelancers and artists apply for a gig only to be asked to write, draw, or say something. Then, they never hear from the client again, but their spec work is displayed somewhere on the potential client’s website, or their idea is used in some way. Think about those poor folk who drew something for an art contest and never got compensated for it, but their art is on the client’s website.

Now, I get that the client needs a little sample to make sure our voice is fit for the job, but some too many clients ask the talent auditioning to read something endorsing their product or service, then decide to run with it without paying the client. It doesn’t matter how they use it. Even if they’re sharing it with a stakeholder, keeping it for a private reel, or not using it for profit, it’s not theirs to use.

That being said, there are things I wish more voice talents did. So, I wanted to talk with both the clients and my fellow voice actors. Let’s start with the actors.

Actors, Protect Yourself!

I want to start this off by saying that this isn’t blaming the victim. If a client misused your sample, that is entirely their fault. That being said, voice talents need to be vigilant when auditioning for any role. I get that the market is tough, and you’ll say anything a prospect wants you to speak for the chance of a gig. But you should keep some things in mind before you send out an audition.

Keep it Small

When you record a sample, keep it as short as possible. Don’t let a potential client make you read an entire page from a book to get a job. First, that is too much for unpaid work. Second, the longer the recording, the more a client can do with it.

If a potential client looks promising but is making you read a lot, you may direct them to a demo reel or previous work you’ve done for a similar client. Of course, I get that there are exceptions to every rule. But more often than not, a client shouldn’t need that much free material from you. And if a client does need a more extended demo, they should charge for it. But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Change the Names or Alter it

Some clients will make you record an endorsement for their product or service. If you record this and the client misuses the audio, that can be a big issue, especially if the brand isn’t something you wholeheartedly endorse. That’s why, when you send the sample, you should leave out the brand name or change it. Mention that when you’re hired, you will say the brand name and that you’re doing this to protect yourself. A good client will understand why you’re doing this. Meanwhile, a client who gets aggressive will not be worth your time. Always good to spot the red flags beforehand.

Alternatively, you may have some background music during your recording, or have some other sound that is your watermark. While there is technology to remove these sounds, it does add an extra roadblock. Plus, that technology often damages the recording when it eliminates the background music.

Set Clear Guidelines

Your bio on your voice acting page should have clear guidelines about how your voice is used. When you work with a new client, you should ensure that the client has read and understood these guidelines.

You may express that the auditions you record are for selection purposes only and that any usage beyond that requires a payment of a demo rate or higher, depending on how that recording is used. You should also express in a bio how comfortable you are with your voice being used for AI purposes. We live in a world where some clients will steal your voice and create a robotic clone of it if you’re not careful. What a future we live in.

Be Vigilant

Finally, when you send out a sample, follow up with the client. Not just to see if you’ve gotten to the job, but to ensure that the sample isn’t being used in a way that you don’t want it to be. Don’t think you’re being too untrustworthy; you’re a voice actor. People’s voices get misused all the time, and you want to make sure that this doesn’t happen. If you notice that your voice is being misused, message the client. Sometimes, it is a misunderstanding, and the client may take it down or compensate you. However, some clients don’t want to be nice, and this may be the time when you have a cease-and-desist ready. No one likes to lawyer up, but there are times when you need to make an example out of someone.

What Clients Can Do

I’m not here to demonize clients. Most of the people I’ve worked with have been great. I’ve even hired some freelancers for my own projects, so I’m a client myself. But some bad apples don’t seem to understand how ethics work in this field. Some of them are a product of ignorance or from different cultures, while others are a little more malicious. I won’t reach those malicious clients who expect free work, but I hope to change the minds of the clients who don’t know better, while vigilant voice actors can drive away any bad actors.

Book at a Demo Rate

If you need an actor’s audition for a video of your own, then it’s important to offer a demo rate to the talent. Alternatively, you may pay a demo rate if the sample you want to record is much longer than usual.

While a demo rate does cost a client upfront, it attracts voice talents serious about the role. Plus, you don’t need to pay their full rate. When you find the right fit, you can negotiate the full payment.

Many voice actors, including yours truly, do many auditions for free. Sure, these auditions can be short, but applying, recording, and re-recording if we’re not satisfied adds up. And as the saying goes, time is money. This couldn’t be closer to the truth when you’re a voice actor who spends lots of time trying to find money.

Also, how frustrating it is that the actor is the only one expected to get all the spec work. The editor, before being hired, is rarely asked to stitch together several recordings to prove their worth. The clients themselves may be working for another client, and they may not want to work for free, either. So why should the talent work for free?

There are certain professions where free work is more normalized than others, and it is strange. Spec work is rampant in many freelancing careers. You wouldn’t go to a construction worker and ask them to build a free doghouse before they worked on a house, would you? That would be ridiculous. So why expect the same thing from a voice actor?

I’m not expecting you to pay me my rent’s worth for a demo recording, but a little bit of money goes a long way in earning the trust and respect of me and other fellow voice talents.

Just Ask

Going back to that incident, I know that some clients who upload the audition to a video believe they are trying to do the right thing. They may want to show their clients the actor’s talents. People are often not acting out of malice but rather because they are misinformed.

If you’re a client and you want to download the recording and upload it somewhere else, get the actor’s consent. Some talents won’t mind you doing this if you express your intentions from the start. Those who don’t want that can then look elsewhere. Saying, “Can I do this?” will save you headaches when the actor finds out and is upset at what you did.

Be Transparent in All Things

This leads me to my next point: Be transparent about all aspects of the client-talent relationship. You should be transparent about your rate, what you intend to use the recordings for, whether the recordings will be used for AI training, and so on.

As a voice actor and freelancer, I dislike not being kept in the loop more than anything. I get that I am a freelancer and won’t understand the ins and outs of the project to the fullest extent. But I do want updates about the project and to be informed about where my voice is going. Being vague is something I believe we all should leave behind going forward into 2025.

In Conclusion…

I hope I didn’t come across as being too harsh to clients in this post. Again, I’ve had so many wonderful clients and very few that have given me headaches. But I do know that there are clients, especially those who don’t come from professional backgrounds, who don’t know the rules.

If you are a client, ask before using a sample recording for a video or for another piece of work. If you are going to do that, book the client at a demo rate. A demo rate should be implemented if the audition is longer and requires a lot of time and energy from the talent. Above all else, you should respect the work of your fellow humans and treat freelancers as you want to be treated.

And if you’re a voice talent, be sure to have protections in place. I get that in the chaos of finding a job, you sometimes get blinded. But be sure that you have clear boundaries in place, and watermark your recordings or change the words around. This way, you’re less likely to have your work misused. And if you find that a client has misused your work, reach out and try to get it removed, or at least demand compensation. Okay, I’m done with my TED Talk.