What is SaVoa?

In the last several weeks, I’ve helped organize a peer-based accreditation program by voice over artists for voice over artists. We formed a not-for-profit organization, SaVoa Incorporated, which is dedicated to:

  • Enhancing the voice over industry,
  • Raising public awareness about the profession, and
  • Supporting education for voice overs.

Through accreditation, SaVoa wants to recognize those voice over talents who have achieved a level of competence in the voice and technical skills needed to provide professional voice over in today’s market. We also hope, through the program, to promote a sense of community, honor ethical business practices and facilitate access to products and services that interest voice over professionals.

SaVoa uses all its members, accredited voice over artists, in its peer review process, which evaluates new applicants seeking accreditation and membership in SaVoa. This is a first step: to show the hiring public that professional voice overs value skill, competence and professionalism in their own industry. Details about SaVoa’s accreditation program are published at SaVoa.org.

What is accreditation?

Strictly speaking, accreditation is recognition of a level of professional competence; it distinguishes an individual or entity as being creditable and reputable.

Few industries burst onto the scene with glowing reputations for skill, competence or professionalism. In general, this kind of reputation must be cultivated. The film industry, music industry, medical and legal professions, for example, all realized some time ago that, when an industry collectively cultivates a reputation of professionalism, that reputation passes on to members of the industry. These members gain a leg up in establishing their own reputations through their associations with the industry as a whole.

The film and music industries achieve this primarily through self-recognition in the form of publicity-generating awards programs: Oscars, BAFTA Film, Golden Palm, Grammy, CMA Award, and so forth. The medical and legal professions do this primarily through licensing, certification and accreditation. In fact, no doctors or lawyers today would attempt to build their reputations without lauding their various associations, certifications, accreditations, and of course required licensing, with countless professional organizations, institutions and regulatory entities.

What is a voice over?

Unfortunately, voice overs barely have an identity, let alone a reputation. How many of us have had to stop and explain what we do to a family member, friend or stranger we encounter? Despite the fact that few individuals around the world never hear a voiceover, fewer still recognize the term or can define it. In English-speaking societies, voice professionals have a further identity crisis since the advent of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for mass consumption — which competes with us for Internet attention.

Even when the profession can be easily defined, it’s still not recognized. In its nearly 80-year history, the Academy Awards has yet to establish a category for voice overs in film, despite the ever-expanding popularity of animation and CGI and the otherwise notable work of countless voice actors. This is particularly ironic since the term voice over originally came to us through the film industry. (It was the term used to designate the off-camera voice heard over the onscreen action).

No accreditation automatically leads to accolades. But enhancing the voice over profession by raising public awareness, as well as recognizing professionalism and competence among voice overs is something better accomplished through a cohesive group. Certainly, to benefit the profession as a whole, each of us must manage ourselves and our businesses as professionally and skillfully as we can. But one voice can’t raise the level of awareness as effectively as all of us working together as a community and an industry.

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