Co-Narration Standards in the Audiobook Industry
Strong narrator relationships are not only a cornerstone of our artistry, but also how we ensure productive and safe relationships that make audiobook narration sustainable.
As a coalition of experienced performers, the Professional Audiobook Narrators Association believes that narrators can expect certain standards of collaboration from their co-narrators.
These standards include:
- Professional Communication
- There is a mutual agreement that narrators are not our characters or projects. Narrating content that is romantic or sexually explicit does not automatically provide consent to engage in sexualized conversations with co-narrators.
- Producer or Rights Holder Involvement is Standard
- Including a producer or rights holder in communications between co-narrators is standard.
- Narrator-producers have a responsibility to effectively communicate with co-narrators, collaborate on preparation, and establish (then meet) deadlines.
- Proactive Decision Making
- Decisions on audiobook production should be made with co-narrators simultaneously before recording is scheduled to begin.
- If a narrator does not communicate or makes pronunciation or performance mistakes, it will be their responsibility and not their co-narrator’s to record pickups.
- Scheduling, Preparation, and Character Voice Collaboration
- All narrators should arrive on a project assuming that preparation, character voices, and recording schedules will be discussed with co-narrators as close to booking as possible to prepare all parties.
- A shared folder should be created to exchange relevant character samples and documents related to production of the audiobook.
Our craft and our industry are stronger when we set and meet standards of professionalism as a community. Professionalism includes standard procedure, safety, and communication. These are the foundations that will help audiobook narrators thrive.
Hear from PANA Board Member André Santana on the how to use these standards: