All You Need to Know: The Development of Voice-Over Industry in Indonesia

The use of voice-over in Indonesia is experiencing a surge in popularity, with more people making content such as Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok videos choosing to add voice-over narration instead of just plain text with a soundtrack. This practice goes beyond just a trend; voice-over can add a personal touch of the creator, support the storytelling elements of the video, as well as make the video more engaging and immersive for the audience.

Since when did voice-over start gaining recognition in Indonesia and become known to people? And what has contributed to its increasing popularity nowadays? How does the government perceive this voice-over industry, and what actions are being undertaken to promote its growth? Let's delve deeper to discover the details!

A Glimpse of Voice-Over's Journey in Indonesia

The acknowledgment of voice-over in Indonesia began gaining recognition in the 1990s, particularly within the radio and television industries. These industries sought voice-over artists or talents who could not only articulate effectively but also possess distinctive character and attentive intonation.

During its peak development, one of the renowned voice-over talents of that era was Nurhasanah Iskandar (May 20, 1958–July 12, 2020). She is known as the voice behind the animated character Doraemon from 1993 until January 2018. Another notable voice-over talent is Ony Syahrial, the voice actor for the main character Shin-chan in the anime Crayon Shin-chan. With his voice, he successfully portrayed Shin-chan’s silly character.

Voice-Over in Industries and Digital Age

Besides being closely associated with the radio and television industries, the role of voice-over is also connected to various other industries, including advertising and marketing, animation and entertainment, e-learning and education, gaming, and many more. Voice-over is considered an essential component in building the branding of these industries.

In this digital age, the voice-over industry in Indonesia seems to be gaining increasing popularity. Several factors contribute to this trend: a growing number of voice-over communities, famous voice-over talents creating content that showcases their works educate aspiring artists, and even government involvement in this industry development. With the rise of social media and advancements in smartphone technology, pursuing a career as a voice-over talent no longer requires a significant investment.

The Government Involvement in Fostering Voice-Over Industry in Indonesia

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif Republik Indonesia/Kemenparekraf) held the Voice-Over Indonesia Academy program in July 2022. This program was led by professional mentors in the field of voice-over and voice acting. More than 300 people applied to this program, and 20 were selected to participate in the training.

Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, also announced that the Voice-Over Indonesia Academy will be held again as a form of support to develop the voice-over industry and the digital economy in Indonesia's New Capital (IKN).

Furthermore, in 2023, Kemenparekraf introduced the Wonder Voice of Indonesia program aimed at nurturing voice-over talents. The program consists of several stages: the Wonder Voice-Over Challenge, where participants are tasked with providing voice-overs for videos featuring Indonesia's Super Priority Destinations. This stage attracted 1,280 participants. Following this, the top 30 participants were chosen to advance their skills in Wonder Voice From Home, an online course focusing on fundamental voice-over skills. From there, the top ten were selected to attend the program's pinnacle event, Voice Over Camp. This program is a collaboration between the Ministry and private organizations like the Voice Institute Indonesia and Radio Sonora.

Read also: Voice Over Localization, How It Plays a Big Part in Brand

Names of Indonesian Voice Legends

1. Tisa Julianti

Tisa Julianti is an Indonesian voice-over talent known for voicing eight characters. She began her career in voice-over in 1993 at the age of 8. She is the person behind numerous characters in films and animations, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Rosalinda, Hamtaro, and One Piece.

Her voice talent extends beyond films and animations, as her voice can also be heard in commercials. At first, voice-over was just a hobby for her, but as she pursued it further, she discovered her passion for it and saw the potential for voice-over to become a lucrative profession.

2. Anita Martha

Known by the nickname "Nonet," Anita Martha has been immersed in the world of voice-over since 1995. Initially, she pursued a career as a radio announcer at various radio stations until 2012. Alongside her radio career, she also ventured into voice-over work, making her debut in an infotainment program. Subsequently, her career as a voice-over talent expanded, with her voice being heard in various television programs.

3. Antonius “Bimoky” Bimo Kusumo Yudo

Known affectionately as Bimoky, Bimo has been involved in the world of voice acting since 1995, although he admits he only started to gain recognition in 2020 during the pandemic. Before becoming known as a voice-over talent, he started his career as a dubber, providing character voices for Disney Channel and cartoons. Nowadays, his voice is featured in various popular television advertisements. He enjoys creating educational content and sharing tips for voice-over enthusiasts on his Instagram account.

4. Leyla Aderina Putri

Leyla Aderina previously worked as a radio announcer before delving into the voice-over industry. She actively creates voice-over content on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, including content mimicking the voice of a Spotify advertisement which then went viral. In addition to being a voice-over talent, she also works as a dubber, providing Indonesian dubbing for the Korean drama "The World of The Married."

Voice-Over Communities in Indonesia

Communities indeed serve as the best place to learn and find partners in the field we want to pursue. Voice Institute Indonesia is one of the voice-over communities for enthusiasts, with its community spread across Surabaya and Bali. The community offers various programs and challenges to hone our voice skills with professional mentors.

Conclusion

It is interesting to witness the growth of the voice-over industry in Indonesia over the years. What was once just a hobby has become an engaging, enjoyable, and promising profession. The government's role in supporting the voice-over industry highlights the acknowledgment that voice-over is more than just a voice; it is an indispensable aspect of effective branding. Moreover, the rapid advancement of technology has also made it easier for us to learn more about voice-over; with just a smartphone and access to an abundance of educational voice-over videos on the internet, we can already start. So, are you interested in becoming one?