FAQ

Having lived and worked in four countries, international narration is my specialty. I record in Dutch (native speaker), English and in German. I’m frequently hired to voice challenging multilingual projects because I strive for authentic pronunciation. A few examples:

The Alaska Native Heritage Center hired me to record a German audio tour loaded with words in the different native languages of that region. The audiobook I recorded about the city of Bratislava contained Russian, Polish, Slovak, Yiddish, German, Rumanian, Italian and French.

My most in-demand accent is neutral English.

Most definitely. As a former newsreader and anchor for Dutch national and international radio, I set the standard for what is now called “Standaardnederlands” (standard Dutch). This is the national norm for accent-free Dutch, similar to RP in the UK or ABE in the USA.

Friends and colleagues from Holland are often surprised that my Dutch pronunciation hasn’t changed much since I left The Netherlands. I use this to my advantage since I’m one of the very few native Dutch voice-over talents based in North-America. I also visit the Netherlands as frequently as I can, to make sure my Dutch is still current.

Lastly, I am known for my video series on social media where I “pronounce Dutch words and names like a Dutchman,” helping those who are learning to speak Dutch. This series has millions of views from all over the world.

Please note that some Flemish talents will advertise themselves as Dutch speakers. Dutch and Flemish are as different from one another as American and British English.

As of 2024, I have stopped recording voice overs full time. After a stroke, my vocal folds have weakened and I get hoarse pretty quickly. While I will still take on interesting VO projects, my turnaround time depends on your project, my workload, and -above all- my health. Because of that, I ask you to be patient and give me plenty of time to complete your project. Thank you for your understanding!

Once you send me a sample of your script I’ll gladly record a demo for you at no cost. Remember: the more specific you are about what you’re hoping to hear, the easier it is for me to give you the read you need. If you leave me with vague or no instructions, I will go by what I think sounds right, and you may or may not be happy with the result. Remember: it’s hard to hit the bullseye when you’re throwing darts in the dark!

Some voice-over professionals watermark all demos to protect their recordings. I prefer to make small changes to the text to make sure it cannot be used commercially. Quite a few colleagues were stiffed by clients who used their demos as the final version, and were never paid for their work. Voice actors are independent contractors that have to protect their livelihood and reputation.

Yes, I do. All of my work is recorded in my private soundproof voice-over studio in quiet, northern Vermont. You’ll never have to worry about hiss, echoes, rumble, or other background noises amateur narrators are notorious for.

Since I’ve scaled down my day to day voice over operation, I now use an sE Electronics Neom microphone for all my recordings. I connect to the Internet using a high-speed Ethernet connection.

Absolutely. Editing audio is time-consuming and requires a different kind of expertise. On average, it may take at least two to three hours of editing to produce one hour of finished audio… if you’re an experience sound engineer.

I can send you clean, ready-to-use audio files in most formats. This saves my clients time and money.

I used to have agents on the East and West Coast of the United States, as well as in Europe. Since I have scaled down my business and no longer chase new clients, I represent myself. So, no middle men or women!

No. I am a non-union voice-over talent.

I have clients on five continents: Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses, non-profits and governmental institutions. Click here for a long list.

NO! I do not hire or represent talent.

I prefer Wise (formerly TransferWise) or PayPal  for international payments, and I accept checks drawn on U.S. bank since I’m based in the USA.

Great question! I’m the author of Making Money In Your PJ’s, Freelancing for Voice-Overs and Other Solopreneurs.

My blog is packed with practical information for beginners and seasoned pros alike. Use the search function to find the topic you’re interested in.

As I am writing this (March 2026), the voice over industry is in turmoil. Established (and expensive) talent is replaced by new and cheap voices who will always do more for less. And if these new voices are still too costly, clients are turning to AI-generated voices that sound more and more realistic as technology evolves. And the public doesn’t seem to care.

Voice over work that does not require acting skills (people emoting) is already recorded with the help of sophisticated text-to-speech software that never sleeps or needs a break. This type of work (such as corporate narration and non-fiction audiobooks) is often what used to keep talent financially afloat.

Speaking of money, over the past twenty years, rates have gone down steadily and they’re not going up any day soon because the market is saturated with talent and cheapskate clients.

In general, the voice overs that makes the most are A-list actors who record voice overs on the side for companies such as Pixar or Disney. So, the best road to voice over success is to become an A-list actor first, or at least hone your acting and improv skills.

Do not fall for VO coaches promising to turn you into a pro in a matter of weeks. Do not spend thousands of dollars on recording equipment or demos unless you know for sure that you are that unique talent the whole world has been waiting for. But let’s be honest: voice overs are invisible, and what you can’t see does not exist in people’s reality.

Do not contact VO agents unless you have a proven track record of making serious money they can siphon their 20% off of. Agents may give you a few leads, but it is you that has to book and do the work. Agents cannot make a career.

Don’t waste your money on online voice over matchmaking sites like voices dot com (otherwise known as Pay to Plays). You’ll be fighting over the same stupid and little paying jobs with hundreds if not thousands of your direct competitors. The only party making any money is the Pay to Play.

I’m not telling you this to scare you, but to prepare you.

I’ve been making money with my voice for over forty years, and I’m not optimistic about the future. Many are called and very few are chosen. And when you’re not chosen, you’ll never hear why or what you could have done differently to win the audition.

Doing the work is (relatively) easy. Finding the work is not. But if this is what you really, really want, I wish you luck.

You’re going to need it!