Video narration guide

The best video content doesn’t play in silence. It uses high-quality narration, often in the form of a professional voice over, to capture the viewer’s attention and invoke emotion.

The issue is that voice over recording isn’t always as simple as grabbing a microphone and recording your own voice.

Suppose you want to make your online video, podcast, or any other type of video successful. In that case, you need to know how to create video narration.

What is video narration and why do you need it?

On the basic level, a video narration is an audio file placed over a video that tells the story of what the video displays to the viewer. Sometimes, subtitles accompany the narration, though many videos rely on voice alone to tell the story.

The nature of the story told in the audio recording depends on the video.

In a film, narration gives the viewer more insight into the wider story the actors tell on screen. In sales, narration allows companies to craft stories around their products, creating an emotional connection that makes the product more likely to sell.

Whatever the case may be for your project, a good narration typically involves four elements:

• Conflict — The problem presented by the story, which is often a challenge to which the viewer can relate.
• Characters — The conduit for the narration and the most direct link between the viewer and the story.
• Expectations — Whether you make a long or short video, the narrative must set the expectations for what the viewer will see.
• Resolution — The satisfying conclusion the viewer hopes for when they click the play button on your video.

You’ll often see video narration on social media, with companies using voice overs to tell stories on top of delivering visuals. However, narration is also used in almost all types of visual media, from TV and movies to PowerPoint slideshow presentations.

Creating successful narrated videos

Creating a professional video requires you to do more than point the camera at something and press the record button. These tips help you to transform into a successful narrated video maker.

Tip 1 - It all starts with the script

Before you boot up your video editor and start playing with visuals, you must know what the narration will say. Your script determines what your voice actors will say and serves as an informal guide for video length and content.

A good script does the following:

• Relay the lines required for the voice over audio.
• Provide instructions on how to read each line.
• Use timestamps to show the voice actor (and video creator) where each line fits into the video.

You can find script templates online to help create and format your video script.

Tip 2 - Choose how you’ll record audio

Suppose you’re creating basic training videos to share on YouTube or in your company. In that case, you may be able to use your own voice for narration. That’s more expensive than it may seem, as you’ll need to create a recording studio where you can speak your lines without worrying about background noise.

Those with a bigger video budget can hire professional voice actors. Available via freelancing websites or voice acting agencies, voice actors are experts in delivering lines appropriately.

Finally, you can use AI-driven narration services, such as Speechify Voice Over Studio. Often built using text to speech technology, these platforms offer human-sounding voices created using speech synthesis.

Each method can provide a competent voice over, with voice actors costing the most and AI voice over services giving you access to more options.

Tip 3 - Master your video editing software

If you’re starting from scratch with video production, you must learn how to edit videos. That means investing money in video editing software and investing time into tutorials that show you how to use that software.

Don’t skimp on either investment. Understanding how to use your video editing software ensures you can properly align your narration with the video visuals. Few things take a viewer out of the experience, like a poorly-edited video.

Tip 4 - Add additional elements

Beyond the visuals and narration, you may use additional elements to emphasize your video’s emotional or humorous aspects.

For example, orchestral background music can make a narrative voice over more inspiring. Alternatively, cleverly-placed sound effects could create humor, which is great for light-hearted videos.

Get professional-level narration with Speechify Voice Over Studio

You have a few options if you intend to do your own video narration without the help of voice actors. Recording your own voice lends authenticity to your video, though it also requires that you invest in a recording studio or hire voice talent, which can be costly. The other option is to use an AI voice over service.

Speechify Voice Over Studio is that service. Offering professional-level voice overs with the ability to edit and download any audio file you generate, Speechify gives you access to hundreds of AI-generated natural voices.

You have full control, with the platform offering the ability to change reading speed, pitch, and even the level of emotion conveyed in each line. Best of all, Speechify Voice Over Studio is easy to use as you enter text, choose a voice, and click a button to generate your narration.

If you’re ready to learn more or want to play around with the tool, try Speechify Voice Over Studio for free today.

FAQ

How do you become a video narrator?

Anybody can become a video narrator if they have recording equipment and can create a clean narration free of background noise. But to be a professional voice actor, you may need to work with an agency or freelancing service.

What is the difference between video and film narration?

Film narration typically provides exposition in service of the story being told. In video clips, narration can tell a story. It can also provide instructions, as seen in e-learning and explainer videos.

What is the average length of a voice over?

The length of a voice over varies depending on the length of the video. For example, the average length of a YouTube video is 11.7 minutes. As the average voice actor can recite about 150 words per minute, this means the average voice over length is 1,755 words.

What is the best video editing software?

The right software aids your video production efforts. Examples include CyberLink PowerDirector, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro.