Darcey Rhoads
Everyone's favorite grumpy sunshine
Actor | Narrator| Audiobook Prepper
Los Angeles, CA
Audiobook Preparation
Finding yourself with too much to do and too little time to do proper preparation for your narration projects? First of all - not a bad place to be and secondly - I've got you covered!
Basic ($35+ PFH*)
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​Chapter summaries that include a color-coordinated list of each character
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Creating character profiles that also note vocal descriptions provided in the text
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Providing pronunciations and definitions of unusual words, names, places, etc.
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Basic research for non-fiction projects**
Deluxe ($45+ per physical hour)
Basic services included plus:
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A list of sentences or sections that require an accent to help make character development easier
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Highlighting character dialogue by color so you can keep your character voices straight
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Reference photos to help you cast characters, set the mood of your project, spark your imagination, and give clarity as to what you're referring to if you aren't entirely sure in the case of some non-fiction topics (it happens to all of us at some point.)
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Voice clips to help you cast characters
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A music playlist to listen to before recording to help get you into the right headspace for each chapter
Curious to see what it looks like? Check out some samples below:
What my clients say:
"My craft is better with the support of the insight and information provided by Darcey’s prep work. Her work is well organized, easy to navigate, always on time, reliable, and consistent. More importantly, though, having her prep by my side as I navigate a project is like having a really supportive and knowledgeable friend in the booth who wants me to do my best work."
- Lance West
"Narrating without Darcey’s prep is like stepping out into a cold winter day without shoes on; it just feels wrong."
-Caleb Summers
"Darcey Rhoads is a fellow actor and narrator, which is why, I think, she is so great at organizing and finding the details most relevant to narrating audiobooks. She's also really integrous, hard-working, and gives 110%. She's also fast! She was once a librarian and knows her way around books! She helped me be prepped for a multicast book where I was the first to record, despite being the last one hired, with the smallest prep window while I was still wrapping up a full-length book. And she also pulled double-duty for me harvesting a bunch of Names for a nonfiction book straightaway so I could ask for pronunciations from the publisher before she turned around and did chapter summaries for me. There were so many names... it took the author three separate recordings to confirm them all for me. Darcey was able to help me prioritize details while accounting for the time it took to get the answers to questions. Which was extra helpful, as I was booked on a TV show and hadn't the time to even read the book before I was slotted to begin recording. Her prep made me feel like I had already read the whole book and the recording went smoothly. She also took over prepping a job for me when I had a scheduling issue come up and she found things I'd missed. Her attention to detail is A+ and she can do as much or as little as is requested. Although I'd say she always gives a little extra, cuz she genuinely cares her clients are empowered to do their best.
Anyhow, I'd like more fellow audiobook colleagues to benefit from working with Darcey She's fantastic, professional, and she cares." -Nicky Endres
"Darcey is a lifesaver. She not only slotted me into her schedule last minute, but used my notes and colour scheme from the first book to outline the second book for me. Her chapter analysis and character descriptions were so detailed I was immediately set at ease and was able to record without missing a beat. I cannot recommend Darcey highly enough!"
-E.J. Lavery
If you need a service not already covered here, hit me up on the contact sheet below, and let's chat! I also, subject to availability, offer rush services. Please contact me to inquire about them.
**Nonfiction, due to the physical hours often required for research is $40 PFH minimum and may slide up if intensive foreign language or other research is required.
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