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This topic recently popped up on Such A Voice's Facebook page, and the person wanted to know whether or not she should be watermarking her auditions for sites such as Voices.com or Voice123.com

In the audio world, a watermark is another audio file that you place on top of the primary audio file, in this case your voice over, to prevent a dishonest client from using your voice-over work without actually paying you for it. An example of a watermark for a narration or commercial you audition for could be something as simple as a "ding!" sound that pops up every few seconds. As long as this "ding!" doesn't obscure the quality of your voice-over read or completely annoy the listener, the client wouldn't be able to use this recording for commercial purposes. If you are recording a longer voiceover, another common method is to over-lay the voice-over with, "This is just a demo by Jane Smith," every ten seconds or so.

Although it's a great idea to be on the look out and protect your voice over jobs, we don't recommend that you watermark all of your auditions. If you are working with a well-known client or a repeat client, there is a degree of respect and mutual trust that they won't use your work without paying you for it. You don't want to find yourself in the situation where you get passed up for a voice over gig because you offended the client by inserting an intrusive watermark.

After all of your voice-over training and hard work to become a professional voice actor, it's natural to want clients to treat you with the respect you deserve. However, make sure to maintain good working relationships with all your clients, and you should trust the people you're working with.

That being said, when should you watermark your voice-over work?

It depends on the interactions you have had with the client. The longer you work in the voice-over industry, the better you'll be able to tell how to handle these nuanced situations. Some instances in which you should at least consider watermarking your work include:

1. Working with an "unknown" client, such as one that posted an ad on Craigslist. (To be clear -- Craigslist is great for many reasons, but anyone can post a job for any reason and not be held accountable.) 2. Working with a new client you haven't heard of who wants you to read the entire script for the audition. 3. Working with an overseas client for the first time.

One good thing about the highly globalized world we live in today is that it's easy to network with voice-over artists all over the world. If a client treats you badly, you have the option to let the world know through social media. If someone is trying to scam you, it's also easy to get that information out there to protect future victims. (Ref., the Sleazy Sneeze Guy.)