Latest news with #voiceover
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Jobs where you can earn up to £104k for just one day a week with no qualifications
FORGET the daily grind – a new trend of "micro-jobs" could see you rake in up to £104,000 a year for just one day of work a week. We reveal the roles where you can do minimal work and still earn a good living - and there's no need to fork out for a degree. 2 2 The average annual salary is £37,430, according to the Office for National Statistics. That's based on working 38 hours a week, 46 weeks a year. But the highest paying micro-job that requires no qualifications would pay £104,000 a year based on working just one day a week - a stonking £66,570 more. Job platform Adzuna has crunched the data to see which micro-jobs which require no qualifications pay the most. See the full list of roles here, based on advertised salaries from June 2025. Top-paying jobs for fewer days at work First on the list are voice over artists. They use their voice for adverts, films, audiobooks, and animations, helping to tell stories, deliver messages, or bring characters to life. You could earn up to £2,000 for just 15 minutes of work a week. So if you land a 15-minute job every week for a year, you could make up to £104,000. I earn up to £2,000 for just 15 minutes of work JAMES Bartlett is living proof that you don't need a string of degrees to land an enviable career. James, 37, from Birmingham, left his A-levels unfinished to chase an acting dream, landing a BBC role in "Afternoon Plays". Now, he's a master of many lucrative trades, but it's his work as a voice artist that offers a truly astonishing income for minimal hours. Some projects he works on pay £1,000 to £2,000, or even more, for just a few minutes of recording. Before the pandemic hit, James was already dabbling in voiceover work. When the TV and creative industries shut down, he saw an opportunity. Armed with a basic USB microphone, he transformed his home into a recording studio. He now voices everything from intense crime dramas like "Line of Duty", where he records lines for scenes filmed in Ireland, to TV and radio adverts and corporate explainers. He also records e-learning content, and even the familiar voices you hear on telephone hold menus and in-store announcements for supermarkets like Asda and Tesco. While the pay varies, the basic studio fee is typically £200 to £300 per hour. But the real money comes from "usage fees". If your voice is used in a major TV campaign, for instance, you can receive a loyalty payment – a significant sum for just a couple of minutes of your time. From a business perspective, voice acting offers incredible advantages. "The outgoings are incredibly low," James said. "Once you have your mic and kit, your voice is your tool – and it's free. It's not like a plumber who has to go buy other bits." If you're eager to start a career as a voiceover artist, James suggests checking out Gravy for the Brain's online training courses. Next on the list are domestic gas engineers, earning an impressive £960 a week for working just one day a week - or £50,000 a year. These aren't your average DIY enthusiasts - they're skilled professionals installing and repairing gas systems. You don't need a university degree to become a domestic gas engineer in the UK. Instead, you can train through a paid apprenticeship or a fast-track course at a private training centre. The high salary makes sense when you consider the specialised training, certifications, and vital safety regulations involved in working with gas. Many gas engineers are self-employed, giving them the freedom to choose their working hours. Meanwhile, delivery drivers can earn between £240 and £272 a day, depending on the job's demands. You don't need qualifications, but you'll need a driving licence. HGV Class 1 drivers typically make £22.69 an hour, earning £272 for a 12-hour shift or £14,160 a year if they work one shift a week. Regular lorry drivers, earning £20 an hour, would make £240 per 12-hour shift or £12,480 a year for the same schedule. To become a lorry driver in the UK, you need to be 18 or older and have a full car driving licence. You'll take a medical exam, get a provisional HGV licence, and pass the Driver CPC test, which includes theory, case studies, and practical tests. To stay qualified, you must complete 35 hours of training every five years. What is the national minimum wage? AT the moment, there are two different minimum rates all workers are supposed to get across the UK - the national minimum wage (NMW) and the national living wage (NLW). The NMW is the minimum hourly rate for workers who have finished school. For those under 18 and apprentices, the rate is at least £7.55 an hour. Workers aged 18 to 20 must earn a minimum of £10 an hour. The NLW applies to workers aged 21 and over and is slightly higher. At present, everyone over the age of 21 must be paid at least £12.21 an hour. You are eligible to receive the applicable minimum rate if you work full-time, part-time or as a casual labourer. Those who are self-employed, voluntary workers, company directors, and family members who live in the home of the employer and do household chores do not qualify for the minimum wage. Other flexible jobs paying more than the minimum wage There are other jobs which don't require you to have any qualifications - but they don't pay as much. Some baristas can earn £16.02 an hour, especially in busy, high-end coffee shops where great service and speed matter. Waiters in fancy restaurants can also make £16 an hour, with good service often leading to big tips. Working 12 hours a week at this rate could earn you £192 a week or nearly £10,000 a year, excluding tips. If you wanted to work five days a week, the pay would be £49,920 a year. Meanwhile, skilled roles like telescopic forklift drivers earn £15.50 an hour. These forklifts have an extendable telescopic boom that allows them to lift and move heavy loads to higher or hard-to-reach places, making them ideal for construction, agriculture, and warehouse work. Their pay reflects the training required, the hazards of the job, and necessary safety certifications. Drivers typically need training and certification to use these machines safely and efficiently. Working one 12-hour shift a week for a year would earn you £9,672. If you worked five 12-hour shifts a week, you'd make £48,360 a year. Plus, groundskeepers earn £14.61 an hour, maintaining large outdoor spaces with specialised equipment and a solid understanding of horticulture. One day a week for a year would be £9,116.64, but if you wanted to work five days a week, you'd earn £45,583 a year. In the cleaning sector, end-of-tenancy cleaners can earn £14 an hour. This involves thorough and meticulous cleaning for property handovers, often requiring specialised tools and high standards of work. One day a week for a year would be £8,736, but for five days a week, you'd earn £43,680 a year. Casual kitchen porters also earn £14 an hour, handling washing and basic food prep in fast-paced kitchens, making it an appealing option for flexible work. That's £8,736 for a year, or £43,680 for five days a week. Home care aides earn £13.95 an hour, providing essential personal care and support, often with irregular hours and significant responsibility for a client's well-being. For one day a week for a year, you'd earn £8,704.8, but £43,524 for five days a year. If you're looking into micro-jobs, James Neave suggests checking things like your employment rights, the type of contract, and tax rules. These jobs are often part-time, zero-hour, or freelance. James said: "With zero-hour contracts, your employer doesn't have to give you work, and you don't have to accept it if they do. "It's all about finding what works best for your skills and lifestyle." What are my rights if I'm on a zero hour contract? WORKERS on a zero hour contract only get paid for the hours they work. Regardless of this you should be getting paid the right amount for the work you do. The national minimum wage is the lowest legal pay rate for UK workers, and what you get depends on how old you are. People working on zero hours contracts are still entitled to breaks, which kick after a certain amount of time under the working time regulations. These say that workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day, if they work more than six hours a day. This can be a tea or lunch break. But the break doesn't have to be paid - it depends on the employment contract. Workers also have the right to 11 hours' rest between working days. Workers on zero hours contracts can also accumulate holiday depending on how many hours they work just as people on open contracts do. If you're unwell, your employer is legally obliged to pay you £118.75 per week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you're too ill to work, paid for up to 28 weeks. This is available as long as you have earned £125 per week (before tax) working for them in the previous eight weeks.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Voice actors can pursue some claims over AI voiceovers, US court says
July 10 (Reuters) - A federal judge in New York ruled on Thursday that a pair of voice actors can move ahead with a lawsuit accusing AI voiceover startup Lovo of violating their rights by using their voices in its technology without permission. U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken dismissed, opens new tab most of the federal copyright and trademark law claims in the lawsuit but denied Lovo's bid to dismiss claims that it violated the actors' publicity rights. Oetken also permitted the actors to amend their claim that Lovo's AI training infringed their copyrights. The case is part of a wave of lawsuits in which tech companies have been accused of misusing content including books, news articles and song lyrics to train generative AI systems. The actors' attorney, Steve Cohen of Pollock Cohen, called the decision a "spectacular victory" and said he was "confident that a jury will come to the same conclusions as Judge Oetken and hold big tech accountable." Spokespeople and attorneys for Lovo did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision. Plaintiffs Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage said in the proposed class action filed last year that they were approached on freelancer marketplace Fiverr to provide voiceover work for anonymous clients. Lehrman was allegedly told his voice would be used only for a "research project," while Sage was told her voice would be used only with "test scripts for radio ads." The actors said they later learned Lovo sold the use of Lehrman's voice to subscribers as "Kyle Snow" and Sage's as "Sally Coleman." According to the complaint, the company responded to a cease-and-desist letter by claiming that the actors' voices were "not popular" and that their sales were "negligible." Lovo asked the court in January to dismiss the case. "Plaintiffs continue to try to tell a tale filled with pathos and the woes of artificial intelligence," the company said in a court filing. "However, their story and concern do not relate to Lovo's interactions with named Plaintiffs and fails to state an actionable claim." Oetken concluded the actors were not entitled to trademark protection for their voices and that Lovo's "imperfect mimicry" of them did not infringe their copyrights. The judge, however, said the actors could file an updated complaint alleging Lovo's use of their voice recordings for AI training violated their copyrights. He also said the actors could advance their claim that Lovo violated their commercial rights in their voices under New York law. The case is Lehrman v. Lovo Inc, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 1:24-cv-03770. For the voice actors: Steve Cohen of Pollock Cohen For Lovo: David Case and Michael Lazaroff of Rimon Law Read more: AI voiceover company stole voices of actors, New York lawsuit claims
