A voice over brief template tells a voice actor, or an AI voice tool, exactly what to deliver: the project, the audience, the tone, where the audio will be used, for how long, and how to hand it over. Fill in the boxes below and copy a one-page brief in a few minutes.
Key Takeaways
- One page is enough: project, audience, tone, script, usage, deadline and delivery cover almost every question talent will ask.
- Usage is the field people forget: say where the audio runs, in which countries and for how long, before you ask for a price.
- Send an audition script: 75 to 100 words is about 30 to 40 seconds at 150 words per minute, long enough to hear range.
- An AI voice brief is shorter: you choose the voice, speed and emotion yourself, so the brief becomes a settings checklist.
- Put rights in writing: copyright usually starts with the creator, so transfers and licences belong in an agreement.
Build your voice casting brief in three steps
- Fill in the boxes below. Leave any you do not know yet. Nothing is sent or saved.
- Open the brief you need in "Your brief": for a voice actor, for an AI voice, or a short email version.
- Press Copy, paste it into an email or document, and print or save it as PDF with Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on a Mac).
Your brief
Choose the version you need. Highlighted text comes from your boxes above.
Voice casting brief for a voice actor
Send this with your script or audition script. It answers the questions most talent ask before they quote.
Full casting brief
From: [Your name or company] · Contact: [Contact]
1. The project
A [project type], about [finished length] long.
2. The voice
Language and accent: [language and accent]. Style: [voice style]. Please do not copy a famous voice.
3. The listener
[Who is listening].
4. Usage and rights
Where: [where it will be used]. Countries: [countries]. Period: [for how long]. Please quote the session fee and the usage fee separately, and tell me your terms for any extension.
5. Delivery
File: [file format], dry (no music or effects), one take per section with a short gap between sections. Deadline: [deadline]. Included revisions: [revisions].
6. Pronunciation
[Hard words to say].
7. Next step
Please send a short audition of the script below, your rate and your earliest start date.
Audition script for [Project name] 73 words · ≈ 29 s of 40 s
Brief for an AI voice
With an AI voice you pick the voice and settings yourself, so the brief is a short settings sheet. Keep it with the script so a teammate can recreate the same read.
AI voice settings sheet
Owner: [Your name or company] · Contact: [Contact]
Project: [project type], about [finished length]. Needed by [deadline].
Audience: [who is listening].
Language and accent: [language and accent]. Voice style to look for: [voice style].
Settings to record once chosen: voice name ____ · speed ____ · volume ____ · emotion preset ____.
Pronunciations to fix: [hard words to say].
Use: [where it will be used], [countries], [for how long].
Output file: [file format]. Check the plan allows commercial use before publishing.
Disclosure: add an "AI voice" label where the platform or law asks for one.
In Kveeky, the settings to record are the voice, speed, volume and one of six emotion presets (Neutral, Happy, Love, Angry, Calm and Sad). For labelling rules, use the AI voice disclosure generator.
Short email version
Use this when you are asking several talent or agents at once and want a quick yes or no.
Casting email
Hello,
I am looking for a [voice style] voice in [language and accent] for a [project type] aimed at [who is listening]. It will be used on [where it will be used] in [countries] for [for how long].
Could you send your rate (session and usage fees separately), your earliest start date and a short sample? I need [file format] files, with [revisions] of changes included.
Thank you,
[Your name or company] · [Contact]
Prefer to hear the voice before you brief anyone? Paste your script into Kveeky, preview voices in your accent, and set speed and emotion in seconds.
Try a voice freeWhat should a voice over brief include?
Every field in the builder answers a question that would otherwise cost you an email. Here is why each one matters.
| Field | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Project and length | Type of project and finished minutes | Sets the session length and, for people, the price |
| Language and accent | Language plus accent, such as British or American English | Narrows the casting pool at once |
| Voice style | Two or three words, such as “warm, calm” | Words are easier to match than adjectives like “professional” |
| Listener | Who hears it and where | A commuter, a new hire and a shopper need different reads |
| Usage | Media, countries and period of use | Drives the fee and avoids a dispute later |
| Delivery | File type, dry or with music, revisions, deadline | Prevents rework |
| Pronunciation | Names, brands, acronyms with a respelling | Saves a re-record |
| Audition script | 75 to 100 words from the real script | Shows range on your own words |
Short sentences beat a long essay. If you can name one voice you like (a style, not a famous person), add it as a reference.
How long should the audition script be?
Choose 75 to 100 words from the real script, and include a number, a date and a question. That is about 30 to 40 seconds at 150 words per minute, the average rate for US English speakers according to the National Center for Voice and Speech.
Check yours below. Paste the audition script and read the length, or enter the seconds you want to see your word budget.
For a whole project, use the full words to minutes calculator.
Usage, rights and money: what to settle before the session
Most casting disputes are about use, not performance. Settle these four points in writing before anyone records.
- Where it runs. Name the media: internal training, web, social, paid ads, broadcast.
- Which countries. One country, a region or worldwide.
- For how long. A fixed period, with a price or a method for extending it.
- Who owns the recording. Copyright protection starts automatically for the creator. In the US, "work made for hire" can apply to certain commissioned works, and ownership can otherwise move by contract, so say which you mean.
Rates differ by market and by contract, so ask for a session fee and a usage fee separately. For union rates and a human-versus-AI comparison, use the voiceover cost calculator. This page is not legal advice.
Before you send it: brief checklist
| Check | Done when |
|---|---|
| Project, length and deadline are stated | Talent can see the size of the job |
| Style is described in 2 to 3 plain words | No “make it pop” |
| Usage, countries and period are written down | A fee can be quoted for it |
| Delivery format and revisions are clear | No surprise requests later |
| Hard words have a respelling | Names and acronyms are covered |
| Audition script has numbers, a date and a question | Range and clarity are visible |
| Disclosure plan is set for any AI voice | Platform rules are checked |
How Kveeky helps when the voice is AI
Kveeky skips the casting call. You hear voices straight away, pick one, and keep the brief as your settings sheet.
Test your script in an AI voice free
Sign up in seconds. No credit card needed.
Writing the script too? Read how to write an AI voiceover script, or compare what a person costs in hiring a voice actor for 100 YouTube videos. To choose a tone, see AI voice tone by niche.
Frequently asked questions
What should a voice over brief include?
Include the project and length, language and accent, voice style, listener, usage (media, countries and period), delivery format, deadline, revisions, hard words and an audition script. One page is enough.
How long should a voice casting brief be?
One page. Talent skim, so use short labelled sections and put the script or an audition extract in an attachment rather than in the brief.
Do I need a different brief for an AI voice?
A shorter one. You choose the voice yourself, so record the voice name, speed, volume, emotion preset, pronunciations and where the audio will be used. Keep it with the script so anyone can repeat the read.
What is the difference between usage and a buyout?
Usage usually means a fee for specific media, countries and a set period. A buyout is commonly one fee that covers agreed uses with no further payment, so check exactly what it includes and ask for the terms in writing.
How many words should an audition script be?
About 75 to 100 words, which is 30 to 40 seconds at the average US speaking rate of 150 words per minute. Include a number, a date and a question to hear range.
Sources
- Average speaking rate of about 150 words per minute for US English: National Center for Voice and Speech, “Voice Qualities”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Copyright ownership, work made for hire and transfer by contract (US): U.S. Copyright Office, “What is copyright?”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Automatic copyright protection and permission to use (UK): GOV.UK, “Copyright”, retrieved 16 October 2026.
- Kveeky free plan, credits and plans: Kveeky pricing, retrieved 16 October 2026.