Nina Nikolic | KidKerrigan

How to be an Available Actor: Best of Both Worlds

Finding and available actor is one of the most frustrating things producers have to deal with. As a working class actor and voice artist, I have to be flexible. I’m an independent freelancer. I source my own work, manage client relationships, and handle my own bookings… While timesharing myself with family in different cities.

I’m a bi-city gal! Spending half my physical time in Sydney, and half in Melbourne presents a couple of interesting challenges. I’ve engineered my lifestyle to allow quality time with both my parents (and dog) and my partner’s family. It makes up for every second I spend organizing (and reorganizing) my calendar.

So, how do I manage it?

Professional Studios in Both Cities

With fully-equipped professional remote recording studios in both Sydney and Melbourne, I’m always ready to deliver broadcast-quality audio for my clients. Having a setup ready to go in both cities means you’ll get the same great quality, no matter where I am when you book me!

Yes, I can hear you audio engineers crying. “But using different spaces for the same project would be inconsistent,” you say. That’s absolutely true! Working on audiobooks or video game scripts, for example, may warrant making sure I have access to the same space. I endeavour to secure that for the duration of the recording sessions.

Good thing I’m super proficient in Google Calendar, Notion Calendar and the typiest-A personality.

Fun Fact: Recently I managed to book a gig doing background for a shoot in Melbourne. It landed during the time I was scheduled to be in Sydney! The only thing to do was:
1. Jet to Sydney for the weekend
2. Jet back to Melbourne on a good-ol’ red-eye flight the day before the shoot
3. Jet back again the day after.
Even got a few voiceover scripts in the can before blitzing to the airport, or after getting back from set. Job done. Happy clients, agents and family means I’m happy too!

Remote Recording Capabilities

Need me to patch into your studio session? Easy! I regularly connect with clients through Source-Connect, SessionLinkPRO, or whatever platform works best for you. I’ve voiced national commercial campaigns, video games and even dubbed animations and films with global agencies from both locations. They’ve given incredible feedback that the audio is crisp and clear. Yummy!

Live directed sessions are my favourite! We typically manage to get through content with a little time to spare for a chat before signing off. Got to love a bit of face time!

I know what you’re thinking – “I’m based in London! There’s no way!” Take a peek at the flexible availability I offer in the booking options below.

When I’m in town (pick one!), I broadcast where I can to let you know. Same as live-directed remote sessions, an in-studio session is even better – also coffee catch-ups, please! If it turns out that you loved working with me before, but I’m out of town? I’m proud of my purpose-built booths. They’re made specifically to make my voice shine, and to fit a range of production needs and workflows.

Flexible Booking Options

Given the breadth of the types of productions I take on, being flexible with booking is important. It can take weeks or months to complete an audiobook from preparation to mastering, or as little as five minutes to lay down a quick on-hold message for a small business. To ensure I’m an available actor for my clients despite these wildly varying timelines, I offer:

• Rush delivery options for urgent projects – even if I’m pressed, I’ll typically help you out! However, if I’m not physically available (sick, on set for the day, or sleeping – contrary to popular belief I do this) I will do my best to recommend an absolute superstar from my pool of colleagues.
• Same-day recording services when possible (IVR, commercials, explainers, spec scripts, game or animation demos)
• Advance bookings (longer term projects like audiobooks, or multi-session recordings like video games, animated or audio drama series)
• Extended hours for live sessions – Being aware of my odd time-zone for most regions (East Coast USA, UK, Europe and Africa, I’m looking at you), extended hours are offered for live sessions to accommodate. Since sleep is required to provide the best performance, these sessions are typically booked at least 24-48 hours in advance. It’s imperative to ensure I’m able to shuffle my schedule around to accommodate. You won’t be charged extra for this. I personally don’t think it’s fair to my clients to pay for my time zone. My time, experience and equipment on the other hand…

All that said, it’s always super helpful and appreciated when clients offer to pay a deposit to confirm a booking in advance. After all, how can I keep my business afloat if I block out all my time just in case a client needs to use it? That doesn’t make me available for you at all! A deposit ensures that I’m able to be committed to your project.

Common Client Questions

• How quickly can you deliver a recording?
  • Since it depends on the scope of the project, check out the Flexible Booking Options for an overview! With all my recording gear in both home bases, I can often handle same-day recordings for urgent projects. For standard projects, you’re usually looking at 24–48 hours.
• What is the quickest way to reach you?
  • Email (nina@voicesofnina.com) will always always reach me first.
  • My phone (listed at the top of this page!) is typically on do not disturb mode when I’m working; if you leave a voicemail, I’ll ring back as soon as I’m done!
• What if you’re in a different city when we need you?
  • No worries! I’ll hop into my own remote studio, or the nearest recording facility (either Sydney or Melbourne) and patch into your session. Need me in person? I regularly travel between cities and can schedule that too, with a bit of notice.
• Have you worked with remote clients before?
  • Heaps! In fact most of my clients have been remote, and I don’t see that changing despite a couple requesting in-studio visits recently.

This Actor is Available for You

I absolutely love meeting new talented creatives and checking out different studios. Whether you’re in Sydney, Melbourne, or anywhere else in the world, let’s chat!

When I left the games industry, I aimed to spend as much time with family as possible. It’s such a thrill that my freelance journey as an actor, voice artist and creator has afforded me that freedom. All I want is a modest little life with my loved ones. I make my situation work for me – and you!