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I had one good idea and turned it into a £3m voiceover and talent success'
When Marylou Thistleton-Smith started her audio production company in Manchester from the basement of her house more than 20 years ago, the former TV associate producer was the only employee for the first 18 months. She was a tea girl, engineer and even an accountant named Rebecca Temple, who would send assertive emails to clients that hadn't paid their bills. Thistleton-Smith says she founded her business 'on a wing and a prayer and recommendation', an admission which has held her in good stead since setting up The Voiceover Gallery (TVG) in 2004. Her company has since evolved to a second office in London, working on major video games, series, ads and creative projects, mainly in the corporate sector. Employing nearly 20 staff, it specialises in voiceover, localisation, dubbing and sound services. Thistleton-Smith is anticipating turnover in 2025 of around £3 million. Read More: The Briton who invented Alexa is now helping to make AI trustworthy 'From the very outset, it was a personality-driven business,' she admits. 'Reading all our Google reviews, it's clear that even now that's why we're popular. Good quality audio is easy to come by but enjoying the people you're working with and feeling like you're in a safe pair of hands with people that actually genuinely care, that's not very common. 'My ethos was, even if it's a wrong number, I want the person who's contacted us to feel like they enjoyed the conversation. That's always been how I've trained everybody.' Having moved to Manchester 'for romantic reasons' and then finding television work at BBC and ITV, she soon recognised that a long career wouldn't take shape. 'All the other women in the TV industry were older than me. Higher up the rank, we were all single and I just didn't want to end up like that.' She sold her London flat and was left with £100,000 profit, which enabled her to invest into her startup and conceive a business plan for a commission-based voiceover agency with studios to facilitate recordings. Thistleton-Smith recalls having a long chat with late TV presenter Keith Chegwin about microphones and then purchased equipment on his recommendations. She damp-proofed her basement and, by luck, found out her neighbour was a sound engineer who could help set up her makeshift studio. 'I didn't know what I was doing and hadn't researched the market,' she says. The nascent business was given a lift after partnering with a London-based foreign language agency she later bought out. The tie-up also meant a new offering for the northern client base. Read More: Meet Britain's 'king of billboards' who sold his business for £1bn TVG moved into London premises offering low rents after COVID and employed a head of audio, Joe Lewis. Thistleton-Smith says Lewis has been instrumental in developing the business and making the firm a viable audio production company. It has allowed her to focus on other aspects of the business such as the AI conundrum, which Thistleton-Smith says has, for now, dissipated after a panic-filled two years. 'Everybody that's used it through us has realised it's not good enough and so suddenly the conversation has just stopped,' she says. 'It's going to have to pack a much bigger punch next time for it to be valid. 'In terms of wider conversations, the production of series and films is way down to an all-time low. That does affect part of our business, but we've always been protected by a massive range of clients that come from a range of industries. 'We've weathered two recessions and COVID because all of our clients need us to facilitate their clients. So they're fighting to get the contracts and they need us to fulfil those.' In 2022, Thistleton-Smith cast a nine-year-old male autistic actor in a Thomas & Friends show. This heralded the launch of TVG Kids, spotlighting young talent aged five to 16 with an inclusive approach. After spending time with the actor's mother, she realised her own son was autistic. 'It was a massive eye-opener for me,' she says. Read More: The boss who has found 'nature's answer to plastic' The children's arm allows the business to protect itself from AI. 'How do we fight it? By using voices that AI simply cannot mimic,' she says. Her hands-on approach has also seen her return to the creative side of the voiceover industry. 'You start a business because you're passionate about what the business does, and then you end up just doing all the stuff that you were never trained to do,' she adds. 'I was a TV director producer and now I'm essentially head of HR, head of finance and business. 'But I sometimes look back and can't believe I've been on this journey and where it's ended up. I literally had one good idea.' Not sitting still We're 10% growth year-on-year, which is extraordinary given how many people in our space are going to struggle. Leadership team meetings ask if we can just react and not always be worrying. I say their job is to celebrate good news. My job is to make sure that we don't stop and where we need to keep pushing and evolving. You can't afford to stand still. Being a founder There are so many things I could tell a small business owner now that are very easy to implement early on and what I would have benefited from. Like understanding profit margins and how important the percentage of gross profit is. No exclusivity We don't have exclusive representation because it's from the dark ages. The voices can come and go and do what they like. They can work for other people. We just have a database of talent. Read more: 'Our £30m success is due to mums making sure our children's food looked great' Meet the company that finds 'must-haves' to make everyday life easier Impossibrew CEO says Dragons' Den failure sparked alcohol-free brand's riseSign in to access your portfolio
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
