What Is Voiceover?
Voiceover is the recorded narration of a script by a professional voice actor, used in commercials, documentaries, explainers, audiobooks, and brand films. It is the voice selling you the truck, walking you through the software, and keeping you company on the long drive. Good voiceover is the reason you believe any of it.
The five main kinds of voiceover
Every format asks the voice for something different. Here is the whole landscape in one table.
| Format | Typical length | Where it plays | What the voice does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | 15, 30, and 60 seconds | TV, radio, streaming, pre-roll, social | Sells. Conviction in a short window, and a hook that lands in the first three words. |
| Narration | 1 to 5 minutes | Corporate videos, training, e-learning, product tours | Explains. Clear and steady, keeping complex ideas moving without ever sounding bored. |
| Explainer | 60 to 120 seconds | Websites, apps, SaaS onboarding, campaign videos | Clarifies. Conversational and friendly, making the abstract feel obvious. |
| Documentary | 3 to 90 minutes | Films, series, mission shorts, museum installs | Guides. Authority with restraint, leaving room for the pictures to talk. |
| Audiobook | 5 to 15 hours | Audible, Spotify, Apple Books, retail | Sustains. Consistency and character across hours, where one wrong note breaks the spell. |
Hear the difference
Reading about a documentary read is like reading about bourbon. At some point you have to taste it. The demo library covers commercial, narration, explainer, and documentary, and the brand anthem page handles the flagship stuff.
Need a voice for one of these?
Send the script and the format. You will get a custom audition and a quote, usually the same day.
Get a quote