VoiceBunny Quality Control Requirements

The purpose of VoiceBunny's quality control (QC) team is to guarantee the highest level of quality at every stage of a voice-over project. Recently, Angela Serrano, Head of Talent Management at Bunny Inc., and Juan Santiago Mendoza, Head of Quality, hosted a webinar about our QC requirements — the standards we expect every Bunny Pro to adhere to. If you missed the presentation, you'll find everything you need to know right here or you can watch the video by clicking here.

What Does the QC Team Actually Do?

The VoiceBunny QC team gets to work right after you've submitted a project — the recording you've uploaded to our system via the submission page. Then, we measure your audio against a rubric — a set of instructions and rules to maintain uniformity and consistency. 

We have two main responsibilities. Firstly, it is our responsibility to ensure the best quality recordings get delivered to our clients. Secondly, we want our clients to receive their recordings within the specified timeframe that was determined when the project was submitted to us.

There are three main checkpoints for the QC team: 

1. Application Project

Our QC process starts when you first submit your application to join VoiceBunny. When you apply to become a Bunny Pro, you submit a demo in the form of a VoiceBunny 'project'. We use the same QC process for these as we do for real deliverables. Demos should meet all project requirements and deadlines. Once you've been accepted, you are invited to upload samples of voice recordings you have made.

2. Samples

Bunny Pros use samples to demonstrate their talent and versatility to prospective clients. We check for quality every time you submit one. In particular, we make sure your sample showcases both your voice and your recording skills. You need to label your sample correctly and meet all QC requirements before it's approved by our team.

3. Deliverables

It is the QC team's job to identify quality control issues once you've submitted your deliverable — the final audio uploaded to our system. We make sure it meets not only the specifications of the client, but also every technical requirement, performance requirement, and deadline — we check everything.

• Quick Tip: You can find out more about demos, samples, and deliverables in our Help Center. There're a lot of articles answering our most frequently asked questions. 

What Do We Look For in Samples and Deliverables?

When you submit a sample or deliverable, we look for the same thing: quality. We have a very specific set of guidelines — requirements that have been laid down to ensure our clients receive precisely what they asked for.

Project Requirements

We check your voice to ensure it matches the age, gender, accent and language selected by the client. We're super-strict about this — your voice should be a good fit for the client's project. "Sometimes we receive audio from adults who pretend to be children," says Juan. "That's not at all what we want. We want voices that are the real thing; they have to be genuine." 

Project Instructions

We check you followed all of the client's requests — also those provided in the section of the project brief called 'Additional Instructions'. If the client uploaded a sample to illustrate the kind of voice or presentation style he or she is looking for, we make sure your recording accurately reflects this. If a client uploaded reference material, we check that, too. 

Our QC team will also confirm that you read the client's script without changing or missing any words. (If a script has grammatical or translation errors, it's crucial you contact our Production Management team; you do this by raising a flag. (See here.) If you are asked to submit multiple takes, we ensure all of these are complete and organized. 

Technical Requirements

We check your recording sounds great. We listen for room echo, mouth clicks, sound distortion, compression, static, background noise — anything that affects the quality of your recording. Record your voice-over on professional equipment — free from compression and limiting — and choose a microphone that delivers professional results. Pops, clicks, and audible audio cuts are a no-no. Normalize the volume of your recording, too. Aim for a volume that peaks no higher than -3dB.

Some Bunny Pros delete all the breaths in their recording, but this isn't always necessary. Remember that the people listening to you expect you to breathe; if you don't, they might consider your recording too robotic. VoiceBunny prefers a natural and conversational voice over — one with natural breathing. Pros should still maintain breathing control, though. Sharp intakes of breath, for example, can be distracting to the listener so listen to your take several times and edit only the necessary breaths!

Also, watch out for sibilance — the 's' sounds that can sometimes be irritatingly harsh. More often than not it's the result of incorrect articulation.

Performance Requirements

We check your performance against the client's brief. First, we make sure your voice doesn't sound monotone or 'flat'. A monotonous voice is one of the top reasons why clients reject projects. 

Next, we listen for any mispronounced, mumbled, or unclear words. In short, your voice should have a good rhythm, pace, and flow. Tone-wise, it shouldn't sound robotic, either. Nor nasal or raspy. (If you have a cold, and this will impact your recording, please contact VoiceBunny.) Aways be natural and conversational.

Other Requirements

We check for other requirements, too. There should be no syncing problems. That means your voice should be easy to understand, even if you use background music. We also look out for any additional material that wasn't in the client's brief. This includes contact details or content that's just not relevant to the project.

• Quick Tip: Some of our clients lack editing skills or don't have time to edit your recording. That's why it's vital you upload a finished audio file that's ready for distribution. "We want to deliver the most complete and finished audio to our clients," says Juan. 

What About Samples?

Like demos and deliverables, our QC team checks samples thoroughly. We use the same rubric when reviewing samples but undertake a few additional checks to ensure quality. Samples provide you with a chance to impress our network of clients and secure bookings — 80-85 percent of VoiceBunny projects are bookings — so it's a good idea to record them properly. Think of a sample like an audition. You can show off your pitch, pace, and tone in a short audio clip. "Clients want to have a good idea of your capabilities, the tone of your voice, and your versatility," says Juan.

When you submit a sample, QC makes sure your recording conveys a complete idea — not just a series of disjointed thoughts. You should use full sentences and clear concepts. If your sample uses multiple voices — a male voice and a female voice, for example — the main voice should be easy to understand. Same goes for any background music you use — the main voice should be clear in the audio mix. Finally, make sure you label your sample properly. This makes it easier for clients to find you through VoiceBunny's search feature.

• Quick Tip: Check your samples are up-to-date. Uploading new samples on a regular basis — and removing old ones — improves your chances of securing bookings from clients. Also, keep an eye on which samples you delete. Remember samples have stats of their own, so removing the ones that land you the most Bookings can be counterproductive! Change the ones you see are not working for you only.

Your Questions

In our recent webinar, we asked you — our Bunny Pros — to get involved. Here are some of the questions we received from the Community and the answers we provided.

"Can You Add Music and Sound Effects to Demos and Samples?"

Juan replied that it isn't always easy to check the quality of recordings if there is music in the audio mix. As a result, music and sound effects might distract listeners from the finished recording and complicate the QC process. It's best, therefore, to upload a demo without any music.

Pros can add music and sound effects to their samples. However, Juan pointed out that you should embed any music in your audio mix properly. Prospective clients might find it difficult to judge the quality of your voice-over work if there's loud music in your sample. "For auditions, there's really no need for you to add music unless the client has asked for it," says Juan.  

"What Happens If I Submit a Demo and Meet All of VoiceBunny's Requirements, but I Have Not Been Selected for Any Jobs?" 

VoiceBunny uses a project invitation system, where algorithms determine which Pros are best suited for a job according to the information supplied on their profile, as well as other factors. The number of project invitations you receive depends on your availability, statistics, and rates. If you have not been selected for any jobs, try uploading new samples to attract more bookings or lower your rates and work at reducing the time it takes for you to submit a deliverable. 

"How Many Takes Should I Include in a Demo?" 

It's completely up to you. Angela says that multiple takes are a great way to showcase your different skills. There are a few requirements, however. When you record more than one take, make sure you separate each one in your audio file. The QC team should be able to identify each take, too. Regardless of how many takes you include in your demo, you shouldn't deviate from the audition script.

Most clients like receiving more than one take, and it could increase your chances of being successful. The QC team says it's a great way to show off your talent. "If you feel you can use a different tone of voice and feel comfortable sending more than one take, that's great," says Angela. "We will neither penalize you or reject your work."

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