People are only just realising who does the voice over for viral Jet2 advert – and it's a famous Channel 4 actress
PEOPLE have just realised who does the voice over for the viral Jet2 advert - and it's a famous Channel 4 actress. The jingle has become part and parcel of any Jet2 flight and has gone viral on social media site TikTok. 3 3 3 TV fans might recognise Zoe Lister from her time spent on the much loved soap Hollyoaks but she's also the voice of the famous advert. Who is Zoe Lister? Zoe, 43, is an English actress and writer who played Zoe Carpenter In Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2010, with a brief return in April 2017. She also served as a writer on the show from 2014 to 2024, penning 56 episodes. As an actress, Zoe has appeared in shows such as Midsomer Murders, Crime Stories and Staff Room. And as a writer, she has contributed scripts to shows such as The Worst Witch, The Dumping Ground and Zero Chill. Zoe also appeared as a guest on Big Brother's Little Brother and also presented at T4 On The Beach. She also toured the UK in the comedy play Teechers and she played Lady Macbeth at the Liverpool Royal Court for which she received critical acclaim. The Jet2 advert Zoe is also a voice over artist and has revealed on TikTok that she is the voice behind the "Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday" campaign. She explained in the video post that it isn't art, she just basically sits in a chair and records the words that somebody else has written. Fans flocked to comment on the revelation and one said: "I just hear your voice now and two old blokes fighting over a sun bed!" Jet2 flight to Cyprus forced to divert due to 'drunk' passenger as hundreds of holidaymakers left stranded Another added: "Honestly thought it was Holly Willoughby 's voice!" "Omg wasn't she is hollyoaks?!!" exclaimed another poster. While a fourth added: "Mind blown never knew it was Zoe from Hollyoaks!" Why has the advert gone viral? The jingle has been used as the audio sound to use on holiday videos, often when things go wrong, on TikTok. And it has gone viral all over UK TikTok, with over 100M views and 36,000 posts. The audio also features Jess Glynne's hit song 'Hold My Hand'. This catchphrase and Zoe's narration are often associated with dangerous travel mishaps and weird holiday experiences. There has been a video post of a camel attacking a person while the Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday meme audio plays in the background. There have also been memes of people fighting on a plane or people throwing towels off a sun lounger into a swimming pool. TikToker's have also been dramatically lip syncing along to the advert when things go wrong in everyday life. Most of these incidents don't appear to have taken place on Jet2 holidays, and there's no allegations of wrongdoing on Jet2's part. Meanwhile, Jet2 will launch exclusive new flights from the UK to two affordable Spanish cities. And passengers flying with TUI, easyJet, Ryanair or Jet2 this summer are being urged to check the full list of banned food and drinks before heading to the airport. Plus, she has made history as the British female solo artist with the most UK No1s – an impressive total of seven. But even that hasn't been enough to save Jess Glynne's record deal, as she has split from her label after just one album.
Associated Press
25-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Tarvis Celebrates Voice Actor Genevieve Baer's Telly Award Win and Recognition as a Community Champion by the Building Doors Campaign
Recognizing a standout year of impact, influence, and industry honors for a voice that's redefining the standard ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / June 25, 2025 / Tarvis, a consulting firm that helps creative professionals elevate their brand presence and connect with wider audiences, proudly announces a double milestone for voice actor and client Genevieve Baer: a 2025 Telly Award for her narration work with U.S. Steel and her recent selection as a Community Champion by the Building Doors Campaign, a national initiative amplifying women in voiceover. Baer's Telly Award honors her performance in a U.S. Steel commercial that was originally written with a male voice in mind. Her compelling audition not only shifted that narrative-it helped redefine expectations in a traditionally male-dominated sector. The final spot won Silver in the Craft: Narration category for Best TV Commercial Voiceover. On June 25th, the Building Doors campaign will spotlight Baer as one of just seven Community Champions for 2025. Created by voiceover talent and advocate Christy Harst, the campaign recognizes women 'building doors and breaking barriers' in fields where representation still lags. Baer's featured work includes the very U.S. Steel spot that earned her the Telly nod, further underscoring the reach and relevance of her voice. 'It's rare to find someone whose voice carries strength, clarity, and humanity in equal measure-but that's exactly what Genevieve brings to every project,' said Karin Barth, Director of Operations at Tarvis. 'Her wins are so much more than personal achievements-they're industry-shifting moments that show the value of choosing authenticity over convention.' Baer's work in 2024 has also earned her a nomination for Female Voice Actor of the Year at the One Voice Awards. The nomination recognizes a standout compilation of voiceover work across genres and is considered one of the most competitive honors in the industry. Winners will be announced this August. Genevieve Baer is a full-time voice actor and owner of GB Voice. Her studio work spans promos, narration, animation, and national commercial campaigns, with a client list that includes brands in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and more. To learn more, visit To learn more about the Building Doors campaign, visit To learn more about Tarvis, visit: Contact Information Veronica Green Communications Manager [email protected] 716-759-4636 SOURCE: Tarvis press release
