More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A voice-over company which records for brands such as Google and Amazon has grown during lockdown.
Voice Talent Online invested in new, bigger Gravesend premises last March, just as the country was told to go into lockdown.
Yet against the uncertainty of the pandemic, the studio was still able to grow.
The company saw an increase in demand for a variety of online voice-overs, many linked to the pandemic.
There was an influx of multi-language voice-overs requested by pharmaceutical, particularly vaccine, companies, and an obvious surge by businesses for announcements reminding people to socially distance.
The company also recorded telephone messages to book Covid-19 tests.
Chief executive Simon Luckhurst said: "If you’d told me a year ago that we would be growing during this difficult time, I’d have liked to believe you but I probably wouldn’t have.
“But by implementing new, Covid-secure ways to work, we were actually able to bring in more business than last year.
"We have grown year on year, recorded hundreds more minutes of finished audio and added a full-time staff member, taking our total current number of staff to 12.
"And we’re currently recruiting for two new positions on the production team.”
While most recording artists were already recording in home studios by 2020, Voice Talent Online also ensured that those voice-over artists and crew visiting the studio were being kept safe by installing Perspex screens, sanitation stations, a ventilation system and clear visitor guidelines.
Simon added: "To make sure recording artists feel comfortable coming into our studio, we e-mail them beforehand explaining all the measures we have taken.
"This way we can ensure that everyone feels relaxed and ready to deliver their best performance.”
Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman, who runs a dance school in Dartford with his wife and lives in Ightham, was one of those to record at Voice Talent Online last year.
They welcomed the 76-year-old TV star with a Covid-secure studio close to home. What he was recording has not been revealed.
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